Heritage Trams this week…

Posted on Friday 6 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

It’s time again for us to remind you just where you can travel on heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man over the next week or so. All the information here is given in good faith but you are advised to check before travelling any significant distance with the organisations involved.

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In Pictures: Agricultural Power from the Past at Beamish

Posted on Friday 6 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

This years Agricultural Power from the Past event at Beamish saw transport take more of a back seat than in recent years but that didn’t mean that the trams weren’t out in force. Of course this included the final runs in the UK of Blackpool Boat 233 which has been sold by the Lancastrian Transport Trust for a quick buck. With thanks to Steve Kemp and John Woodman we can bring you a few photos from the event showing the trams at work during the event.

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In Pictures: The Tramshed, Waterfront Swansea

Posted on Friday 6 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

We take a trip to South Wales for this small feature as we look at three vehicles (or part of anyway!) displayed at The Tramshed on the Waterfront in Swansea, part of the Swansea Museum and open on bank holidays and for special events. Displayed at this Museum are Swansea 14, the last remaining tram of the system, a reconstruction of the horse drawn Mumbles tram of 1804 (the first passenger railway service in the world) and the front of one of the giant Mumbles trams which is sadly the last surviving part of one of these trams.

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£5 NET group travel ticket offer extended

Posted on Friday 6 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

The hugely popular £5 ticket, which allows a family of 5 (two adults, three children) or just two adults unlimited travel on the Nottingham Express Transit network for a day, has been extended and will now be available on all weekends until the end of September. The ticket is available for purchase on the day from the conductors on board the tram.

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First Nottingham Express Transit Citadis set to be unveiled

Posted on Thursday 5 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

The first of 22 Alstom Citadis trams for Nottingham Express Transit is set to be unveiled to the world during a special ceremony at Wilkinson Street depot. NET are obviously not superstitious as they are to hold this event on Friday 13th September! The Citadis tram – expected to be numbered 216 – is due to arrive at Wilkinson Street during the night of Tuesday 10th September following a journey by road, sea and road from the Alstom factory in Barcelona.

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Manx Electric Railway gets ready to celebrate 120 years

Posted on Thursday 5 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

On 7th September 1893 the official opening tram of the Manx Electric Railway travelled between Douglas and Groudle Glen which was then the full extent of the tramway and now exactly 120 years later a special celebration will be held on the MER although very limited details have actually been released as to how the tramway will be celebrating the occasion.

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York Place to re-open to traffic

Posted on Thursday 5 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

York Place, in Edinburgh city centre, is to re-open to traffic on Friday 6th September following the completion of tramway construction works – this will be four months ahead of the revised schedule. The re-opening of York Place means that the majority of the tram infrastructure is now in place between Princes Street and the east end of York Place ahead of the opening of the tramway which is still scheduled for some time in 2014 (further details of just when the tramway might open are likely at the end of this month when a report is presented to a full Council meeting).

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Stagecoach Supertram Engineering Works: Friday 6th to Sunday 8th September

Posted on Thursday 5 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

The next set of rail replacement works on Stagecoach Supertram will start from 2000 on Friday 6th September with work being concentrated around City Hall. Services will be affected until the end of service on Sunday 8th September. During the work all trams from Meadowhall and Sheffield Station will terminate at Cathedral and trams from Middlewood and Malin Bridge will terminate at University with a replacement bus in operation from Shalesmoor to Castle Square (an additional bus will run Malin Bridge-Hillsborough during the day of Saturday 7th September). The works on Park Grange Road will also be continuing throughout the weekend.

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A new name for Blackpool ‘Boat’ 227

Posted on Thursday 5 September 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The ‘Friends of Blackpool Tower’ Facebook group has revealed that one of Blackpool’s most legendary entertainers is shortly to be honoured with a tramcar named in his honour. Charlie Cairoli was the most famous clown ever to perform at the Blackpool Tower Circus and, following the recent unveiling of a statue of him, his name will be carried by recently repainted Boat car 227.

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New website and a new timetable for Blackpool Transport

Posted on Wednesday 4 September 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Transport has just unveiled a very impressive new look website, promoting the company and its various activities. Whereas the previous website was largely focussed on the bus side of the firm’s operations, the trams feature much more prominently now, with plenty of reference to the heritage tram tours as well as the core service fleet.

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Topless tours of Blackpool illuminations

Posted on Wednesday 4 September 2013 by Andrew Waddington

After just three evenings of operation for Blackpool Transport’s illumination tours by heritage tramcar, a very credible five different vehicles have already been selected for use in this role, with two open top cars joining the familiar illuminated trams thanks to fine weather.

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Thank-you and goodnight from Boat 605

Posted on Monday 2 September 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Boat car 233/605 performed its final passenger journeys at its current home in the North East on Sunday 1st September, which was also the fourth and final day of the ‘Power from the Past’ event at Beamish Museum. As anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the last few weeks will no doubt be well aware, the tram has been sold to a new owner in America by the Lancastrian Transport Trust and, barring any unforeseen change of plan, this day marked its final appearance in passenger service on home soil.

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Heritage trams light up Blackpool

Posted on Monday 2 September 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Two nights after the Blackpool illuminations were officially switched-on for another season, Sunday 1st September saw a belated beginning for tours of the lights by tram, using the illuminated feature cars and other members of the heritage fleet. As reported previously, two major concerts at the Tower Festival Headland on the first two evenings resulted in a split tram service operating, and therefore it wasn’t possible to run any illumination tours at all.

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Picture in Time 11: Vanguard 619’s 2008 comeback

Posted on Sunday 1 September 2013 by Andrew Waddington

For our latest archive photo feature, we take a timely look back to the first weekend of the 2008 Blackpool illuminations, and the return to service of Replica Vanguard 619 following an extended lay-off. This was a time when a full tram service operated on the switch-on weekend, including illumination tours, and the switch-on ceremony itself was held in the Central Car Park, meaning that disruption to the tramway was minimal.

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This week on British Trams Online…

Posted on Sunday 1 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

The main site of British Trams Online makes a return this weekend with plenty of photos to hopefully keep you entertained and we also have a new article uploaded too. To find out what has been added read on…

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British Trams Online goes to the Isle of Man

Posted on Sunday 1 September 2013 by Gareth Prior

Despite the fact that my interest in trams goes back over 20 years and this website has existed for over 10 years I have never been to the Isle of Man, well until now! I had been trying to find time to make a visit to the Island and 2013 was to be the year and helped by a change of role at work which meant I could take a holiday earlier than previously the trip was booked for a week in mid-August – deliberately avoiding any enthusiast events so I could explore and discover the tramways (and railways) of the Isle of Man as they would be normally. What follows is a diary of what happened whilst on the Isle of Man for the three tramways: Douglas Horse Tramway, Manx Electric Railway and Snaefell Mountain Railway. Gareth Prior reports.

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Daytime testing starts to Ashton-under-Lyne

Posted on Friday 30 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

The next piece of the Manchester Metrolink jigsaw has moved a step further forward with the start of daytime testing on the East Manchester line to Ashton-under-Lyne, which is  still scheduled to open in winter 2013/4.

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In Pictures: Midland Metro 11 goes retro

Posted on Friday 30 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

As previously reported on British Trams Online Midland Metro have become the latest transport undertaking in the UK to go all retro with the painting of 11 in a representation of Birmingham Corporation Tramways livery. The tram was officially launched at Birmingham Snow Hill on Friday 23rd August with Theresa Stewart, who the tram is named after, on hand to do the honours.

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Heritage Trams this week…

Posted on Friday 30 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

It’s time again for us to remind you just where you can travel on heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man over the next week or so. All the information here is given in good faith but you are advised to check before travelling any significant distance with the organisations involved.

Continue reading →

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Metrolink launch Wi-Fi tram

Posted on Friday 30 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink M5000 3054 has become the first tram on the network to be fitted with Wi-Fi which will enable passengers to access the internet whilst on the move for free. The tram is now out on the system running as a trial which, if it is a success, could see the whole fleet of trams fitted.

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