Metrolink fares rise

Posted on Saturday 5 January 2013 by Gareth Prior

As was reported late last year fares on Manchester Metrolink went up from Wednesday 2nd January 2013 by an average of 4.2% – making it four of our light rail systems (Docklands Light Railway, London Tramlink and Midland Metro have also seen rises) to put fares up as a new year begins. Although outline details had previously been announced by Transport for Greater Manchester no exact details of how the fares were raising had been revealed.

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Metrolink cable thief jailed

Posted on Saturday 5 January 2013 by Gareth Prior

The man who fell off a viaduct when attempting to steal cable from Manchester Metrolink near Cornbrook in May 2012 has been jailed for two years and nine months. John Daw, aged 41 from Ordsall, fractured his skull, pelvis and right leg when he fell from the viaduct whilst trying to escape from staff who had discovered what he was doing. Metrolink services were severely delayed on 9th May because of the damage Mr Daw had caused to the cables although he did not manage to steal any of the cable. He admitted to the offence of attempted theft and was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on 3rd January.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 3 Comments

Manchester Metrolink Engineering Works: 13, 20 and 27 January 2013

Posted on Saturday 5 January 2013 by Gareth Prior

No trams will run into Piccadilly Station before 1000 on Sundays 13, 20 and 27 January – presumably to allow works to be undertaken in preparation for the opening of the East Manchester Line. Trams from Altrincham, Bury and Eccles will all terminate at Piccadilly Gardens before 1000 with a shuttle bus running from Piccadilly Gardens to Piccadilly Station. Normal operations will recommence after 1000.

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Woman injured after being hit by tram

Posted on Saturday 5 January 2013 by Gareth Prior

A woman believed to be in her 50s was taken to hospital in Croydon with non-life threatening injuries on Friday 28th December 2012 after being hit by a tram near to the Fieldway stop on the New Addington line. The circumstances surrounding the incident are not known although eyewitnesses have suggested the woman was standing by the tramway as the tram was passing. Transport for London have confirmed they are investigating the incident which happened at approximately 1400.

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Lancastrian Transport Trust – a look back at 2012

Posted on Friday 4 January 2013 by Andrew Waddington

2012 has been a very challenging year for the Lancastrian Transport Trust, and its prized collection of historic Blackpool trams. At the start of the year, nine of the LTT’s trams were housed at Rigby Road depot, but due to the deteriorating relationship between the Trust and Blackpool Transport, the entire collection had been removed before the year end. Happily, some of these trams have had a very succesful 12 months, whilst others have seen their fortunes take a turn for the worse.

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Posted in Fylde Transport Trust | 2 Comments

TfGM warn Manchester City fans not to board trams this weekend!

Posted on Friday 4 January 2013 by Gareth Prior

With testing on the East Manchester Line past the Etihad Stadium – home of Manchester City – continuing this weekend to enable tests under match-day conditions to take place Transport for Greater Manchester have warned both football fans and members of the public not to attempt to board them! (Maybe they are suggesting that the average football fan isn’t intelligent enough to realise the trams aren’t in public service yet!) Trams will run both before and after the match (with kick off scheduled for 1500) and there will also be some road closures following the match with diversions signposted. The line is scheduled to fully open to Droylsden on 11th February.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 8 Comments

Blackpool’s heritage fleet – a look back at 2012

Posted on Wednesday 2 January 2013 by Andrew Waddington

2012 was the first year for Blackpool Transport’s designated heritage tram fleet, restricted to use on tours and private hires only. Although there have been trams in the Blackpool fleet that have been considered ‘special’, such as those borrowed from museums, for many years, this was the first year that these have been considered seperate from the main running fleet, and had a clearly defined role as tourist attractions.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 22 Comments

Fares rise for Midland Metro

Posted on Wednesday 2 January 2013 by Gareth Prior

In keeping with other transport operators in the UK, Wednesday 2nd January 2013 has seen an increase in fares on Midland Metro with all adult single fares increasing by 10p and returns by 20p. In addition multi trip tickets will also see increases with the exception of the Family Metro Daytripper which remains at £9.50.

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Oh, what a lovely tour!

Posted on Sunday 30 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

On Sunday 6th November 2011, Blackpool Twin set 672+682 operated what was billed as its last ever enthusiast tour on its native system. Happily, this did not turn out to be the case, with a more positive attitude by Blackpool Transport towards its historic tramcars resulting in the Twin car being retained for further use as part of their own heritage fleet. Therefore, one month and twenty-three days after its ‘farewell’ tour, the set were back on enthusiast tour duty!

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust – a look back at 2012

Posted on Saturday 29 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust was a new name in the tramway preservation movement for 2012. Previously operating as the Friends of Fleetwood Trams, this group recently formed with the main aim of preserving a selection of traditional Blackpool trams for future display in a new visitor attraction at Fleetwood, which would be the first step of a scheme to regenerate the town. The key development would be a new tram museum at the town’s former Copse Road tram depot.

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Heaton Park Tramway – a look back at 2012

Posted on Friday 28 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

2012 has been another highly succesful year for the Heaton Park Tramway, despite being less eventful than the last few years. However, with a new addition to the running fleet, and the long-awaited commencement of ground works for the new depot at Lakeside, this has been a significant year for this heritage tramway and its vehicles, and this article aims to review the fortunes of the tram collection over the past 12 months.

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Flexity2 update

Posted on Friday 28 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

As the first year of succesful operation for Blackpool’s latest class of tram draws to a close, now seems an appropriate time to offer a small update on some of the most recent developments involving these trams. Fourteen of the Flexity2 class are currently in regular use, finally offering a viable year-round service and proving extremely popular even in the depths of winter.

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Beamish Tramway – a look back at 2012

Posted on Tuesday 25 December 2012 by Andrew Waddington

2012 has been an excellent year for the tram fleet of Beamish, the Living Museum of the North. This fantastic museum’s reputation for holding innovative transport events was further strengthened during the past year, which has seen two resident tramcars gain new identities, and three preserved trams visit Beamish, two of which remain on site at the time of writing. A total of ten trams ran there during 2012, and a summary of their year is provided here.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Saturday 22 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

Our final main site update of 2012 is now available and we bring you more photos as well  as taking a look at services on offer across the UK for the Christmas and New Year period.

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M5000 3032 derails at Market Street

Posted on Saturday 22 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services through the City Centre were suspended during the evening of Friday 21st December after M5000 3032 derailed having just departed Market Street stop at approximately 1715.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 6 Comments

NET fleet to undergo refurbishment

Posted on Saturday 22 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

It has been revealed that as part of a number of improvements planned to be introduced on the Nottingham Express Transit network in 2013 the fleet of 15 Incentro trams are to undergo a refurbishment. No further details have been released as to what the refurbishment will involve on these trams which will be between 10 and 11 years old next year having been constructed at Bombardier in Derby between 2002-3.

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 1 Comment

Agreement signed for improvements on Midland Metro

Posted on Saturday 22 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

Centro and National Express – operators of Midland Metro – have signed an agreement which will see a number of improvements implemented on the system. Most of the improvements have been previously announced such as the introduction of 20 new larger trams but this agreement has been signed to underpin them and will see National Express continue as operator for the next six years.

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Bridge to be built over tram line after tragedy

Posted on Saturday 22 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

Network Rail have revealed that they are planning to build a bridge over the railway
and tramway near to Hucknall where a 13 year old girl tragically lost her life last month. The foot crossing has now had two fatal incidents in the past four years (the first incident involved a train on the adjacent railway line – this location has a single track railway line and single track tramway) and at recent public meeting a representative from Network Rail confirmed that they would look at installing a bridge over both lines.

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Internal changes for Supertram fleet

Posted on Saturday 22 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

All of the Siemens built trams on Stagecoach Supertram are currently receiving new LED
interior lighting. The changes are being made when the trams are not required from service and not a complete tram is done at once which means currently only 101 and 110 have been completely done. In the lead up to Christmas at least one full tram crew (driver and conductor) have been dressed in seasonal outfits with the driver being Santa and the conductor an elf!

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Campaign group against Tramlink to Bromley set-up

Posted on Saturday 22 December 2012 by Gareth Prior

In one of the more bizarre stories we have reported for quite some time a former councillor has set up a campaign group against extending London Tramlink to Bromley – even though the plans aren’t really on the table! Rod Reed has created TramStop to campaign against a line which would link Bromley to Tramlink at Beckenham Junction with his main gripe apparently being that a significant sum of money has recently been spent on improving Beckenham Junction railway station forecourt and this would have to be ripped up to pave the way for the trams.

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Posted in London Trams | 3 Comments