Author Archives: Gareth Prior

In Pictures: Midweek opening at the East Anglia Transport Museum

Posted on Thursday 5 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

As well as the more popular Sunday opening the East Anglia Transport Museum opens on all Thursdays during the operating season with the usual mix of trams, trolleybuses and the railway all running. One such opening was on Thursday 21st … Continue reading →

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Could HS2 northern leg cancellation provide a boost for trams?

Posted on Wednesday 4 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

As had been widely predicted, Wednesday 4th October saw UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirm that the northern leg of HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester would be cancelled after the continued increase in costs. The rights and wrongs of this … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, General, Manchester Metrolink, Nottingham Express Transit, South Yorkshire Supertram, West Midlands Metro | 9 Comments

TfL admit funding is not available for Sutton Tramlink extension

Posted on Wednesday 4 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

In news which will probably surprise absolutely no-one, Transport for London have admitted that they cannot afford to fund the once planned extension of Tramlink to Sutton and that they don’t see that the situation will change in the future. … Continue reading →

Posted in London Trams | Comments Off on TfL admit funding is not available for Sutton Tramlink extension

Tramtown closed as structural surveys take place at Rigby Road Depot

Posted on Tuesday 3 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

Anyone heading down to Tramtown in Blackpool (Rigby Road Depot) over the past few days will probably have been concerned by the sight of notices preventing access to the workshops and main tram shed and fencing across the front of … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 8 Comments

FOCUS+ provides breakthrough in driver fatigue detection

Posted on Tuesday 3 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

FOCUS+ – a wearable device that has been designed to detect the onset of fatigue in tram drivers – has delivered excellent results in independent tests which were commissioned by UKTram. The tests have shown that the technology has an … Continue reading →

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In Pictures: 54 enters service on the West Midlands Metro

Posted on Monday 2 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

Its been some time since a new tram entered service on the West Midlands Metro (over two months in fact) but that chanced on Saturday 30th September when 54 carried its first passengers on the line between Edgbaston Village and … Continue reading →

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In Pictures: 255 into service with new Forever Edinburgh adverts

Posted on Monday 2 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

We reported last week that Edinburgh Trams 255 had recently received new adverts for its same sponsor – Forever Edinburgh – but at that time it hadn’t re-entered service and so we had only featured it at the depot with … Continue reading →

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Out and About: Manchester Metrolink Adverts – July 2023

Posted on Monday 2 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink is a system which has regularly had various advertising liveries applied to their trams and the start of July 2023 saw a few more seen for the first time and featured in this edition of “Out and About”.

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Trams &: Blackpool Balloon 715 & bus

Posted on Sunday 1 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

We’re back for the next few weeks with “Trams &” and we start off in Blackpool as we see the old and the new of two different transport modes meeting.

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust, Trams & | Comments Off on Trams &: Blackpool Balloon 715 & bus

In Pictures: Alford Valley Community Railway resumes operation

Posted on Sunday 1 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

The Alford Valley Community Railway in Aberdeenshire has recently started running again after a five year closure, but what does this have to do with trams in the British Isles? Well, amongst their rolling stock is a former Aberdeen Suburban … Continue reading →

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West Midlands Metro launch Instagram account

Posted on Sunday 1 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

You can now find the West Midlands Metro on Instagram after the company launched a new official account to reach out to a different audience.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 1st October 2023

Posted on Sunday 1 October 2023 by Gareth Prior

We’re back with another main site update! After a month’s gap we start our round-up of various tram events which took place in September with photos from the Isle of Man which helped to celebrate 130 years of the Manx … Continue reading →

Posted in Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, Manx Electric Railway, Site News, Snaefell Mountain Railway | Comments Off on What’s New on British Trams Online? 1st October 2023

Testing continues of new Metro fleet – but project confirmed as five months behind schedule

Posted on Saturday 30 September 2023 by Gareth Prior

Its been confirmed that the programme to introduce the new Tyne and Wear Metro fleet of trains (currently being built by Stadler) into service is running around five months behind schedule. It had been hoped the first would be in … Continue reading →

Posted in Tyne and Wear Metro | 1 Comment

Around the World in Trams: Riga 57049

Posted on Saturday 30 September 2023 by Gareth Prior

We do back outside of the British Isles for this latest edition of “Around the World in Trams” and we’re still in Riga.

Posted in Around the World in Trams | 1 Comment

Police appeal for information after assault on Metrolink

Posted on Saturday 30 September 2023 by Gareth Prior

Greater Manchester Police have launched an appeal for information following an incident that happened at approximately 1830 on Friday 22nd September on board a tram as it was close to Failsworth in Oldham. Officers received reports that a man had … Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | Comments Off on Police appeal for information after assault on Metrolink

New Metro extension proves popular with passengers

Posted on Saturday 30 September 2023 by Gareth Prior

It may only have been open for a couple of weeks but West Midlands Metro are already reporting on the popularity of the new extension to Wolverhampton Railway Station. The line (which includes two new stops) opened on Sunday 17th … Continue reading →

Posted in West Midlands Metro | 1 Comment

Overhead line fault reported at Radcliffe

Posted on Friday 29 September 2023 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services were suspended between Bury and Whitefield on Friday 29th September following reports of an overhead line fault. The report was first made at around 1100 and repairs are expected to take some time with no service due … Continue reading →

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Luas Engineering Works: Saturday 30th September and Sunday 1st October

Posted on Friday 29 September 2023 by Gareth Prior

The weekend of Saturday 30th September and Sunday 1st October will see further engineering works taking place on Dublin’s Luas network. This time it’s the Red line which will be affected with the work due to take place between Blackhorse … Continue reading →

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 634

Posted on Friday 29 September 2023 by Gareth Prior

Its time for another edition of “Picture in Time” and we stay in Blackpool for this week’s photo.

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | Comments Off on Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 634

In Pictures: Final Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours Enhanced Weekend of 2023

Posted on Thursday 28 September 2023 by Gareth Prior

The weekend of Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th September saw the final Enhanced Weekend of “hop-on, hop-off” tours for Blackpool’s heritage trams this year. The service offered has gradually evolved during 2023 with the standard pattern now seeing five heritage … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Event Reviews | Comments Off on In Pictures: Final Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours Enhanced Weekend of 2023