Author Archives: Andrew Waddington

Leeds 399 to light up Halloween at Crich

Posted on Sunday 25 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The Crich workshop team have created a very special extra attraction for this year’s Starlight event at the museum, by decorating Leeds 399 with illuminations. The tram has received a large number of coloured light bulbs and will be one … Continue reading →

Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 11 Comments

In Pictures: Balloon 713’s big day out!

Posted on Saturday 24 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

After the excitement of Wednesday 21st October in Blackpool (as previously mentioned on this website) with two ‘B Fleet’ Balloon cars running to Fleetwood and the little-used 723 working an illuminations tour, fans of the seaside tramway could have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 5 Comments

A trio of Balloon car treats

Posted on Thursday 22 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

For any readers who are getting bored of reading about how the Blackpool tramway continues to surprise and delight us in the modern age and why we love this system so much – this article might be one to skip! … Continue reading →

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Stockport 5 moves back to Middleton Road

Posted on Wednesday 21 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Stockport 5 has taken another step forwards towards being returned to service at Manchester’s Heaton Park Tramway, being extracted from the back of the Lakeside Depot and transferred to the tramway’s original Middleton Road Depot on Tuesday 20th October. The … Continue reading →

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‘Princess Alice’ set to retire

Posted on Tuesday 20 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours have confirmed that the unique open-top Blackpool Balloon car, ‘Princess Alice’ 706, will be withdrawn from service at the end of the 2015 illuminations season. The tram has operated for three decades since it was restored … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 8 Comments

Blackpool Balloon 716 – an appeal for information

Posted on Saturday 17 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

I have recently been contacted with a request for up-to-date information on the whereabouts of Blackpool Balloon 716. The last I had heard about this tram, it was standing in a scrapyard in Perth, Scotland awaiting a decision on its … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 4 Comments

In Pictures: Hull 96 on test

Posted on Thursday 15 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Hull 96 may have now entered service at the Heaton Park Tramway – but we are now moving very slightly back in time to eight days before the launch took place, when the immaculate tram completed its first test run … Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 1 Comment

Balloons by night

Posted on Tuesday 13 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

As the illuminations season progresses and the nights become darker earlier, the potential number of illumination tours being operated in Blackpool grows. Saturday 10th October was a high point for the year so far with an impressive total of six … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

Hull 96 returns to service

Posted on Monday 12 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Two years of painstaking work undertaken largely by a small team of volunteers came to a satisfactory finale on Sunday 11th October, when Hull 96 was officially launched back into service at the Heaton Park Tramway. The tram had operated … Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 9 Comments

Leeds 602 legacy rejected – again!

Posted on Friday 9 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

A recent announcement that the decision by the Board of Management at the Tramway Museum Society to reject a substantial donation to enable the restoration of the unique Leeds 602 was being reviewed, had been met with approval by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crich Tramway Village, Opinion | 17 Comments

Hull 96 launch preparations underway

Posted on Wednesday 7 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

At Heaton Park in Manchester, final preparations are well underway for the return to service of Hull 96. As has often been mentioned on this website, the tram has been under overhaul for many months which has become the most … Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 3 Comments

Sheffield 264 update: three become one

Posted on Tuesday 6 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The major overhaul of Sheffield 264 at Beamish Museum reached a landmark this month, when the three main components which make up the tramcar were finally reunited. The upper deck, lower deck and truck have all been tackled separately but … Continue reading →

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Newcastle 102’s fortunes are raised

Posted on Thursday 1 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Another step towards a possible return to service for Newcastle 102 occurred on Wednesday 30th September, when the tram was briefly raised off its trucks. As reported previously 102 has been residing in the Crich workshop where its condition is … Continue reading →

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Cash boost for the Sheffield trams of Crich

Posted on Tuesday 29 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The extensive collection of Sheffield tramcars owned by the Tramway Museum Society look set to benefit from the latest incredible act of generosity by a late tram enthusiast. TMS member Roger Benton who passed away recently, has bequeathed the remarkable … Continue reading →

Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 2 Comments

In Pictures: 675+685 return to service for ‘Blackpool 130’ event

Posted on Monday 28 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

One of the many highlights of the fantastic weekend of events held to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the Blackpool tramway over the weekend of 26th & 27th September, was undoubtedly the return to service of Twin set 675+685. The … Continue reading →

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Final preparations in place for ‘Blackpool 130’

Posted on Friday 25 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Many enthusiasts are currently descending on Blackpool, ready for the weekend’s spectacular events to celebrate 130 years of the famous promenade tramway. A full provisional list of which trams are due to run on both days has now been published … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

New hope for old friends to run again at Crich?

Posted on Wednesday 23 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

As most readers of this website will be aware, the queue of trams awaiting attention in the Crich workshops is a very long one, and some cars have been waiting for a considerable amount of time to receive the work … Continue reading →

Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 8 Comments

Static trams, bus tours and more announced for Blackpool 130

Posted on Sunday 20 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

It is now less than a week to go until what is probably the most anticipated tram event of the year – the weekend celebration of the Blackpool tramway’s 130th anniversary. Most of what is going to happen is already … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 11 Comments

Crich pull out all the open tops for ‘TMS 60’

Posted on Sunday 20 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The annual Enthusiasts Day at Crich Tramway Village on Saturday 19th September 2015 was an extra special event, celebrating 60 years since the formation of the Tramway Museum Society. As well as the usual intensive tram service an exciting programme … Continue reading →

Posted in Crich Tramway Village | 2 Comments

719 finally makes it to Fleetwood

Posted on Wednesday 16 September 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Tuesday 15th September was, on paper at least, another normal day on the Blackpool tramway. Of course, in recent times, and much like the ‘good old days’ before the tramway was modernised into a light rail system, there doesn’t seem … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment