Author Archives: Andrew Waddington

Pioneer Flexity2 receives new adverts

Posted on Tuesday 11 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The first of Blackpool’s Flexity2 trams, car 001, has become the latest of the class to receive external advertisements. In the now familiar style with advert banners along the roof sides and on the lower panelling of its centre section, … Continue reading →

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Further attention for the Rocket

Posted on Tuesday 11 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The Lancastrian Transport Trust owned illuminated Rocket tram 732 has received some further cosmetic enhancements since the illuminations switch-on took place on 31st August. The tram now sports external advertisements on the large panels on the side of its ‘launch … Continue reading →

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Beamish create improved tram workshop

Posted on Tuesday 11 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Hardly a week seems to pass by of late when there is not some positive news to report on regarding some exciting development at Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, with regard to its extensive transport collection. Fresh from … Continue reading →

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Beamish Museum confirm April 2013 tram event

Posted on Sunday 9 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Following a few hints and a healthy dose of speculation, Paul Jarman, the Keeper of Transport at Beamish Museum, has finally confirmed that a big tram event will be staged at the open-air museum in April 2013. This will be … Continue reading →

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672+682: the Twin car that got the cream!

Posted on Sunday 9 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Following a number of rather depressing news items involving Blackpool trams, it is pleasing to report that Twin set 672+682 is almost ready for a return to service on its native rails. The trams have been superbly repainted in their … Continue reading →

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Lancastrian Transport Trust issue statement on tram moves

Posted on Sunday 9 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The Lancastrian Transport Trust have received some criticism from tram enthusiasts over the past few days, after moving six of their preserved Blackpool trams from Rigby Road to outside storage on the outskirts of Blackpool. Now, the charitable organisation has … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 13 Comments

LTT trams retreat from Rigby Road

Posted on Friday 7 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

All of the preserved trams owned by the Lancastrian Transport Trust have now escaped from the Rigby Road depot at Blackpool, with the last six remaining trams having left within a four-day period early in September 2012. Following on from the previously … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 4 Comments

Preserved Brush cars end up outside

Posted on Wednesday 5 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Following on from the former Permanent Way gang car 259, Brush Railcoach 632 became the second of the Lancastrian Transport Trust’s preserved Blackpool tramcars to leave Rigby Road for pastures new this week. Unfortunately, both of these trams have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 6 Comments

Permanent Way Brush car leaves Rigby Road

Posted on Tuesday 4 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The Lancastrian Transport Trust have begun to remove their remaining trams from the Rigby Road tram depot in Blackpool, with former Permanent Way Brush car 259 becoming the first departure of the month on the afternoon of Tuesday 4th September. … Continue reading →

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Boating by night in Blackpool

Posted on Tuesday 4 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Boat car 600 became the first non-illuminated tram to work an evening heritage/illuminations tour during the new era of the tramway on Monday 3rd September. This followed on from speculation that only the three feature cars would operate on … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 10 Comments

Welcome back to Bolton 66!

Posted on Monday 3 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Pleasing news from Blackpool concerns the ever-popular Bolton 66, which has recently returned to service following a lay-off. Hang on a moment… haven’t we run this story before!? Well, of course 66 missed the entire 2011 season due to not … Continue reading →

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Big queues and big disapointments in Blackpool

Posted on Sunday 2 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The start of the 2012 illuminations has been a rather challenging time for the Blackpool tramway. This is of course, the first time that the illuminations have shone in the ‘new’ tramway era with Flexity2 LRVS providing the core service. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 29 Comments

Tramcars transformed at Beamish

Posted on Saturday 1 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The 2012 ‘Power from the Past’ event at Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, has witnessed the unveiling of two familiar trams in very unfamiliar new colour schemes. As has been extensively reported here on British Trams Online, Oporto … Continue reading →

Posted in Beamish Tramway | 2 Comments

Heaton Park Tramway grows – very slightly!

Posted on Saturday 1 September 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Preparations for the construction of a new tram depot at Manchester’s Heaton Park are now making good progress, with a short length of track laid connecting the current terminus adjacent to the park’s boating lake to the future depot site. … Continue reading →

Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 2 Comments

Blackpool 626 returns to Pacific Road

Posted on Thursday 30 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The excitement surrounding Blackpool Brush car 626‘s expected entry into service at the Birkenhead tramway imminently has turned out to be nothing more than false hope, as the tram has now been returned to the Pacific Road building for continued … Continue reading →

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Static trams light up Blackpool promenade

Posted on Wednesday 29 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Tuesday 28th August provided the opportunity for an early preview of the 2012 illuminations spectacle in Blackpool. On this evening the promenade road was closed off to all vehicular traffic apart from bicycles, for the now annual ‘Ride The Lights’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust, Fylde Transport Trust | 1 Comment

Four wheels on my horse tram

Posted on Tuesday 28 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Another hugely significant milestone in the restoration of Leeds 107, the last surviving horse tramcar from the Yorkshire city, occured on Wednesday 22nd August, when the body and truck of the tram were finally united. This followed on from the … Continue reading →

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Sheffield 510 enters Crich workshop

Posted on Monday 27 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

As part of a major shunting operation at Crich Tramway Village on Saturday 25th August, Sheffield 510 was moved from the rear of the running sheds to the workshop. There, the tram is to receive a major overhaul thanks to … Continue reading →

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Tram crewing crisis at Crich

Posted on Monday 27 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Despite some very positive developments at Crich Tramway Village during 2012, an ongoing shortage of volunteer tram crews has been a serious cause for concern this summer. There have been claims for the last few years that volunteer numbers have … Continue reading →

Posted in National Tramway Museum | 18 Comments

Glasgow 1115 emerges from Crich exhibition

Posted on Sunday 26 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

One of the most elusive trams in the national collection at Crich Tramway Village made an extremely rare appearance outside on Saturday 25th August, as preparations for the upcoming Glasgow event on 15th & 16th September. The tram concerned was … Continue reading →

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