In Pictures: Dudley Very Light Rail Innovation Centre update

Posted on Thursday 2 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its been a while since we last took a look at the Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley but we remedy that in this article as we see the site (in the snow!) with plenty of construction progress having been made since we last featured it.

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In Pictures: Just another day at Beamish

Posted on Thursday 2 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

Beamish – The Living Museum of the North – continues to be open five days a week up until the Christmas holidays which while it reduces chances to see the trams in operation still gives plenty of opportunities! One tram a day tends to be in service on the restricted service with the completion of maintenance works on the section of the tramway between Foulbridge and the Town passed the Events Field still needed before a full service can resume.

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Cut price return tickets available to Blackpool Town Centre

Posted on Thursday 2 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

From now until the start of January Blackpool Transport are offering anyone travelling on their trams and buses into Blackpool Town Centre a special reduced price return ticket for just £2.50. The tickets must be purchased through the Blackpool Transport app but will allow you to travel from any location on the Blackpool Transport network as long as your journey ends or starts in the town centre for this special price.

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15 Years Apart: Glasgow 22

Posted on Thursday 2 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its another edition of “15 Years Apart” today (there will be other photo series during our birthday celebration month they just haven’t been written yet!) as we take a look at another tram in 2006 and 2021.

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In Pictures: Single-line working in Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 1 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

As we’ve mentioned in passing several times over the past week or so, welding work in Blackpool at North Pier has meant that single-line working has been scheduled to take place on the section of tramway between North Pier and Cabin for “up to six days”. In yesterday’s attempt the single-line working was not in place with normal working on this part of the tramway but another attempt to capture it on Wednesday 1st December was more successful as we see in this article. Photos from Tony Armitage.

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First bodyshell completed for Tyne and Wear Metro’s new trains

Posted on Wednesday 1 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

A significant milestone has been reached in the new train fleet for the Tyne and Wear Metro with the very first bodyshell having been completed at Stadler’s factory in Switzerland. One of 46 new trains being built by Stadler as part of a £362 million deal to completely renew the fleet now that the first bodyshell has been completed it paves the way for the seats and other internal features to be installed.

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Trams to Newhaven to start prep work for building fixings installation

Posted on Wednesday 1 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

They were once known as rosettes and in first generation tramway days they could be of a very elaborate design but the more prosaic term being used by the Trams to Newhaven project in Edinburgh is “building fixings”. We are talking of the small piece of equipment which will be used in places on the extension to support the overhead wires and preparation works are about to get underway for this work to take place.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Rebuilt Balloon 707

Posted on Wednesday 1 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its British Trams Online Anniversary Month! That’s right 1st December 2021 marks 19 years since this website launched on the internet and as we have done over the past few years that means during December we will be bringing you bonus content with additional photo series running on the News & Features page – the first of these returning series is “15 Years Apart” which as the name suggests shows photos of a tram in 2006 and again in 2021, some have changed a lot, some have changed barely at all!

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Advent Calendars are now live!

Posted on Wednesday 1 December 2021 by Gareth Prior

Advent starts today and you know what that means – the return of the British Trams Online Advent Calendars! Once again we have two versions for you to choose from – or even choose both! – Traditional Trams and Modern Trams. All photos included were taken during 2021 and we will be uploading new images the night before so no early peeking! What will feature in this year’s Advent Calendars? Who knows (even I don’t know yet!) maybe it will be your favourite behind window 24? To access the Advent Calendars just follow the links above!

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First phase of Tyne and Wear Metro Gosforth Depot completed

Posted on Tuesday 30 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

The first phase of the redevelopment of Gosforth Depot on the Tyne and Wear Metro has now been completed which will allow further demolition work to get underway as the project continues. The £70 million project is being undertaken by Stadler as part of their contract which includes the construction of a new fleet of trains along with both their and the current fleets maintenance. Eventually there will be a state of the art modern facility at Gosforth which will house the 46 new trains to be built in Switzerland.

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In Pictures: Trams resume normal service in Blackpool

Posted on Tuesday 30 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Tuesday 30th November has seen a normal tram service resume in Blackpool after they were given permission to proceed past the Metropole Hotel following the structural damage it suffered during Storm Arwen over the weekend.

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Luas start recruitment for new tram drivers

Posted on Tuesday 30 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Dublin’s Luas tram system has started a recruitment drive for more drivers to start from early January 2022. They are also looking to create a panel for future opportunities. Operators of the line, Transdev Dublin Light Rail Ltd., are looking for dedicated individuals who are passionate about keeping Dublin moving and providing quality public transport for passengers on Luas.

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In Pictures: Delays continue on Tyne & Wear Metro and in Blackpool

Posted on Monday 29 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Storm Arwen may now have blown away but its after effects are still being felt with both the Tyne and Wear Metro and Blackpool Tramway in particular seeing ongoing disruption as at the evening of Monday 29th November. Whilst things are improving on the Metro for Blackpool there remains no service north of North Pier with now the Metropole Hotel found to have suffered structural damage during the storm.

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Two years down, less than two to go for Trams to Newhaven project

Posted on Monday 29 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

November 2021 marks the two year point of the start of construction works for the Trams to Newhaven project which will, unsurprisingly, see the Edinburgh Trams line extended to Newhaven. With trams still on target to start operation in spring 2023 we are now over halfway through the construction period and to mark that milestone the project team have been looking back at the progress they have already made.

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Trams &: Nottingham Express Transit 216 & bus

Posted on Monday 29 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

In this edition of “Trams &” we are off to the East Midlands as we feature a image at one of Nottingham Express Transit’s termini with a tram joined by another bus.

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Stop by Stop Nottingham Express Transit: Central – Royal Centre

Posted on Sunday 28 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

“Stop by Stop” carries on our journey on Nottingham Express Transit today and we take a look at the Royal Centre stop.

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Man taken to hospital after being hit by tram at Little Bispham

Posted on Sunday 28 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

A man in his 60s was taken to hospital on Thursday 25th November after being hit by a tram on the Blackpool Tramway at Little Bispham. The incident occurred at around 1820 with tram services being suspended until approximately 2200 whilst the emergency services were on the scene.

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In Pictures: Tram on a ferry!

Posted on Sunday 28 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

No, its not a low budget remake of the Hollywood blockbuster Snakes on a Plane! As we have reported extensively over the past few months the new batch of M5000 trams for use on Manchester Metrolink are being delivered at regular intervals from mainland Europe and we have pictured several of the arrivals as they turn up at their final destination in Manchester. But how do they get to the UK from mainland Europe? On board a ferry that’s how!

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 28th November 2021

Posted on Sunday 28 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Photos this week come from Stagecoach Supertram back in September:

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In Pictures: NET 212 receives a new advert

Posted on Saturday 27 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

It’s the return of the full vinyl wrap advert in Nottingham with Incentro 212 having received an advert for “Carbon Neutral Nottingham 2028”. The new advert features extensive use of contravision on the windows (as in every passenger window is covered) and is publicising the campaign to make the city of Nottingham the UK’s first carbon neutral city by 2028.

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