Trams &: Manchester Metrolink 1011 & bus

Posted on Monday 15 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

In this latest instalment of “Trams &” we are heading back in time to the early days of Manchester Metrolink when we take a look at one of the T68s along with a bus.

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Stop by Stop Nottingham Express Transit: Central – Lace Market

Posted on Sunday 14 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

We continue our way along Nottingham Express Transit as we enter the city centre and reach the stop at Lace Market.

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In Pictures: Christmas adverts on Nottingham Express Transit

Posted on Sunday 14 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

We don’t often feature updates on adverts carried on the trams of Nottingham Express Transit (mainly because we don’t get regular updates on them!) but we slightly remedy that in this article as we take a look at recent external adverts applied to Incentro 215.

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More frontline staff on the Metro

Posted on Sunday 14 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

The Tyne and Wear Metro is moving more frontline staff onto both stations and trains to care for customers with them also being available for longer each day and with a new more visible look. Passengers on the Metro have long asked for more staff to be available, particularly in the evenings, and these changes will see that introduced between now and Christmas.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 14th November 2021

Posted on Sunday 14 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Two more Photo Galleries have been added to the site this week, photos coming from Dublin and Blackpool’s Tramtown (Rigby Road Depot):

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Second strike set for 23rd November on NET

Posted on Saturday 13 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

The GMB Union have confirmed that they will be instructing their members to walk out on Tuesday 23rd November as the dispute over pay shows no signs of being settled. The first strike on Saturday 6th November saw no services run at all on the network with the shutdown starting the previous evening from around 2200 to ensure everything was back in the depot by the midnight start of the industrial action.

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More financial support for Scottish light rail

Posted on Saturday 13 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

An additional £2.2 million of emergency funding for light rail in Scotland – covering both Edinburgh Trams and the Glasgow Subway – has been confirmed bringing the total funding they have received since the start of the pandemic to £36 million. This now covers the period up until March 2022 (the same period as English light rail systems have confirmed emergency funding for) and comes after ongoing discussions between Transport Scotland and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Edinburgh Trams.

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Around the World in Trams: Melbourne 671

Posted on Saturday 13 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its not just trams which used to run on the Ballarat tram system which feature at the museum as shown in today’s image which is one of the ubiquitous Melbourne W class of trams.

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Another night of TravelSafe action on Metrolink’s Bury line

Posted on Saturday 13 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Metrolink staff and Greater Manchester Police officers were joined by local councillors on Wednesday 3rd November for another TravelSafe Partnership operation on the Bury line to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour to give passengers the confidence to travel safely.

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All West Midlands Metro services suspended from Saturday 13 November until further notice

Posted on Friday 12 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

In recent weeks we’ve been wondering when trams may return from Bull Street to Library and when we may see the extensions to Edgbaston Village and Wolverhampton Railway Station open, but the question to ask about the West Midlands Metro now is when will any trams run again? It was announced on Friday 12th November that there would no trams running at all on the complete line from Saturday 13th November – until further notice. Once again it would seem to be an issue with the cracks which were discovered earlier in the year with additional repairs now required.

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In Pictures: More wiring work at the old Wilko’s site

Posted on Friday 12 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Another day and another update from Blackpool where we take a look at recent progress on the construction work being undertaken for the extension of the tramway to Blackpool North Railway Station. In this update we again head up to the old Wilko’s site where there have been more span wires installed on the newly erected overhead poles whilst the line ears are now also being installed. Meanwhile, there is also progress with further concreting being done at the terminus.

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Picture in Time: Manx Electric Railway 22

Posted on Friday 12 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

“Picture in Time” is returning to the Isle of Man for today’s image from the past.

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In Pictures: Poppies return to Blackpool’s Flexity2s

Posted on Thursday 11 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

We saw recently how trams in Sheffield were again carrying Poppies ahead of Remembrance Day/Sunday later this month and now we feature a second tramway in the UK doing likewise with all Flexity2s currently running in Blackpool also seen with them from the start of November. Whereas the poppies in Sheffield are carried externally, in Blackpool they are carried inside the cab positioned in the bottom left hand corner at both ends. Tony Armitage with the photos.

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In Pictures: Another two tram service at Beamish

Posted on Thursday 11 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 30th October was another busy day for Beamish’s trams with a two tram service in operation around the current horseshoe(ish!) line available. As it was the end of October and the weather was end of October like the two trams chosen for service were Sunderland 16 and Sheffield 264. In this small article we see those trams in service as well as taking a quick peek inside the depot at those not needed for service on the day.

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Metrolink services to change for Remembrance Sunday events

Posted on Thursday 11 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Metrolink services through Manchester City Centre on Sunday 14th November will be amended from the start of service until approximately 1230 to allow for the Remembrance Sunday events to take place with no interruption. No trams will run via Exchange Square during this period with services running from East Didsbury to Rochdale diverted onto 1CC with a few other changes also necessary during the events.

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In Pictures: The next Urbos100 arrives at Wednesbury

Posted on Wednesday 10 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Wednesday 10th November saw the eighth – and for now final – Urbos100 tram delivered to West Midlands Metro’s Wednesbury Depot with 45 arriving on the back of a low loader at approximately 1120. The tram made the trip from CAF’s plant in Zaragoza, Spain entering the UK at Bristol before making the final leg of its journey via road.

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In Pictures: And now span wires start to go up at Wilko’s

Posted on Wednesday 10 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

Another day and another pictorial update from Blackpool where the construction of the Talbot Road extension is continuing with good progress having been made in the past couple of weeks. After yesterday’s look at the work where the overhead poles were being erected, the latest update shows the stringing of span wires at Wilko’s. Tony Armitage paid a visit on 10th November for these shots.

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Metrolink passenger numbers hit 70% of pre-pandemic levels

Posted on Wednesday 10 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

The recovery of passenger numbers on Manchester Metrolink has continued over the past few months with the latest figures showing that it has now reached over 70% of pre-pandemic levels. With much of the recovery being seen in the leisure market, Sunday 10th October saw the busiest Sunday in Metrolink history with passengers heading to the Manchester Marathon.

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In Pictures: Poles go up at Wilko’s

Posted on Tuesday 9 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

The excellent progress which we have seen over the past couple of weeks on construction works in connection with the Blackpool Tramway extension along Talbot Road to a new terminus at Blackpool North Railway Station has been continuing with attention now turning towards the installation of overhead poles on the former Wilko’s site.

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Pre-purchased tickets popular for Rugby fans getting to Murrayfield

Posted on Tuesday 9 November 2021 by Gareth Prior

With Scotland’s national rugby team currently in the middle of their Autumn Internationals held at Murrayfield Stadium – easily accessible on Edinburgh Trams with a tramstop right outside the entrance – a trial allowing special Rugby Return tickets to be pre-purchased is proving to be a success.

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