In Pictures: Edinburgh Trams 267 advertises the new Johnnie Walker attraction

Posted on Friday 3 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

There has been another new advert applied to a tram in Edinburgh with 267 receiving vinyls for the new Johnnie Walker whisky visitor attraction on Princes Street which is due to open to the public from Monday 6th September. This is the first advert carried by 267 since December 2019.

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Trams confirmed to return at Beamish 4th September

Posted on Friday 3 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

After 533 days when there have been no trams in public service at Beamish, Saturday 4th September will be a momentous day as a limited tram service will resume once more! Its going to be different to how it was before but trams are back at Beamish!

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Dermot O’Leary to be a guest announcer on Metrolink

Posted on Friday 3 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Over the years during special events Manchester Metrolink have had a number of guest announcers for on-stop announcements and with Soccer Aid taking place on Saturday 4th September there will be another – Dermot O’Leary. The television presenter is hosting the event and will also be lending his voice to some pre-recorded announcements.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 707

Posted on Friday 3 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its time to head to Blackpool in 1976 again for this edition of “Picture in Time”.

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In Pictures: Further progress in Birmingham City Centre

Posted on Thursday 2 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

We’re off to Birmingham City Centre in this article as we take a look at recent progress on the works taking place there – both relaying the existing route along Bull Street and then round to Corporation Street as well as preparing for the track to go down onto Lower Bull Street for the Birmingham Eastside extension. These images show the ever changing situation at the end of August.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

Very Light Rail project progresses in the West Midlands

Posted on Thursday 2 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

While a lot of out attention for light rai in the West Midlands is concentrated on the West Midlands Metro there is also another ongoing project – Very Light Rail. This is a project with multiple parts, the biggest of which are the construction of an Innovation Centre and Test Track along with the Coventry VLR project for which a prototype vehicle has recently been completed.

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Boy taken to hospital after collision with tram

Posted on Thursday 2 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

A 10 year old boy has been taken to hospital in Manchester after he was hit by a tram on Droylsden Road while riding his bike. The collision happened at approximately 1930 on Wednesday 1st September with the boy taken to hospital with life threatening injuries by air ambulance.

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In Pictures: Oporto 196 runs at Beamish

Posted on Wednesday 1 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

With the proposed start date for public tram services at Beamish edging ever closer (the plan was for services to commence from Saturday 4th September) driver re-familiarisation has been continuing over the past few days with Oporto 196 the tram mainly used for this although Blackpool 31 has also made some trips out onto the tramway. While a lot of these trips have taken place with the museum closed the trams have also been seen out and about by visitors offering a tantalising glimpse of what is to come in the coming weeks.

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In Pictures: Update from Blackpool construction works

Posted on Wednesday 1 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

With our little hiatus in new updates to British Trams Online its been a while since we last featured images from the construction works on the Blackpool Tramway extension up Talbot Road but it would seem we’re not the only ones to have done not a lot recently! In this article we feature photos from Thursday 26th and Friday 27th August with very little progress seen in these images since our last article.

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New Metro depot helps to protect rare species of butterfly

Posted on Wednesday 1 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

The new, temporary, Tyne and Wear Metro at Howdon is not only the home every night to a selection of Metrocars but also has a special conservation area included to help protect a rare species of butterfly. During the planning stages of the depot the former landfill site in North Tyneside was found to be home to an increasingly rare butterfly called a Dingy Skipper and so part of the site was designated for butterfly conservation.

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Improved service frequency to be gradually introduced on Metrolink

Posted on Tuesday 31 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Services on Manchester Metrolink’s busiest lines are set to run to increased frequencies over the next few weeks as more staff start to become available to guarantee extra trams running. The increased frequencies will initially be introduced on the Altrincham and Bury lines before the East Didsbury and MediaCityUK lines see extra trams in the coming weeks.

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Track issues lead to short running at Crich

Posted on Tuesday 31 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Anyone visiting the Crich Tramway Village on Tuesday 31st August has only been able to enjoy a shorter than usual tram ride after a track fault was discovered the previous day. Trams were only able to run between Town End and just to the north of the Bandstand with reduced price admission offered for anyone visiting for the day.

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No trams to Phoenix Park

Posted on Tuesday 31 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit services between Highbury Vale and Phoenix Park have been suspended because of falling debris from a bridge at Cinderhill caused by a car accident. Services were initially suspended around 1200 on Tuesday 31st August whilst the bridge was made safe with trams from Clifton South unable to travel beyond Highbury Vale. Bus ticket acceptance was in place on NCT yellow buses 70 and 71 to and from Cinderhill.

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Temporary Metrolink Park and Ride site set to open

Posted on Monday 30 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

The temporary Park and Ride site for Manchester Metrolink passengers in Radcliffe is set to open on 6th September with initially 100 alternative parking spaces made available. Eventually the temporary facility will have capacity for 250 cars by the end of September as work to increase capacity at the current sites in Radcliffe and Whitefield gets underway in earnest.

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More West Midlands Metro Urbos 100 trams arrived at Wednesbury?

Posted on Monday 30 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

This article was updated on 2nd September 2021 with further information.

It would appear that there have been some more Urbos 100 trams arrive at the Wednesbury Depot of West Midlands Metro – but they’ve snuck in without us noticing so we don’t have much detail about exactly how many have been delivered now or when they did so.

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Whatever Happened To? Crich Tramathon 2005 – Blackpool Electric Locomotive

Posted on Monday 30 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

In this edition of “Whatever Happened To?” we feature the first of the Works cars which made it out onto the mainline – Blackpool Electric Locomotive.

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Stop by Stop Blackpool Tramway: Cabin

Posted on Sunday 29 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

We continue northbound on the Blackpool Tramway today as “Stop by Stop” continues.

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NET plays a starring role in short film

Posted on Sunday 29 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit has played  a key role in the plot of a new short film which was premiered at the recent Nottingham Film and Food Festival. Shot by local film students, “Alone Together” is the story of two commuters who see each other every day across the tracks before meeting properly at a bizarre support group.

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Bogie overhaul contracts signed for West Midlands Metro Urbos3 trams

Posted on Sunday 29 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

The complete fleet of 21 CAF built Urbos3 trams running on the West Midlands Metro network are to enjoy a bogie overhaul following the signing of a three year contract between Lucchini Unipart Rail (LUR) and Midland Metro Limited (MML).

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Seaton Tramway to take on organisation of Natural Seaton Festival in 2022

Posted on Sunday 29 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

The popular Natural Seaton Festival, which celebrates the natural heritage of Seaton and East Devon, is to be organised by the Seaton Tramway from 2022 it has been announced. Usually taking place on a Saturday in mid-July the event hasn’t been able to take place for the past two summer;s due to COVID but will now come back in 2022 better than ever!

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