Picture in Time: Luas 4012

Posted on Friday 24 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

We head across the Irish Sea to Dublin for the next few editions of our modern tram themed “Picture in Time” series with the Luas system featuring.

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In Pictures: First working party to Metrolink 1023 at Crewe

Posted on Thursday 23 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Back just as the first lockdown was being introduced in March 2020 Manchester Metrolink 1023 was transferred from storage at Metrolink’s Trafford Depot to the Crewe Heritage Centre where it was planned to be the very first modern UK tram to be displayed in preservation. Enter the pandemic and although 1023 had arrived at its new home and was visible from passing trains on the West Coast Main Line it wasn’t possible to make it a little more presentable – but that has all changed with the first working party from the Manchester Transport Museum Society recently visiting Crewe.

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Plans for four more West Midlands Metro extensions unveiled

Posted on Thursday 23 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) have approved bids to the Government’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) fund and Bus Service Improvement Plan fund at a recent board meeting which could see up to four new West Midlands Metro extensions built as part of a £2 billion investment in public transport in the region over the next five years.

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In Pictures: Progress slows at Wilko’s in Blackpool

Posted on Thursday 23 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

It may have been a few weeks since we had our last update from tram construction works at the former Wilko’s store site in Blackpool but that’s mainly because progress has somewhat slowed in laying the tracks and fixing them into position. When we last reported from the site we mentioned that all track was now down – including the final section just before the actual terminus – and that is still the position we are in with further concrete still be poured to complete the track laying side of the project.

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In Pictures: Rails continue to go down in Corporation Street

Posted on Wednesday 22 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

The past week has seen further progress on the track relaying project in Birmingham City Centre with rails continuing to be laid along Corporation Street ahead of a planned reopening of the line to Library in the next month or so. The closure of the line beyond Bull Street has been in place since 24th July but now some two months later and we should be on the home straight to a full tram service running again soon.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 1 Comment

What’s New on British Trams Online? 22nd September 2021

Posted on Wednesday 22 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

We have a bumper Photo Gallery for you this week as we feature images from Crich’s Tram Day at the weekend:

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Workshop takes centre stage at Crich’s Tram Day

Posted on Wednesday 22 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

It was the return of the main enthusiast event of the year at the Crich Tramway Village on Saturday 18th September with a one day spectacular to showcase the operational fleet and for some rare photographic opportunities. During this year’s event the chance was taken to let the Workshop take centre stage with not only three photo line-ups in the depot yard showing the current, winter and future Workshop programmes but also a couple of trams which have recently been in the workshop were seen out on the mainline under test ahead of their returns to service.

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In Pictures: Reserved area for conductors on Supertram reduced

Posted on Wednesday 22 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Last year as one of the measures to help reduce the spread of Coronavirus and to provide on-board conductors to have an area away from passengers one end of the trams on the Stagecoach Supertram network was cordoned off to passengers. But now with extra passengers being carried on the network this area has been reduced with just one set of four seats reserved.

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In Pictures: Wootton Tramway arrives in Manchester

Posted on Tuesday 21 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Back in last August we reported about the Heaton Park Tramway’s latest acquisition – the Wootton Tramway, a 7 ¼” gauge portable tramway which had been seen around the country at events for many years. Donated to the Manchester Transport Museum Society by the late Howard Burford, it had remained in storage on the Isle of Wight until it was possible for volunteers from the MTMS to collect it – and that time was in early September when a group headed south to bring the trams to their new home.

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Metrolink strikes suspended after improved pay offer

Posted on Tuesday 21 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

The planned strikes on Manchester Metrolink – the first of which would have taken place this coming weekend, 25th and 26th September – have been suspended after what has been described as a much improved pay offer following talks between KeolisAmey Metrolink and Unite the Union. The revised offer will now be voted on by union members with the strike action suspended until this result is known.

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Supertram services disrupted following death of man after stabbing

Posted on Tuesday 21 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

A man has died in hospital after being stabbed in Sheffield City Centre on Friday 17th September. The incident occurred on High Street after the incident at 1630 leading to all tram services through the area being suspended and revised services being put in place.

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In Pictures: Trams in the sun at Beamish

Posted on Monday 20 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Now that trams are running seven days a week, and with schools back after the summer holidays, the opportunity to see them in operation in relaxing and quiet surroundings at Beamish is back. Still with one tram a day working from by the tram depot at Foulbridge to the east end of the Town via the Entrance and Pockerley this has once again added an extra attraction to Beamish and at least means visitors don’t have to worry about walking for too far round the museum. In this article Trevor Hall returns to Beamish on a sunny Thursday 16th September 2021.

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In Pictures: Utility diversion works continue in Dudley

Posted on Monday 20 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

It may be two years before trams are likely to start running on the West Midlands Metro extension to Brierley Hill but work is well underway on the project now, albeit at that early stage where it just looks as holes are being dug although there is still progress being made. In this latest pictorial update we head into Dudley where utility diversion work has been taking place and is now entering the next stage of construction.

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Whatever Happened To? Crich Tramathon 2005 – Leeds 345

Posted on Monday 20 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

This time in “Whatever Happened To?” we feature a tram which was reaching the end of its major restoration although hadn’t quite made it with its return to service not being until the following year. Here we see Leeds 345 to see what has happened to it over the intervening years.

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Stop by Stop Blackpool Tramway: Bispham

Posted on Sunday 19 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its time for another edition of “Stop by Stop” as we are again on the Blackpool Tramway with our northbound journey now reaching Bispham.

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In Pictures: Progress made at Very Light Rail Innovation Centre, Dudley

Posted on Sunday 19 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Think trams or light rail in Dudley and you are most probably going to think about the West Midlands Metro extension to Brierley Hill but away from that project there is also the construction of the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre, which saw its test track officially opened in May 2021.

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Passenger numbers continue to increase on Metrolink

Posted on Sunday 19 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

It has been revealed that passenger numbers on Manchester Metrolink have now reached 50% of pre-Covid levels during the week while weekends are seeing between 60% and 70%. This confirms the trend seen on public transport elsewhere in the UK where leisure travel is now more popular than travel for work.

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Penalty fare to increase on NET from 1st October

Posted on Sunday 19 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Anyone found travelling without a valid ticket on Nottingham Express Transit from 1st October will be liable to a new penalty fare amount with it increasing from £50 to £70. Its hoped that this increase will help to further reduce the amount of ticketless travel.

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IKEA returns with new advert on Metrolink

Posted on Saturday 18 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

The latest new advert on a Manchester Metrolink M5000 marks the return of an advertiser with IKEA back after an almost two year gap. The new advert is being carried on 3069, which itself is also returning to a vinyl wrap after three years.

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Trams to Newhaven moves on to city end of line

Posted on Saturday 18 September 2021 by Gareth Prior

Since work began on the Trams to Newhaven project there has been one significant section which has been conspicuous by its absence – the part of the line closest to the current line at York Place. But this is set to change in October with work due to commence between London Road and York Place on Monday 11th October – the first of three phases of work.

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