In Pictures: A Newcastle tram in Rutland…

Posted on Saturday 7 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

We occasionally feature on these pages a tram which is a little off the beaten track and get very little publicity or coverage and that is the case in this article as we feature the unrestored lower saloon of a Newcastle tram which has found its way to the Rocks by Rail Museum near Cottesmore in Rutland.

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Work underway on temporary Park and Ride site as plans to expand existing sites on Metrolink continue

Posted on Saturday 7 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Work to provide a temporary new Park and Ride site in Radcliffe on the Bury line of Manchester Metrolink is underway as part of the wider plans to increase capacity at the existing facilities at Radcliffe and Whitefield. The temporary facility – close to Spring Lane School – will have space for 250 cars and is due to open by mid-autumn.

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In Pictures: Blackpool Brush 631 gets a repaint and name!

Posted on Friday 6 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Friday 6th August saw a tram return to service after workshop attention in Blackpool as Brush Car 631 was officially launched into service after a special ceremony which also saw it named Reginald Dixon M.B.E. The new paint job is a version of the 1950s green and cream style although the tram retains all of its modern additions and still carries  the 631 number which was only applied in the 1968 renumbering.

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Significant progress on Wolverhampton City Centre extension with concrete pour

Posted on Friday 6 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

We love a good concrete pour and following on from the recent activity in Blackpool, the West Midlands Metro has joined in on the act with work taking place on the Wolverhampton City Centre extension. The concrete pour has taken place on Railway Drive and comes ahead of the planned track laying later in August.

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Edinburgh Trams start recruitment for Ticket Inspectors

Posted on Friday 6 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams are looking to recruit some new Ticketing Services Assistants (Ticket Inspectors to you and I!) to join their Customer Experience Team. This role is full-time and is shift based with all duties starting and finishing at Gogar Tram Depot.

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Picture in Time: New York 674

Posted on Friday 6 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Crich is again the location for this edition of “Picture in Time”.

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Lockdown Walks: Stagecoach Supertram 120

Posted on Friday 6 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

And so after 15 months we come to what we hope will be the final “Lockdown Walks”. It seems appropriate that we end it in Sheffield which has been one of the mainstays of this seriesand we include a tram which is always popular with the photographers.

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In Pictures: West Midlands Metro 24 loses its adverts

Posted on Thursday 5 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

The only tram on the West Midlands Metro network to have carried two external commercial advertising contracts since the larger adverts were carried is now back in fleet livery after the ending of its latest deal. 24 is now running in the full West Midlands Metro blue livery after its adverts for Resorts World were removed.

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In Pictures: North curve now wired at Talbot Square junction

Posted on Thursday 5 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Another day and more good progress on the construction of the Blackpool Tramway extension. Following quickly on from the installation of overhead on the south curve, the north curve at the Talbot Square junction now had overhead strung above it. Meanwhile, up on the old Wilko’s site there has been some more progress on the concrete pour.

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Late evening engineering works in Sheffield

Posted on Thursday 5 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Yellow route services to Meadowhall will be amended after approximately 2300 on Tuesday 10th August to allow for essential engineering works to take place in the Blackburn Meadows area. This will mean the final four trams of the day will terminate at Meadowhall South.

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Lockdown Walks: West Midlands Metro 22 & 25

Posted on Thursday 5 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

We start another 5 days of “Lockdown Walks” today and this edition is at Bull Street on the West Midlands Metro network.

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Rossall School gets a new student

Posted on Wednesday 4 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

The formal break-up of the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust tram collection has begun with orphaned Trailer Car 687 (T7 in its original number) making the short journey from Wyre Dock to Rossall School. The move saw the tram arrive in its new surrounds on Monday 2nd August where work will now begin in earnest of restoring the tram to its “former glory”.

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New Edinburgh Trams City Fare Zone Multi Day tickets launched

Posted on Wednesday 4 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

A new ticket is now available exclusively online at www.edinburghticket.com for travel on Edinburgh Trams which will allow unlimited tram journeys over three, four or five consecutive days anywhere within the city zone – that’s anywhere between York Place and Ingliston Park and Ride.

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Strikes on the way for Metrolink?

Posted on Wednesday 4 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services could be hit by strikes later this year with an ongoing pay dispute not seeming to be close to a resolution. Unite the Union are quoted in the Manchester Evening News as saying a recent pay offer is “pitiful” and this was rejected by over 90% of their members in a ballot. The next stage of the dispute is likely to the be the union running another ballot asking whether there is support for a strike.

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Lockdown Walks: Stagecoach Supertram 399 205

Posted on Wednesday 4 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

“Lockdown Walks” again heads to Sheffield today as we take a look at one of the Citylink tram-train vehicles in service.

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In Pictures: Good progress in Blackpool

Posted on Tuesday 3 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Whilst sometimes with our regular updates from the Blackpool Tramway extension it can be a case of “what has actually changed” this latest article is very different as we can see good progress at both ends of the line. At the Talbot Square end there have been additions to the wiring with the first frogs installed while up at Wilko’s after several days of preparation the concrete has been poured around the rails.

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Beamish provide update on the tramway

Posted on Tuesday 3 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

While we continue to mention those heritage tramways which have reopened since the latest relaxation of Covid restrictions it should be remembered that there are still some which have not yet been able to reopen. One of those is at Beamish and they recently provided an update of the status of the tramway on their Transport and Industry Blog which explains why it hasn’t operated yet this year.

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Overhead problems in Sheffield and the West Midlands Metro

Posted on Tuesday 3 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Tuesday 3rd August has been another day with overhead issues on UK light rail systems – both Stagecoach Supertram and West Midlands Metro have been affected this time and for a change it is Sheffield which has the more serious problem with that in the West Midlands being fixed relatively quickly.

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Lockdown Walks: Blackpool Balloon 717 & Flexity2 012

Posted on Tuesday 3 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Blackpool is again the location for this edition of “Lockdown Walks”.

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In Pictures: Douglas Promenade works

Posted on Monday 2 August 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its probably fair to say that the redevelopment of Douglas Promenade has not been the smoothest civil engineering project out there. With delays, cost overruns and what seems to have been constant changes it has caused disruption in Douglas for several years. For many readers of British Trams Online the key aspect of the project has been the relaying of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway tracks and in this update we take a look at some of the works which have been taking place at what will be a temporary terminus at Broadway just beyond the Villa Marina. Jim Smythe with the photos.

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