Stourbridge Shuttle wins inaugural World Cup of Trams

Posted on Sunday 28 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its not a line which gets mentioned a great deal but the Stourbridge Shuttle – which runs between Stoubridge and Stourbridge Junction – using two Parry People Mover vehicles – is celebrating after winning the very first World Cup of Trams. After three weeks of voting the Shuttle beat off competition from across the UK with the final seeing it winning more votes on Twitter than the Best Stop which was the Library stop on the West Midlands Metro.

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Lockdown Walks: Manchester Metrolink 3085

Posted on Sunday 28 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its time for another “Lockdown Walk” as we venture out onto Manchester Metrolink’s East Manchester line out to Ashton-under-Lyne.

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In Pictures: Covid-19 changes on the Tyne and Wear Metro

Posted on Sunday 28 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

As people get ready for further easing of restrictions and start to travel more often, transport operators in the UK have been seeking to reassure them about how safe it is to travel on board their services. As with the period of more relaxed restrictions in 2020 there is enhanced cleaning on board vehicles and at stops/stations along with the compulsory wearing of masks on board (unless exempt). Another common change has been the closure of certain sections of the vehicles, usually those seats immediately adjacent to the driver’s cab. We saw this change on systems such as Blackpool, Edinburgh and Nottingham last year and a similar closure has also been introduced on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

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More support in Scotland for light rail

Posted on Saturday 27 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams and the Glasgow Subway are to be given a further £7.5 million in government funding to help support both systems while they continue to experience a significant fall in revenue as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This funding follows swiftly on from the UK Government support for English systems outside of London and now means that the Scottish Government have provided £28.5 million since the start of the pandemic.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 27th March 2021

Posted on Saturday 27 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Two Photo Galleries this week, one which is different to our normal offerings as it features a monorail in the USA while the other is on more familiar ground in the West Midlands:

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Around the World in Trams: Freiburg 288

Posted on Saturday 27 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

“Around the World in Trams” now moves into Germany as for the next few weeks we take a look at some of the trams which operate in the city of Freiburg.

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Lockdown Walks: Edinburgh Trams 266

Posted on Saturday 27 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Today we take another trip to Edinburgh for one of our “Lockdown Walks” as we continue to take a look at some of the historic buildings which surround the tramway.

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Leeds 345 celebrates its centenary

Posted on Friday 26 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

With the heyday of the British tram being in the early years of the 20th century there are plenty of significant anniversaries which have celebrated over recent years and the latest tram in the Crich Tramway Village collection to reach a major milestone in 2021 is Leeds 345 which will be 100 years old on 27th March. Now restored to operational condition and a popular member of the running fleet at the museum it hasn’t always been so, indeed it only ran for the first time in Derbyshire in 2006 despite originally arriving at Crich in December 1959.

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TfL funding package from the DfT extended

Posted on Friday 26 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

It has been confirmed that the current funding package between Transport for London and the Department for Transport has been extended until 18th May 2021. The package had originally been due to end on 31st March 2021 but with the continued restrictions on public transport still in place it has been agreed the package should be extended upon which a further review will take place.

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Picture in Time: Seaton 2

Posted on Friday 26 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Its again down to Seaton for this latest edition of “Picture in Time”.

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Emergency engineering works for Metrolink

Posted on Thursday 25 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services to Bury have been suspended with emergency engineering works required meaning all trams from Manchester City Centre have been terminating at Whitefield. Local media reports have suggested that repairs are required at Whitefield tunnel meaning it isn’t possible for any trams to run any further than Whitefield.

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Trams &: Sheffield 510 & bus

Posted on Thursday 25 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Today’s “Trams &” is off to the Crich Tramway Village’s “Best of Sheffield” event in May 2014 again as we take a look at the most modern of trams from the South Yorkshire city held as part of the national collection.

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Stop by Stop Blackpool Tramway: Central Pier

Posted on Thursday 25 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

We continue our way north on the Blackpool Tramway in this edition of “Stop by Stop” as we reach the second of the Pier stops.

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Supertram Engineering Works to disrupt services over Easter

Posted on Wednesday 24 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Essential engineering works on the major junction at Park Square just outside Sheffield City Centre will see major disruption to services on the Supertram network from 2000 on Saturday 3rd April until the start of service on Tuesday 6th April (Easter weekend). During this period no trams will run on any route with limited replacement bus services announced and prospective passengers guided towards normal services buses with ticket acceptance in place for those with tram tickets.

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Warning given after spate of criminal damage to trams and buses in Greater Manchester

Posted on Wednesday 24 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

The Greater Manchester TravelSafe Partnership (TSP) has issued a warning of the consequences of throwing objects at trams and buses after an increase in incidents during 2021. They are taking swift action and reviewing footage to identify those involved and using combined operator intelligence to target patrols in the areas where incidents are most likely to happen.

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Still Standing! Huddersfield tram track

Posted on Wednesday 24 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

One of the surprising aspects of this series has been just how much old tram track there is still lying in open sight, especially when you consider how long ago it was that first generation tramways were abandoned. While some track is deliberately displayed as a historic artefact with plaques and signs much of this track is just there with no fan fare – and so it is in Huddersfield.

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NET complete second refurbishment of their Incentro trams

Posted on Tuesday 23 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

All 15 of the original Bombardier Incentro trams on the Nottingham Express Transit system are now back in service after the £3.5 million refurbishment programme was completed. The last of the trams re-entered service on Tuesday 23rd March 2021 with the project having started in spring 2019.

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In Pictures: A refurbished Unimog for Blackpool

Posted on Tuesday 23 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

Most of our attention in Blackpool recently may have concentrated on the trackworks as well as exciting news about trams on the road to their return but another development recently has seen the Unimog undergo a refurbishment and repaint.

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Picture in Time: Tyne and Wear Metro locomotive

Posted on Tuesday 23 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

We make one final trip to the Tyne and Wear Metro test track today as we feature a locomotive used in case any assistance was needed.

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Public Consultation launched for improvements at Rotherham Parkgate

Posted on Monday 22 March 2021 by Gareth Prior

South Yorkshire PTE have launched a consultation into several transport improvement at Rotherham Parkgate which should make it easier for passengers to access the Supertram Tram-Train service from there into Sheffield. Included in the proposals are improved road access, better walking and cycling infrastructure and an enlarged Park and Ride car park adjacent to the Tram-Train stop.

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