Around the World in Trams: Amsterdam 796

Posted on Saturday 8 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Its been but a brief stay in Amsterdam but we have time for just one more March 1988 image with a look at another of the LHB 9G trams in service.

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In Pictures: Seaton Tramway in August

Posted on Saturday 8 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

The Seaton Tramway in Devon was the first heritage line to reopen following the lifting of government restrictions back on Saturday 4th July. With a recent increase in services – running at least every 20 minutes between 1000 and 1600 every day until the end of September – and further trams now available to run (just 4 and 19 haven’t been cleared fir service now) if you pop down to the tramway you are likely to see a good number of trams operating with up to seven double deckers potentially running each day during August (subject to the usual caveats). This pictorial article takes a look at some of the trams in service over the weekend of 1st and 2nd August, including some of the Covid-19 changes put in place. Photos from Paul Hudd.

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Lockdown Walks: Edinburgh Trams 273

Posted on Saturday 8 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

We go on another “Lockdown Walk” in Edinburgh for this latest photo.

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RAIB release report into incident at Gravel Hill which saw pedestrian hit by tram

Posted on Friday 7 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

The latest RAIB safety digest into an incident on a UK tramway has just been released and it relates to an incident which saw a pedestrian being hit by a tram at Gravel Hill tramstop on London Tramlink on 10th March 2020. This is just a safety digest as the safety learning isn’t a major change of procedures for UK tramways.

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More frequent Blackpool Tramway service announced

Posted on Friday 7 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Blackpool Transport have announced that as from Sunday 16th August a more frequent timetable will be introduced on the Blackpool Tramway with trams continuing to run later into the evening as well. Since the tramway resumed operation last month the service has only been running every 20 minutes and has ended in the early evening but all this will change as they gear up for the continued increase in passenger numbers.

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Lockdown Walks: Nottingham Express Transit 225

Posted on Friday 7 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

We are going back to Nottingham for this latest “Lockdown Walk”.

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Picture in Time: Birkenhead 20

Posted on Friday 7 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Another of the trams which form the collection of the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society on the Wirral Heritage Tramway is the feature of this edition of “Picture in Time” – Birkenhead 20.

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Old tram track uncovered at Trams to Newhaven project continues

Posted on Thursday 6 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Following its enforced downtime work is now continuing at a good pace in the early stages of the Trams to Newhaven project in Edinburgh with various road closures in place to allow the work to take place. With site investigations now taking place, on section of the line the contractors have discovered some old tram track from the last time trams ran along Leith Walk.

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New fares for Blackpool

Posted on Thursday 6 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 9th August will see the introduction of a new simplified fare structure by Blackpool Transport which for the tramway will see a flat single fare of £2.10 – regardless of length of journey. So, whether you travel from North Pier to Tower or from Starr Gate to Fleetwood your single fare will be £2.10 making one of those journeys excellent value and the other not so much! These fares only apply to the core Flexity service.

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Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Western Train 733+734

Posted on Thursday 6 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Having now seen all the normal trams which ran in passenger service over the course of the final weekend of traditional tram operation in Blackpool, the last three editions now concentrate on the illuminated feature cars, starting with the Western Train.

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Western Train to miss start of illuminations

Posted on Wednesday 5 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

When the Illuminated Western Train was withdrawn from service and moved into the Workshops at Blackpool Transport’s Rigby Road Depot following its use in the lead up to Christmas last year few could have imagined that its overhaul work would have been interrupted by a major global pandemic meaning that the popular tram would miss the start of the 2020 Illuminations. But, unfortunately, that is exactly what has happened with Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours recently confirming that the tram would not be ready by September and the start of the extended 2020 Illumination season.

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More Tyne & Wear Metro trackworks to take place in August

Posted on Wednesday 5 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

The culmination of 12 month project to replace the track on the Tyne and Wear Metro in Gateshead and Tyne and Wear will take place over four weekends in August, it has been confirmed. This is the latest phase of a £8 million track renewals programme and will centre on an 1.8km stretch of line between Heworth and Pelaw.

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Picture in Time: Midland Metro 03 & 14

Posted on Wednesday 5 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Our modern tram edition of “Picture in Time” this week moves to the Midland Metro for the next few weeks. Now, these articles are usually written several weeks and months in advance (none more so than in 2020 when there hasn’t been much else going on!) and these images feature trams in the snow – just as we seem to be approaching the hottest period of the year! I aim to be topical…

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In Pictures: New adverts for West Midlands Metro 19

Posted on Tuesday 4 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

After an understandable period where we haven’t seen many new adverts applied to trams on various systems around the UK, West Midlands Metro 19 has recently returned to service having lost its 20th anniversary livery in favour of adverts for Marks Electrical.

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Manchester Metrolink Engineering Works: Saturday 8th to Sunday 16th August

Posted on Tuesday 4 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

There will be changes to Manchester Metrolink services through Manchester City Centre for a nine day period in August as 1CC will be closed to allow for essential track repair works. No trams will be able to serve either Shudehill or Market Street between Saturday 8th and Sunday 16th August with services altered throughout this period.

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Still Standing! Walthamstow Council Tramway Offices

Posted on Tuesday 4 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

This latest look at a surviving first generation tramway structure is heading to London with the former Walthamstow Council Tramway Offices featuring.

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In Pictures: New Metrolink Park and Ride site on Trafford Park line

Posted on Monday 3 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this age of integrated transport and the move towards encouraging people to use public transport as much as possible (except when there’s a massive global pandemic of course!), a number of tramways have Park and Ride sites built close to tramstops to aid this modal shift. When the Trafford Park line opened back in March one thing which was conspicuous by its absence was a Park and Ride facility but all that will change in the future with work now underway close to the stop at Parkway.

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Stagecoach Supertram Engineering Works: Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th August

Posted on Monday 3 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Engineering works by Network Rail on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August means that there will be a reduced Tram-Train service on these days with just an hourly service working through to Rotherham Parkgate from Cathedral on both days.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Centenary 641

Posted on Monday 3 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this edition of “Picture in Time” we are heading back to August 1984 for a view of a then new, Centenary 641.

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Trams in Video: Stagecoach Supertram Tram-Train First Day – October 2018

Posted on Sunday 2 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

We go to Sheffield for this edition of “Trams in Video” as we take a look at the first day of public services on the Tram-Train operation between Cathedral in Sheffield City Centre and Rotherham Parkgate. Shot on 25th October 2018 we see the Tram-Train vehicles at both ends of the line.

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