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When the Illuminated Western Train was withdrawn from service and moved into the Workshops at Blackpool Transport’s Rigby Road Depot following its use in the lead up to Christmas last year few could have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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Trams &: Cheltenham 21 & bus

Posted on Sunday 2 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

It may be the last “Trams &” for now but we hope you agree we have almost saved the best until last as it’s a trip into the archives in the pretty unlikely location of Cheltenham.

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Extra funding announced for Metro modernisation project

Posted on Sunday 2 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

The continued modernisation of the Tyne and Wear Metro has recently got a boost with an extra £20 million of government funding confirmed by Nexus for the project which got underway back in April 2010. This is additional to the £350 million Metro All Change budget which was due to end in March 2021.

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What’s New on British Trams Online?

Posted on Sunday 2 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Photos both old and new are included in our latest main site update:

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Tramlink Sutton extension “paused”

Posted on Saturday 1 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

It’s a project which has been on then off on a pretty regular basis over the years but the London Tramlink extension to Sutton is once again on the “no” pile after Transport for London confirmed in their revised budget that the project was “paused”. The revised budget was part of the funding agreement with the government earlier this year and sees TfL reassigning their priorities with other projects also being paused whilst others will be reliant on other funding if they are to take place.

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Around the World in Trams: Amsterdam 795

Posted on Saturday 1 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this latest edition of “Around the World in Trams” we again stop off in Amsterdam for a view of one of the trams in action during March 1988.

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So Nearly, Not Quite! Docklands Light Railway 102+152

Posted on Saturday 1 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

We continue our look at photos where things didn’t go according to plan in “So Nearly, Not Quite!” with a trip to the Docklands Light Railway.

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Government support for light rail set to run-out as Nottingham and Sheffield call for more cash

Posted on Saturday 1 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

The previous funding announcement by the Department for Transport to prop up English light rail systems in Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Tyne and Wear and the West Midlands is set to run out at the start of August with no sign yet of official confirmation of extra cash to allow their continued operation. Over the past few days stories have come out of both Nottingham and Sheffield about the need for this extra cash with Tramlink Nottingham (operators of Nottingham Express Transit) said to be losing £400,000 a week with the significant drop in passenger revenue.

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East Anglia Transport Museum announces reopening plans

Posted on Friday 31 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

The latest heritage tramway to announce a reopening is the East Anglia Transport Museum which will be open for the first time in 2020 on Sunday 9th August and then subsequently every Thursday and Sunday until further notice.

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Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Jubilee 762

Posted on Friday 31 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

As we continue our look at those trams which ran during the final weekend of traditional tramway operation in Blackpool we reach the second of the Jubilee Cars – 762.

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