Further service reductions on the way

Posted on Wednesday 1 April 2020 by Gareth Prior

As the impact of the current social distancing restrictions continue to be felt it has been announced that there will be further service reductions on various tramways across the British Isles – Stagecoach Supertram has already reduced their service with changes also on the way for Manchester Metrolink.

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In Pictures: More on the Wrexham tram bodies

Posted on Tuesday 31 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

One of our most popular stories for comment in recent months has been that on the two Wrexham tram bodies and we can now bring a bit more detail and views of the pair just as they were rescued and moved to what is now the Bersham Colliery Mining Museum.

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Still Standing! Tinsley Tram Depot, Sheffield

Posted on Tuesday 31 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this latest edition of “Still Standing” we are heading to Yorkshire and the city of Sheffield to be more precise as we take a look at the old Tinsley Depot building.

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Tram derailed in Dublin after truck collision

Posted on Monday 30 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

Luas services on the Red line have been severely disrupted after a tram was derailed following a collision with a truck close to the stop at Smithfield. The Fire Brigade and Paramedics attended the scene but fortunately only one minor injury was reported.

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In Pictures: Middlewood Road in Sheffield receives new surface

Posted on Monday 30 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

As part of a general maintenance the road surface on Middlewood Road in Sheffield (where Supertram runs to the terminus at Middlewood) has recently received a new surface of light gravel in places. Its not known the reasons for the application of this gravel but it gives us something to report on!

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Trams in Video: Crich Tramway Village – The Big Shunt, November 2017

Posted on Sunday 29 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this week’s video offering we are off to the Crich Tramway Village as we feature footage from “The Big Shunt” which took place at the start of November 2017. This took place in order to clear the depot II of trams to allow the reconstruction of the depots to take place over the winter of 2017/8.

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Work paused on West Midlands Metro construction work

Posted on Sunday 29 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

All on site construction works for extensions to the West Midlands Metro has been suspended as a result of recent government guidance on social distancing and only going out if essential. The decision was taken by the Midland Metro Alliance alongside local authority partners and Transport for West Midlands on Tuesday 24th March.

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What’s New on British Trams Online?

Posted on Sunday 29 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

This week we have the last set of new photos likely to be included for some time with some images taken of the latest tramway extension, with full social distancing used by the photographers:

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Three extensions proposed for Nottingham Express Transit

Posted on Saturday 28 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

Ambitious plans for three new tram extensions in Nottingham have been revealed with the hope that a business case can be put together for the expansion in the next 12 months. Two of the new lines would see extensions from the current Toton Lane and Clifton South termini whilst the third would head out to Nottingham Racecourse.

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Around the World in Trams: Melbourne 3012

Posted on Saturday 28 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

Our latest edition of “Around the World in Trams” is again “down under” in Melbourne for another tram from this extensive system.

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East Anglia Transport Museum confirm closure

Posted on Saturday 28 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

When all the closures in connection to the Coronavirus outbreak were being confirmed the one museum where we hadn’t given an update on was the East Anglia Transport Museum as they weren’t due to open until April but as expected they have now announced they will remain closed until further notice.

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2020 did begin at Crich before suspension

Posted on Friday 27 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

We’ve reported in depth on the closures and suspensions as a result of Coronavirus but before they started to be announced the Crich Tramway Village did start operating for 2020 on Saturday 14th March but this article kept getting put off with everything that was going on but for the record we bring you details of how the service did start this year.

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Edinburgh Trams launch children’s activity pack

Posted on Friday 27 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

With schools across the UK closed for the foreseeable future the task for many parents and carers is to keep children occupied and to help with this not necessarily straightforward task Edinburgh Trams have released a special children’s activity pack.

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Stockport 5 all dressed up and nowhere to go!

Posted on Thursday 26 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

It was going to be the centrepiece of Heaton Park Tramway’s 40th birthday bash (scheduled to take place on Sunday 29th March), the relaunch into service of Stockport 5 following the completion of its overhaul. But after the restrictions put in place as a result of the Coronavirus (one of these days I well get to write an article where I don’t have to type that word!), 5 will have to wait a bit longer to meet its adoring public.

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Trams to Newhaven construction work to be suspended

Posted on Thursday 26 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

Work on constructing the Edinburgh Trams extension to Newhaven is to be suspended this week as part of the continued restrictions in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, has instructed all construction sites to close, unless the project is essential and after discussions it had been decreed that the tram extension does not fall into this category.

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Picture in Time: Glasgow 812

Posted on Thursday 26 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

Starting this evening we are back with “Picture in Time” and some traditional trams from Crich over the next few weeks. We start off by heading back some 52 years to the early days of the museum.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum, Picture in Time | 1 Comment

In Pictures: New advert liveries in Manchester

Posted on Wednesday 25 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

In what probably seemed a good idea when they decided to take out advertising contracts two further trams in Manchester have recently received new vinyl wraps. We’ve already mentioned in the Trafford Park line opening article that 3073 is now advertising intu Trafford Centre with the other new advert on 3091 for Go North Wales.

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Blackpool Tramway to close as West Midlands Metro announces reduced services

Posted on Wednesday 25 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

The Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramway is to temporarily close from Sunday 29th March as further service restrictions are introduced in the UK as a result of the continuing Coronavirus pandemic. It has also been confirmed that the West Midlands Metro will become the last of the UK’s tram systems to operate a reduced service with a temporary timetable now due to run from Monday 30th March.

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In Pictures: Livery changes in Edinburgh

Posted on Tuesday 24 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

Usually when we report on mass livery changes in Edinburgh it’s a result of new advertising contracts but this time there are four further trams which have recently lost their ads in favour of standard fleet livery. 251 (American Express), 261 (Standard Life), 263 (American Express) and 270 (American Express) are all now back in the standard white, madder, black and grey livery following the expiry of their advertising contracts. With the Coronavirus hitting the country it could be that it be a while before we see any new adverts applied.

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Don’t travel advice given across UK

Posted on Tuesday 24 March 2020 by Gareth Prior

Following on from Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s address on Monday 23rd September public transport should only be used in the UK for essential travel with several transport networks reiterating this fact in statements. It has also now been confirmed that a reduced service will be running on Nottingham Express Transit – leaving just the West Midlands Metro who haven’t yet reduced their service.

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