Still Standing – Extra! Ashton-under-Lyne Horse Tram Depot

Posted on Wednesday 15 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

As a follow on from yesterday’s edition of “Still Standing!” we head back around 60 years to take a look at the structure again, at a time when there were fears it may have to be demolished following a fire.

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Blackpool 31 leads the way at Beamish

Posted on Tuesday 14 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

If ever you needed an example of how hard working the trams are at Beamish on a year by year basis you only have to look at the latest mileage figures released on the Beamish Transport & Industry Blog with over 25,000 miles covered during 2019. Top of the list was Blackpool 31 which alone covered 6,000 with Sheffield 264 and Sunderland 16 not far behind.

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In Pictures: Another tram Joins the Pact in Edinburgh

Posted on Tuesday 14 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

Often the Hogmanay tram in Edinburgh can carry on for quite some time into the following year but not so in 2020! 264 has already lost its special Hogmanay vinyls and is the latest tram to have “joined the pact” as it too now advertises Johnnie Walker and their Join the Pact campaign.

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Still Standing! Ashton-under-Lyne Horse Tram Depot

Posted on Tuesday 14 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this edition we go way back to the horse tram era for a structure which was originally opened for trams in 1881 by the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company in Ashton-under-Lyne.

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Work continues on Railcoach 279

Posted on Monday 13 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

It would appear that the lack of motivation after the Christmas break doesn’t extend to the Fylde Transport Trust as less than two weeks in and there is another update on the restoration of Railcoach 279 with more progress being made.

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Where are they now? Barrow Corporation Tividale trams

Posted on Monday 13 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

Following the closure of Barrow Corporation Tramways in 1932 six Tividale design trams were sold on further use as holiday accommodation before some were then sold on for possible preservation. The question mark in the headline is very much a question mark though as their whereabouts now seems to be unknown so we are throwing it out to the readers of this website to see whether anyone can help!

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Picture in Time: Snaefell Mountain Railway 4

Posted on Sunday 12 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

With 2020 marking the 125th anniversary of the Snaefell Mountain Railway we step across to the Isle of Man for this edition of “Picture in Time” and head up to the summit some 60 years ago.

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In Pictures: Beamish starts another year

Posted on Sunday 12 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

Similarly to Blackpool, there isn’t much of a closed season for the UK’s hardest working heritage trams at Beamish with the museum open all year round (although at this time of year it is closed every Monday and Friday). 2020 has started for the trams much as 2019 ended with Sunderland 16, Blackpool 31, Oporto 196 and Sheffield 264 all currently available for service. Between one and two trams have been used each day so far in 2020, and at this time of year that is plenty as an open air museum in January doesn’t seem to top of everyone’s list of things to do plus there aren’t a huge number of school trips just yet.

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Fares to increase on Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Sunday 12 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

The latest tram company to announce revised (increased!) fares for 2020 is Edinburgh Trams with their new fares structure due to start on 2nd February. This will be the first increase in fares since 2018 and will not affect those tickets purchased in advance through the website.

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Heaton Park Tramway win Tramway of the Year as Isle of Man also wins big in Tram of the Year

Posted on Sunday 12 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

There can be no denying that 2019 was a challenging year for the volunteers at the Heaton Park Tramway with the theft of overhead wires in September bringing a temporary halt to operations but following on from industry help and a resumption in services just a month later they have now been rewarded by readers of British Trams Online with the accolade of Tramway of the Year in the annual Tram of the Year contest. Meanwhile the main “Tram (Traditional) of the Year” remains on the Isle of Man with Manx Electric Railway trailer 54 receiving the most votes with the Manx Heritage Transport Festival also winning in the “Event of the Year” category. The final category – “Tram (Modern) of the Year” saw a tie with Blackpool 001 and Manchester Metrolink 3006 getting exactly the same number of votes.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 12 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

The quiet start to the year continues on British Trams Online this week as we move the Advent Calendars into the Gallery:

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15% rise in passenger numbers on Luas

Posted on Saturday 11 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

2019 saw a rise for the third consecutive year in passenger numbers on Ireland’s only tram system, Luas. 48.1 million journeys were recorded which was an increase of 15% on the previous year’s figure.

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Around the World in Trams: Potsdam 409

Posted on Saturday 11 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

Passport packed and we’re off around the world again! As we resume our look at trams from outside of the British Isles we stop off for the next few weeks in Potsdam, Germany where trams having been operating since 1880.

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Ian Longworth back in charge at Isle of Man Transport

Posted on Saturday 11 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

At the end of 2018 it was announced that Isle of Man Director of Transport Ian Longworth would be stepping down from his role as he started to prepare for retirement with a reduced hours job to manage Department of Infrastructure major capital projects. But fast forward 12 months and Mr Longworth is heading back to his old role – retirement seemingly put on the back burner!

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More Edinburgh Trams extensions on the horizon?

Posted on Friday 10 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

More of the originally planned Edinburgh Trams could be built in the future if “radical new plans” are approved by the Council. The Draft City Mobility Plan (CMP) has just been released which could see the tram extended to Granton and to the Bio Quarter alongside the pedestrianisation of many of the city’s historic streets.

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Metro first with new safety standard

Posted on Friday 10 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

West Midlands Metro has become the first tramway in the UK to achieve a new international standard recognising health and safety procedures it has been announced. The tram network was assessed on the way it manages the safety and wellbeing of employees and passengers whilst also reducing the risks of accidents.

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Plans revealed for new halt on the Seaton Tramway

Posted on Thursday 9 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

There could be a new stop on the Seaton Tramway if plans for a halt adjacent to Seaton Wetlands are approved by the council. It has been an aspiration for a while to give better access to Seaton Wetlands and these plans are part of a wider masterplan which is currently being drawn up.

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In Pictures: Construction work underway in Edinburgh

Posted on Thursday 9 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

It may still be a long time before we see trams running up Leith Walk and to Newhaven but November 2019 saw the start of the first phase of works on the Edinburgh Trams extension with the first signs of work now clearly in evidence. Whilst it will be a while before a tramway starts to appear work is underway around Constitution Street including utility diversion. We take a look at some images of the area at the start of January 2020 courtesy of Roy Calderwood.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 703

Posted on Thursday 9 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

We return to the Blackpool tram photo archives tonight as we head back to the 1980s and a take a look at one of the iconic Balloon Cars.

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Dinosaurs on a tram!

Posted on Wednesday 8 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

The new year may only be a mere few days old but we already have our first new vinyl wrap advert of 2020! Manchester Metrolink M5000 3089 is the tram which has received the wrap with the advertiser being Dippy on Tour which is heading to Rochdale from 10th February.

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