Around the World in Trams: Potsdam 415

Posted on Saturday 8 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

We are staying in Potsdam for this week’s overseas tram image and it is another Siemens Combino featuring.

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Birmingham Eastside extension close to approval

Posted on Saturday 8 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

A few weeks ago when we reported on the awarding of the Transport and Works Act Order for the West Midlands Metro Birmingham Eastside extension what was apparent was the complete lack of acknowledgment from Transport for West Midlands that it had happened! But now with local approval looking likely in the next week they have broken cover giving a few more details in the process.

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In Pictures: Oporto 196 and Sheffield 264 at Beamish

Posted on Saturday 8 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

We already know that the early part of 2020 will see the withdrawal from service of Oporto 196 at Beamish but before then it is still available for use and on Tuesday 4th February it was out on driver training – a day which saw Sheffield 264 in operation as the sole public tram. Trevor Hall made the trip.

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In Pictures: Bradley Lane Park and Ride opens

Posted on Friday 7 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

It may be late – originally due to open in summer 2019 – but the latest Park and Ride site on the route of the West Midlands Metro at Bradley Lane is now open for business. The barriers were removed and the first cars welcomed shortly after midday on Thursday 6th February with all 196 parking spaces ready for action.

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NET back “Please offer me a seat” badge campaign

Posted on Friday 7 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit have become the latest organisation in the city to back the recently launched “Please offer me a seat” badge campaign in partnership with Nottingham City Council and Nottingham City Transport. As seen on many other public transport networks both in the UK and worldwide this sees those with disabilities able to get a badge letting other users know they need a seat while a second badge says “Happy to move for you”.

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Trackless tram plans on the agenda for Liverpool

Posted on Thursday 6 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

Could trams finally return to the streets of Liverpool? They could if plans currently being discussed come to fruition but rather than having track and overhead to operate they would be trackless trams operated by batteries with rubber wheels and guided by sensors on the road. The relatively short line – being developed under the working title the Paddington Line, and previously having been known as the Lime Line – would link the university quarter in the city, the new Paddington development and Lime Street Railway Station with journey times as short as four minutes being suggested.

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The continuing travails of the Tyne and Wear Metro

Posted on Thursday 6 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

It must be a pretty draining experience trying to travel on the Tyne and Wear Metro at times. Its well known that the infrastructure and trains on the network are ageing but these are combining on a very regular basis to cause major delays to the service leading to much anger both at stations and on social media. The weekend of 1st and 2nd February was another weekend which saw a few incidents leading to more delays for the travelling public.

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Picture in Time: Busy times at Fleetwood Ferry

Posted on Thursday 6 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

We are heading back to Blackpool for today’s archive image as we feature not one, not two, not even three but four trams at Fleetwood Ferry.

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Progress made on restorations in Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 5 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

This winter has already been a busy one at Rigby Road Depot’s heritage tram workshops with Boat 230, the Frigate and the Western Train all already seeing attention. In addition the major restoration of Balloon 704 is continuing and there is also some news to report on Standard 143 in this latest update.

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New advert carried in Nottingham for Pythian Club

Posted on Wednesday 5 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

The latest centre advert to be carried on a tram in Nottingham – it seems that the days of full vinyl wraps on Nottingham Express Transit have come to an end for now – is for the Pythian Club, an award winning community group that’s committed to enriching the lives of young people in the city. NET has forged close links to the group over the past year and this is the latest part of that.

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In Pictures: Metrolink 1020 scrapped at Trafford Depot

Posted on Tuesday 4 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

There is now one fewer intact Manchester Metrolink T68 after 1020 was scrapped on site at Trafford Depot. As we reported last week the tram had recently been moved from its long-term resting place in the sidings at Trafford Depot and after a short period inside for final component removal was moved to what had been the departure siding at the depot and in effect that’s what has happened to 1020 as that it where it was scrapped!

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Douglas Promenade reconstruction budget includes no funding for tramway signals

Posted on Tuesday 4 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

It has been confirmed that as part of the budget for the reconstruction of Douglas Promenade – which includes the relaying and partial re-siting of the horse tramway – no allowance was made for signalling. The item was discussed at a recent Strategic Project Board meeting where the cost of the full signalling system has been put as between £800,000 to £1 million.

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Still standing! Weaste Depot track, Eccles

Posted on Tuesday 4 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

Although there is still plenty of tram track buried under road surfaces across the country to see old track still on the surface is rarer but look carefully enough and will still find some. A location included in this is very close to the new generation Metrolink system in Metrolink at Weaste on the Eccles line.

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Trams to Newhaven give overview of works for next month

Posted on Monday 3 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

The latest update from the Trams to Newhaven project team has given details of the planned works for the next month with Leith Walk, Ocean Drive and Constitution Street all the scenes of enabling, preparation and utility diversion work.

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Contactless available on all Sheffield trams

Posted on Monday 3 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

After a trial period where only a few conductors had new ticket machines, all trams on the Stagecoach Supertram network now have the facility for passengers to pay using contactless cards as well as Google Pay and Apple Pay. Described by Supertram as “simple, quick and secure” there is now no excuse for anyone to either not have the cash or a card to pay for their travel on Stagecoach Supertram!

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Picture in Time: Snaefell Mountain Railway 2

Posted on Sunday 2 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

Its 1979 again as we return to the Isle of Man’s Snaefell Mountain Railway for an archive image.

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The Phantom haunts Metrolink 3018

Posted on Sunday 2 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

Those who have seen his face draw back in fear, but hopefully not if they are boarding a tram as Manchester Metrolink 3018 has received a vinyl wrap livery for The Phantom of the Opera which is playing at the Palace Theatre in the city from 26th March to 30th May this year. Featuring the iconic imagery from the original production as conceived some 34 years ago the tram does feature limited contravision on the windows (including the Phantom’s mask) but aside from that most windows are kept free of vinyls. There is no guarantee that you will hear the music of the night when boarding 3018 but all that is asked of you is that this isn’t past the point of no return for your tram travelling…

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Croydon tram derailment inquest date set

Posted on Sunday 2 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

An inquest into the death of seven people after the derailment of a tram on London Tramlink in November 2016 will start in September 2020 it has been announced. A 12 week inquest will commence in mid-September and is expected to last 12 weeks. A jury will be needed for the inquest which will be presided over by Coroner Sarah Ormond Walshe. Dane Chinnery, Philip Logan, Philip Searey, Dorota Rynkiewicz, Robert Huxley, Mark Smith and Donald Collett tragically died when the tram derailed at Sandilands with RAIB investigations concluding the tram was travelling at four times the line speed.

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What’s new on British Trams Online?

Posted on Sunday 2 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

There are photos from South Yorkshire this week:

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In Pictures: T68 1020 prepares for the end

Posted on Saturday 1 February 2020 by Gareth Prior

We reported earlier this week that one of the four T68/T68As at Trafford Depot has been on the move, and is getting ready to be scrapped, and now we can bring you photos of the tram in tact – although is unlikely to do so for much longer with the scrapman’s torch getting ready. The tram in question is Manchester Metrolink 1020 which has been moved to the departure road at Trafford Depot following stripping of any useful parts and Keith Chadbourne provides us with the following images.

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