In Pictures: More from Lightopia

Posted on Friday 3 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

The trams at the Heaton Park Tramway are now receiving some well earnt rest after the conclusion of their use during the Lightopia event taking place in the park but as seen in this article they were still being used almost right until the end of December with the special lighting effects still around and the trams popularity showing no signs of fading. With Blackpool 623 and Manchester 765 again seeing use, Stockport 5 also came out from the depot to provide an extra vantage point of the trams in the dark. Joshua Haworth provides us with the following pictures.

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In Pictures: Boating in December!

Posted on Friday 3 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours decided to go out in style for 2019 with Boat 227 running not once but twice over the last weekend of the heritage service – bracing weather for it but is it ever too cold for an open top tram ride?! 227 ran on both Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th December with it on both occasions being part of a two tram Prom service.

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In Pictures: Hogmanay service on Edinburgh Trams

Posted on Thursday 2 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

As has become the norm when there is a major event taking place close to Princes Street in Edinburgh, the tram service from the Airport was only able to run to West End from early evening on Monday 30th December until mid-morning on Wednesday 1st January. The standard operating pattern used at times such as these was in operation again with trams from the Airport terminating in the usual inbound platform at West End before departing from the same platform and using the crossover at Shandwick Place to regain the normal track. Roy Calderwood captured the following images of the temporary operation.

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In Pictures: Triple Balloons tour for the FTS

Posted on Thursday 2 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

The annual Christmas Fylde Tramway Society tour took place on Saturday 28th December 2019 with three Balloon Cars hired at times during the day: 715, 717 and 718. Sadly the hoped for 707 is still unable to run in service with continued problems with its batteries precluding it from returning but the three Balloons selected proved to be popular with those who attended the tour. David Maxwell was one who provides us with the following photos.

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Trams in Video: Edinburgh Trams – May 2014

Posted on Thursday 2 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

We head north of the border for today’s moving images of trams as we feature some of the first public service trams to run on Edinburgh Trams on 31st May 2014.

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Well, 2020 what have you got for us?

Posted on Wednesday 1 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

Another year, another decade even, is upon us but what does the tram world in the British Isles have in store for us? It is only the first day of the year and a lot of plans for events etc. haven’t yet been made available but we do know a little of what to expect and it will be a year of anniversaries in various locations…

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Metro industrial action called off

Posted on Wednesday 1 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

Tyne and Wear Metro services should start to get back to normal again after the RMT agreed to suspend industrial action pending an improved offer from Nexus. Throughout December there had been an overtime ban which had led to many peak services unable to run and this was followed by a 48 hour strike on 20th and 21st December with a further strike due to take place on 6th and 7th January.

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They Ran in 2019: Blackpool Standard 147

Posted on Wednesday 1 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

We finally reach the 32nd and final edition of “They Ran in 2019” and we are once again in Blackpool as we take a look at Standard 147.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Centenary 648

Posted on Wednesday 1 January 2020 by Gareth Prior

Happy New Year one and all! As we arrive in 2020 it is time to say goodbye to 2019 with the final edition of “15 Years Apart. With there having been a Blackpool bias to this series where else would we finish than the Fylde Coast and the tram is Centenary 648.

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Trams in Video: London Trams & Trolleybuses – 2016

Posted on Tuesday 31 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

More video for you today and this time we features both trams and trolleybuses from London in action at the East Anglia Transport Museum in Carlton Colville. Taken on 9th July 2016 this was filmed during a special London event which the first short-term loan tram in action in the form of London County Council 106 along with resident with London Transport 1858.

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Edinburgh Trams first UK light rail operator to achieve ServiceMark accreditation

Posted on Tuesday 31 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams received a pre-Christmas present after learning they had become the very first UK light rail operator to achieve ServiceMark accreditation. This is awarded by the Institute of Customer Service based on customer satisfaction feedback and is an assessment of employee engagement with an organisation’s customer service strategy.

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They Ran in 2019: Blackpool Marton 31

Posted on Tuesday 31 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

We now come to the penultimate edition of “They Ran in 2019” and are off to Beamish again as we feature resident tram Blackpool Marton 31.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Balloon 711

Posted on Tuesday 31 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

In the penultimate edition of “15 Years Apart” we are once more in Blackpool as we take a look at yet another Balloon Car – this instalment shows 711.

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NET and Ambulance service sign agreement to speed up treatment of passengers falling ill

Posted on Monday 30 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit and the East Midlands Ambulance Service have signed a formal “Memorandum of Understanding” aimed at speeding up the treatment of any passengers who may fall ill on the tram network. The aim is not only to speed up the treatment but also to try and reduce disruption on the network whilst the ambulance crew are in attendance.

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They Ran in 2019: Leeds 399

Posted on Monday 30 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

As this series starts to come to a conclusion we head to the East Midlands for the last time and take a look at Leeds 399 in operation at the Crich Tramway Village.

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15 Years Apart: London Tramlink 2550

Posted on Monday 30 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

We take a break from looking at photos of Blackpool trams as they are back in the capital with a view of one of the original Bombardier built CR4000s for Tramlink, its 2550.

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Brief FTT tram update

Posted on Sunday 29 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

For the last time this year we bring you a brief update on the planned return to service of three trams owned by the Fylde Transport Trust: Standard 143, Railcoach 279 and Coronation 304.

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They Ran in 2019: Blackpool Brush 621

Posted on Sunday 29 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Today, as we continue our look at those trams which ran during 2019, we take a look at another member of the Blackpool heritage fleet. This one is Brush Railcoach 621.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Standard 147

Posted on Sunday 29 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Its Blackpool once more as we take a look at a tram “15 Years Apart” with Standard 147 the tram seen in two photos below this time.

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Trams in Video: Brussels Tramways 150th Anniversary Celebrations – 1st May 2019

Posted on Saturday 28 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

For today’s “Trams in Video” we are going back overseas with a film taken during the 150th Anniversary celebrations of Brussels Tramways which took place on 1st May 2019. The highlight of this was the parade of nearly 40 trams and many of these feature in this footage, which is once again from the camera of Bob Hodges.

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