Punctuality dips on Metrolink

Posted on Saturday 28 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

The latest two sets of Manchester Metrolink performance figures have now been released and they both show a small dip in trams running on time falling from the 90.5% of the previous period we reported on to 90% and then 89.25%. This is the lowest percentage for some time but there doesn’t seem to be any particular big reason for this fall with just a number of small incidents combining.

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They Ran in 2019: Newcastle 114

Posted on Saturday 28 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Its off to the northeast for today’s entry into the “They Ran in 2019” series and it’s a tram which originates from the northeast as well – Newcastle 114.

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The Real Drive – back for 2020!

Posted on Saturday 28 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

2019 saw the chance to drive a heritage tram in Blackpool for the first time in a number of years with the launch of “The Real Drive”. Now, after the popularity of the first year it will be back again in 2020 with 25 dates initially launched to take part.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Brush 631

Posted on Saturday 28 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Today it’s the fourth and final Brush Car to feature in “15 Years Apart” – no. 631.

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2020 timetable released on the Isle of Man

Posted on Friday 27 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

One thing you can always be sure of nowadays is that the planned timetables for the main three tramways and railways on the Isle of Man will be released nice and early and that is certainly the case again with 2020’s version available for download from the Isle of Man Railways website.

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They Ran in 2019: Sheffield 15

Posted on Friday 27 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

We take a break from Blackpool trams today as we feature the only operation horse tram in the UK – Sheffield 15.

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Bid made to save old Laxey Substation

Posted on Friday 27 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

The old Laxey Substation – with its mercury arc rectifier bulbs – could be saved and opened as a museum if a group of volunteers on the Isle of Man manage to secure funding. The old substation was replaced by new more modern technology a few years ago but the old equipment remains in place – albeit now not used for its original purpose – and now the Laxey Substation Group want to save it for posterity.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Balloon 723

Posted on Friday 27 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Another day, another Blackpool tram features in “15 Years Apart”. This time its Balloon Car 723.

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Trams in Video: Nottingham Express Transit – August 2015

Posted on Thursday 26 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

More video for you today and this time we are in the East Midlands to take a look at Nottingham Express Transit. This footage was mostly filmed on 25th August 2015, which was the first day of public services on the Phase Two extensions to Clifton South and Toton Lane.

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Performance plummets again on Tyne and Wear Metro

Posted on Thursday 26 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

65%. That is the latest punctuality figure for the Tyne and Wear Metro – one of the lowest performance figures we have seen since we started reporting on these four weekly performance stats. It is also a major fall since the previous period and is lower by 3% than the same period in 2018.

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They Ran in 2019: Blackpool Balloon 715

Posted on Thursday 26 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

We’ve become rather Blackpool biased in this series as the fourth day in a row we feature a tram from that system, but this time we are actually back in Blackpool and feature one of the more popular heritage vehicles, Balloon 715.

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In Pictures: Crich winter work continues

Posted on Thursday 26 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

As we’ve already reported a few times the main winter closure maintenance job at the Crich Tramway Village is relaying of the double track between Victoria Park and the single line staff heading in the direction of Wakebridge and as Christmas approaches good progress is being on the northbound track as seen in the below photos courtesy of Keith Chadbourne.

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15 Years Apart: Leeds 345

Posted on Thursday 26 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

We take a look at another tram which has changed a lot over the past 15 years today. It is Leeds 345 which was in the midst of a major restoration in 2004 and is now firmly operational.

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Trams in Video: West Midlands Metro Driver Eye Views – December 2019

Posted on Wednesday 25 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

It’s Christmas so we have a couple of bonus videos for you today. In these two videos we are once again on the West Midlands Metro but this time they are driver eye views of the complete route between the Library and Wolverhampton St George’s. The first film shows the route from Library to Wednesbury Parkway and then in film two its Wolverhampton St George’s to Library. Filmed by British Trams Online regular contributor Andy Walters these videos show exactly what the driver sees as he travels along the recently extended route.

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They Ran in 2019: Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40

Posted on Wednesday 25 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Hopefully your Christmas dinner was everything you hoped it would be and you are now relaxing and getting ready for the Queen’s speech! If you or if you’re not it doesn’t matter as in the meantime you have another British Trams Online treat as we take a look at another tram which operated during 2019 on no fewer than three tramways, Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Standard 143

Posted on Wednesday 25 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Merry Christmas! Hopefully you have been good enough for Santa to visit you this morning and you have had plenty of treats already but the treats just carry on from British Trams Online! It may be Christmas Day but we still have our December photographic series running (don’t worry I’m not THAT sad to be uploading these at Christmas, it’s the wonders of technology that you can schedule them when not around!) and today’s “15 Years Apart” shows a tram which has certainly changed between the two photos.

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Trams in Video: Burton & Ashby 14 – June 2018

Posted on Tuesday 24 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

In today’s video we head off to the Statfold Barn Railway for footage of Burton & Ashby 14 in service on its very own tram line. Having been repatriated from the United States in 2015, after a rapid restoration no. 14 entered service – using battery power – and in 2007 and this film shows it running on one of the open days at the railway on 9th June 2018.

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Metrolink concessionary travel to change in 2020

Posted on Tuesday 24 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Ever since free concessionary bus travel was introduced trams and light rail have been a bit of anomaly. With no central government funding it has been up to local authorities as to whether they want to fund it, with Blackpool the most high-profile and controversial result where the plan has changed many times over the year. Now in Manchester any local concessionary travel pass holders will have to pay a £10 annual premium to allow their passes to be valid on both Metrolink and local rail services.

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They Ran in 2019: Blackpool Jubilee 762

Posted on Tuesday 24 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

On this Christmas Eve afternoon we take a look at another Blackpool tram which has managed to find a home at Crich – Jubilee 762.

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In Pictures: Llandudno & Colwyn Bay 7 ends the year on a high

Posted on Tuesday 24 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

2019 has seen Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway 7 undergo some attention – or its trailer at any rate – having given 12 years faithful service since being cosmetically restored for the centenary of the tramway opening in 2007 but with this now completed the tram – and its regular transport partner, the Matador lorry – made two final appearances for the year earlier this month, including an unplanned test run.

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