They Ran in 2019: Sheffield 264

Posted on Wednesday 4 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

There is no doubt that the hardest working heritage trams in the country are those which ply their trade at Beamish with year round operation running round and round the museum circuit. One of those which sees uses all year round, whatever the weather!, is Sheffield 264.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Brush 621

Posted on Wednesday 4 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

It is back to Blackpool for another look at a tram “15 Years Apart” with Brush Railcoach 621 the focus of today’s instalment.

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Help Crich by sponsoring a sleeper!

Posted on Tuesday 3 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

As we’ve reported on these pages over the past few weeks the big maintenance project at Crich this winter is the relaying of the track between Victoria Park and where the double track goes single on the way to Wakebridge and to help fund this work a new “Sponsor a Sleeper” campaign has been launched.

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Trams in Video: Crich 60 – September 2019

Posted on Tuesday 3 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

The majority of our coverage on these pages is either written or photographic but in this new series running during December we will be viewing moving images as, courtesy of Bob Hodges Transport DVDs, we take a look at some video of trams from across the country. In this first edition we are off to the Crich Tramway Village for footage coming from September 2019’s Crich 60 event.

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They Ran in 2019: Blackpool Boat 600

Posted on Tuesday 3 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Its our first look at some of the trams which ran in Blackpool during the past calendar year this afternoon and what better tram to start with than Boat 600.

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15 Years Apart: Sheffield 74

Posted on Tuesday 3 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

When we launched this series we menti0ned that some of the instalments would be very much “what difference!” and today’s edition very much falls into that category! The tram featured today is Sheffield 74 at Crich.

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New appointments at Nexus

Posted on Monday 2 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Its been a busy time for appointments at Nexus with both a new Chief Operating Officer and a Head of Maintenance Delivery announced in their new roles. Martin Kearney, most recently Chief Officer for Train and Ferry Operations at Transdev Australia, has been named as the new Chief Operating Officer at Nexus with Steven Shiel, currently Head of Rail and Civil Engineering at Newcastle College Rail Academy, taking on the role of Head of Maintenance Delivery.

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A million contactless journeys made on Metrolink

Posted on Monday 2 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Over one million journeys have been made on Manchester Metrolink using contactless payment, just four months after it became possible. The landmark was reached over the weekend of 16th/17th November, just four months and a day since it was launched on 15th July.

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They Ran in 2019: Seaton 9

Posted on Monday 2 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Today we head down to Devon for an image from the Seaton Tramway as we continue our look at some of the trams which ran during 2019.

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15 Years Apart: London Tramlink 2539

Posted on Monday 2 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Today we are a bit more modern with the 15 Years Apart series as we feature one of the Bombardier CR4000s which operate on London Tramlink – 2539.

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In Pictures: Trams at Beamish and the new bus depot

Posted on Sunday 1 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Whilst across most of the country heritage trams are taking a well earnt rest (in the main except for weekends in Blackpool and for Lightopia at Heaton Park) it is very much a case of business as usual at Beamish with the museum still open daily up until Christmas which means the trams still need to run with the more enclosed trams seeing the majority of use. The new bus depot has also recently fully and officially opened giving new photo transport opportunities at the museum. Trevor Hall paid a visit on Thursday 28th November when a two tram service was running featuring Sunderland 16 and Sheffield 264.

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They Ran in 2019: Leeds 345

Posted on Sunday 1 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Our second new photographic series for December will include photos taken during 2019 showing some of those trams across the UK which ran in service during the year. Another 32 part series this one will be published each day at 1400 and will show just a cross-section of those trams which ran as there were over 100 which did so during the year which if we included all of them would end up being an epic! As you would expect this series will mainly feature trams from both Blackpool and Crich and in this first edition it is Crich where we head for images of Leeds 345.

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Keolis Amey Metrolink criticised over Ashton “tram dispatch accident”

Posted on Sunday 1 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

On Tuesday 12th March 2019 a tram passenger – with impaired mobility – fell from the platform at Ashton-under-Lyne after the tram he was leaning against departed from the stop with the driver seemingly not noticing him before leaving. After an investigation the RAIB have now released a report with operators of Metrolink, Keolis Amey Metrolink (KAM), criticised for their lack of instructions or guidance to drivers on how to use the side view CCTV or what to do when they encounter an impaired passenger.

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15 Years Apart: Blackpool Balloon 713

Posted on Sunday 1 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Throughout December we will be taking a look into the archives once again in this new 32 part series scheduled to be published each day at 1000 – 15 Years Apart. “As it says on the tin” we will be taking a look at trams, 15 years apart with the first image taken in 2004 and the second during 2019. It will be a series which does have a fair Blackpool bias as many of the trams running there in 2004 look different in 2019 so that we can actually see some changes as other editions of the series it will be a case of “I can’t really see any differences!” We will also feature modern trams although systems like Manchester Metrolink aren’t included as the current fleet wasn’t around back in 2004! In this first part we head to Blackpool for views of Balloon 713.

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Tram of the Year 2019 – Voting is now open!

Posted on Sunday 1 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Following the last week of nominations we ca now announce that voting for the British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2019 is now open! You can vote once in each category (multiple votes will be removed) between now and Saturday 11th January 2020 – but what has made the final shortlist in each of the categories? Read on to find out!

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 1 December 2019 by Gareth Prior

Its our birthday (17 today!) and we have a busy update for you!

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Grand Central platform reopens as testing of Westside extension steps up

Posted on Saturday 30 November 2019 by Gareth Prior

After 14 months out of use the Wolverhampton bound platform at Grand Central will reopen to passengers from Sunday 1st December – the first day of the new timetable and also expected to be the first day of the full shadow service onto the Birmingham Westside extension.

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Picture in Time: Tyne and Wear Metro South Gosforth Depot

Posted on Saturday 30 November 2019 by Gareth Prior

For the final edition of Picture in Time in 2019 we head back to the South Gosforth Open Day of the Tyne and Wear Metro for a general view of the outside sidings.

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In Pictures: Edinburgh 251 becomes the third American Express tram

Posted on Saturday 30 November 2019 by Gareth Prior

It would seem that American Express’ advertising contract on Edinburgh Trams is always for three trams as following hot on the heels of the new white based advert being applied to 263 and 270 comes the same design on 251. 251 was previously in full fleet livery following the removal of its advert for Edinburgh Live at the end of October.

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Car hits tram at Northern Moor

Posted on Saturday 30 November 2019 by Gareth Prior

There were delays to Manchester Metrolink services on Friday 29th November after a car hit a tram at Northern Moor on the Airport line. The collision happened at around 1010 and judging by photos of the incident the car hit the side of M5000 3106 at a road crossing with the tram heading into Manchester City Centre. No injuries were reported but Metrolink services were suspended for a time between Rounthorn and Sale Water Park.

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