This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 11 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Two more Photo Galleries have now been added to the main website:

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In Pictures: Around the depot at Beamish

Posted on Saturday 10 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Whilst the rest of the museum is busy with crowds of summer holidaymakers around the tram depot at Beamish it is an all together calmer affair with those trams not needed for service resting ahead of their next use. Wednesday 7th August saw a three tram service running utilising Blackpool 31 (anti-clockwise), Newcastle 114 (clockwise) and Sheffield 264 (clockwise) leaving the rest in the depot or just outside as seen in the following photos from Trevor Hall.

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Picture in Time: Nottingham Express Transit 202

Posted on Saturday 10 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Its time for a change of location again in our modern tram Picture in Time series and that location is Nottingham for a selection of views taken on the Nottingham Express Transit system.

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In Pictures: Model Trams on display at Crich

Posted on Saturday 10 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

If you look around the edge of the Great Exhibition Hall at Crich you will find a myriad of model trams on display, with some of them occasionally being demonstrated at the once a month Model Tram days. This article takes a quick look at some of these models.

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Metrolink performance increases

Posted on Saturday 10 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

The latest set of performance statistics on Manchester Metrolink have been released and they show an increase in punctuality and reliability with 92.1% of trams considered on time and 99.4% of planned miles having operated in the period between 26th May and 22nd June.

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In Pictures: Birmingham Westside extension works continue

Posted on Friday 9 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Earlier this month we reported on the plans for the Birmingham Westside extension of the West Midlands Metro with services due to start by the end of the year and testing commencing this month and now we can see how close they are to achieving the first part of this plan in these photos from Martin Miller showing the latest views of construction between Grand Central and Centenary Square.

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New TravelHub opens in Edinburgh

Posted on Friday 9 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Located close to the West End Princes Street tramstop in Edinburgh a new TravelHub has now opened providing information and ticket sales for anyone travelling on board the city’s buses and trams. Although the signage outside calls it a TravelHub by Lothian it does provide information on the trams as well as a café and a waiting area for passengers travelling on the Airlink 100 bus service to the Airport.

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A chance to see the trams of the Southampton Tram Project

Posted on Friday 9 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 14th September will provide a rare opportunity to see three trams often out of the limelight up close when the Southampton Tram Project workshop in the city’s docks will be open as part of the Southampton Transport Anniversaries weekend.

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Another pre-illumination outing for the Western Train

Posted on Thursday 8 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Following the success of its last outing Blackpool’s illuminated Western Train is to make another appearance on the tramway ahead of this year’s illumination season offering three round trips from North Pier/Tower to Little Bispham and Pleasure Beach. The date of these trips will be Saturday 10th August 2019 – over the weekend of the Blackpool Airshow.

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In Pictures: Ozzy Osbourne name returns on 37

Posted on Thursday 8 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

When West Midlands Metro 37 returned to service in the full blue vinyl wrap livery there was one thing missing from its previous look – its name! Named Ozzy Osborne on 26th May 2016 by the man himself it had carried this name since and it seemed strange that it would just lose the name because of the new brand but it is now back with the tram being seen in service complete with name vinyl again on Monday 5th August. As per the previous name it retains the unique style of lettering and does not feature silhouetted images on the side a la Cyrille Regis.

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Picture in Time: Unrestored trams at Seaton

Posted on Thursday 8 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Following on from last week’s image of Seaton Tramway 14 under restoration this week we take a look at some unrestored tram bodies outside the depot.

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In Pictures: More progress at Crumpsall

Posted on Wednesday 7 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

The weekend of 3rd and 4th August saw another blockade on Manchester Metrolink’s Bury line with more work taking place at Crumpsall in connection with the additional platform being constructed to allow trams from the Trafford Park line to terminate here once it opens in early 2020

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In Pictures: Blue route trams on Middlewood Road

Posted on Wednesday 7 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

On any normal operating day Blue route trams reach Hillsborough and then turn off the route along Middlewood Road to head to their own terminus at Malin Bridge. But with the last remaining rail replacement works from area 4 taking place on Sunday 4th August it wasn’t possible for these trams to reach Malin Bridge so with a near full service running they were diverted to Middlewood giving some rare journey and photographic opportunities.

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In Pictures: More trams at Crich

Posted on Wednesday 7 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Although no specific special event was taking place at the Crich Tramway Village on Saturday 4th August there was still a good number of visitors with an almost full car park viewed during the afternoon. A standard three tram service was in operation with Blackpool 236, London United Tramways 159 and Sheffield 74 all in action and all three feature in the article below.

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In Pictures: Another Blue tram enters service in the West Midlands

Posted on Tuesday 6 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

The fifth fully West Midlands Metro liveried Urbos3 tram is now in service with the latest example of the 21 strong class being 29. As with all blue liveried trams so far 29 is one of the trams which has received batteries and once again features the same livery of all blue with patterned central areas, it also includes the larger fleet numbers. It was first noted in service with its new livery on Monday 5th August.

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Standard 143 launch date delayed

Posted on Tuesday 6 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

It has been confirmed that the planned launch of Blackpool Standard 143 will be delayed until Monday 23rd September to allow extra time for the completion of the major restoration of the tram. As well as a number of snags found recently during the final stages of the restoration a slot needs to be found for the painting of the tram and this won’t now be until mid-September. The decision to delay the launch has been agreed between the tram’s owner the Fylde Transport Trust and Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 711

Posted on Tuesday 6 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

We head back to 2007 again this week for the latest Blackpool edition of Picture in Time and we feature one of the many all over adverts carried on a Balloon Car over the years.

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Birmingham Westside works continues towards an opening this year

Posted on Monday 5 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

Various high-level local politicians and members of the Midland Metro project team have been in Birmingham City Centre this week inspecting the latest progress on the Birmingham Westside extension from Grand Central to Centenary Square. The work is now said to be entering the “final stages” ahead of testing and opening by the end of 2019 with work recently concentrating on the two new tramstops as part of this first phase of the extension.

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Blackpool Illuminated Tram Parade to return

Posted on Monday 5 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

For the third year in a row there will be the spectacle of all operational illuminated feature cars parading through the illuminations in Blackpool as the Lightpool Illuminated Tram Parade again takes place. The date for your diaries this year is Thursday 24th October and, subject to availability, the Western Train, Frigate and Trawler should all be taking part.

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Tyne and Wear Metro performance falls slightly

Posted on Monday 5 August 2019 by Gareth Prior

After the last four week period saw 87% punctuality of trains, the Tyne and Wear Metro’s latest figures have shown a slight fall to 85% – although this remains a significant improvement on the previous year as in 2018 only 77% of trains were considered as being punctual.

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