Performance remains consistent once more on Metrolink

Posted on Friday 28 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Consistency is a good trait to have and that is exactly what the performance on Manchester Metrolink is currently exhibiting, at least according to the latest stats released for the four weeks between 28th April and 25th May. Whilst both punctuality and reliability are down slightly on the previous period the falls are very small with the system still showing pretty good performance across the network.

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In Pictures: Streetlife Museum of Transport, Hull

Posted on Friday 28 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Home to three trams is the Streetlife Museum of Transport in Hull including Hull 132, on loan from the Tramway Museum Society. Also on show at this small museum are Ryde Pier 3 and Portstewart Tramway Tram Engine 1 with all three trams displayed in a mock street scene. Trevor Hall with the photos.

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In Pictures: Manchester 765 gets ready for the off from Beamish

Posted on Thursday 27 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

In a little over a week Manchester 765 will be back in its home city at the Heaton Park Tramway getting ready for Tramtastic 2019 when it will return to action in Manchester but its not yet done with its temporary home at Beamish. It is scheduled to be allocated to service on both Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th June during the Old King Coal event – with Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 also due to run – with these expected to be its last public runs before transportation back across to Manchester. It was also allocated to service on Thursday 27th June with the sun putting a much welcome appearance which led to open toppers Blackpool 31 and Newcastle 114 also running.

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West Midlands Metro launch new safety campaign

Posted on Thursday 27 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The latest tramway in the British Isles to release a video aimed at people using the network safely is the West Midlands Metro with their effort looking at both safety around the trams and also when on board.

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Picture in Time: London County Council 106

Posted on Thursday 27 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

In this week’s traditional tram Picture in Time we are once again at Crich as we take a look at an ever popular open topper, it is London County Council 106.

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In Pictures: Centenary 641 on the move

Posted on Wednesday 26 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

After four years on display adjacent to Pleasure Beach loop, Blackpool Centenary 641 has been moved back to the Wyre Dock storage yard used by the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust . 641 was loaded onto a lorry from regular transporter of trams, Scotts, on Wednesday 26th June before making the relatively short trip to Fleetwood.

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In Pictures: Make that a triple for EE in Edinburgh!

Posted on Wednesday 26 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

It is now a case of seeing triple in Edinburgh as 269 has become third of the CAF constructed trams to have received an identical advert for EE’s 5G network! The tram follows on from 267 and 275 which have also received the same advert in recent weeks. The application of this advert on 269 also brings an end to another C R Smith advert with its vinyls “from Inverness to Edinburgh” removed in order for this new contract to be unveiled.

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In Pictures: Not quite all yellow for 3099 after all!

Posted on Wednesday 26 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The thing with all over adverts is often you get a different design on each side as we have seen time after time and sometimes it can catch you out when you see one side and presume the other side is the same – such as the latest advert applied to 3099! As we reported last week 3099 is advertising Gymshark and we commented on how it had made the tram very yellow but then turn it over and see the opposite side and its black, pretty much as far away from yellow as you can get!

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In Pictures: Totally Models in Blackpool

Posted on Tuesday 25 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The weekend of 22nd and 23rd June saw the latest special event weekend on Blackpool’s heritage trams with not only a gold timetable in operation but also the Totally Models event, held in Rigby Road Depot itself. With this the third year of this particular event it has now established itself as the largest tramway model exhibition in the country with plenty of layouts on display for visitors to take a look at.

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Flooding causes problems in Edinburgh

Posted on Tuesday 25 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

It is June isn’t it? You know, one of the summer months! It seems that the weather isn’t aware of that at the moment as heavy rain in Edinburgh caused major transport delays including a temporary service suspension of Edinburgh Trams during the afternoon of Monday 24th June.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool English Electric Railcoach 615

Posted on Tuesday 25 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

We’re back in the late 1960s again for this week’s archive image from Blackpool and we feature a tram which just made it into the new millennium but not in the condition shown here.

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Greater Manchester Our Network launched – but is there anything new for Metrolink?

Posted on Monday 24 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has launched a ten year plan to create an “integrated, modern and accessible public transport system” in the region. Under the umbrella “Our Network” Mr Burnham wants to see a London-style integrated transport system for Greater Manchester but in reality, and as so often seems to be the case with these big political announcements, for Metrolink it seems to be a re-announcement of previously announced projects. The main change would appear to be the move towards a completely integrated network with Metrolink just a part of this.

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In Pictures: Wolverhampton extension update

Posted on Monday 24 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Whilst the majority of trackwork is now in place on the West Midlands Metro extension to Wolverhampton Railway Station there remains ongoing work in preparation for this line to be completed. The extension won’t be opening until 2020 as the redevelopment of the railway station has delayed the laying of the track through to the new terminus at this location but with the work at the station now underway at least there is an end in sight. Martin Miller paid a recent visit to the extension.

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In Pictures: Volk’s Electric Railway in August 2018

Posted on Monday 24 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Another throwback article as we take a look at the Volk’s Electric Railway with photos taken during the first days of August 2018. During Stuart Cooke’s visit the service was being operated by two single cars, both of which were some of those which enjoyed recent overhauls as part of the Saving Volk’s project. 4 was restored at Alan Keef in Ross-on-Wye and 9 within the Volk’s Electric Railway workshops.

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Around the World in Trams: Rio de Janeiro 107

Posted on Sunday 23 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

With our world tour about to move on we have time for just one further image from Rio de Janeiro.

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Five Ways Metro works well underway

Posted on Sunday 23 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

It may have only been closed to traffic for a few weeks but the Midland Metro Alliance’s latest update has revealed that work at the Five Ways underpass is well underway with the central reservation completed demolished and a large proportion of the road surface also removed.

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In Pictures: Unusual moves at Beamish

Posted on Sunday 23 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

Track maintenance at Beamish on Monday 17th June meant that the tram service was unable to operate the complete circuit of the museum with trams only running between Foulbridge/Home Farm and the Town via Pockerley (the section between Foulbridge and the Town was out of action). This led to the more unusual sight at Beamish of the trolley having to be turned by the crews at both ends of the curtailed route. Two trams were in service with Blackpool 31 and Sheffield 264 in action.

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In Pictures: Latest update from Supertram rail replacement works

Posted on Sunday 23 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

With the Supertram rail replacement project tending to concentrate on fairly small sections at a time good progress does get made with the maintenance crew finishing one part before moving on to the next. The latest worksite goes through the tramstop at Langsett Primrose View on the inbound track between Cuthbert Bank Street and Ash Street. Stuart Cooke is the photographer.

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In Pictures: Latest from the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway

Posted on Saturday 22 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

With the busy TT period now over on the Isle of Man it is back to business as usual on Douglas Promenade with the redevelopment work having recommenced. This work, of course, also means more track will be installed which will, hopefully, allow for a longer journey later this year for the horse trams which are currently still only running between Derby Castle and the T-shirt shop. In this pictorial update we not only see some of the trackwork taking place but also a few other images around the horse tramway. Geoff Pickles with the pictures.

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Picture in Time: Luas 3009

Posted on Saturday 22 June 2019 by Gareth Prior

After last week’s look inside a tram in the Irish capital we return to a more conventional image this time around as we continue our series on Luas.

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