Picture in Time: Blackpool Coronations 650 & 653

Posted on Tuesday 5 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

From last week’s look at a Blackpool Coronation Car running in service we have a sadder image this week as we see two of the class being scrapped in Thornton Gate Yard.

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Standard 143 launch date announced

Posted on Monday 4 March 2019 by Andrew Waddington

The Fylde Transport Trust have announced today that the launch of restored Blackpool Standard 143 is due to take place on the evening of Wednesday 28th August this year. No detailed information has been provided as to what form the event will take, but as the entry into service of this tram has been awaited for so long, it should be an occasion to remember, even if the date chosen seems a bit random!

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 2 Comments

Box 40 moves to Beamish

Posted on Monday 4 March 2019 by Andrew Waddington

On Monday 4th March, Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘Box’ car 40 left Blackpool, just two days after operating its farewell tour of its home system. The tram was destined for Beamish Museum – arriving there later the same day – where it will run for a few months before heading back to its other home, Crich Tramway Village, later in the year.

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In Pictures: Edinburgh Trams 274 returns to fleet livery

Posted on Monday 4 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

The days of C R Smith adverts dominating the Edinburgh Trams fleet is continuing to come to an end with 274 the latest tram to lose these adverts – and rather than receive a new advertising contract it has returned to service in standard fleet livery. This is the second time in 2019 that a tram has operated without adverts following on from 251 at the end of January/start of February; in that case it was only about a week – will 274 last longer?

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Glory Mine and the case of the missing siding!

Posted on Monday 4 March 2019 by Andrew Waddington

On 24th February, work was continuing on the track work at Crich Tramway Village which has seen the Glory Mine passing loop renewed over the closed season. On this date London Tramlink 058 was used to transport a further four lengths of new rail to the terminus to be laid as the work approaches completion in time for the museum’s re-opening.

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Around the World in Trams: Budapest 7671

Posted on Sunday 3 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

As with many tram systems around the world, Budapest has also converted passenger trams for further use as a works car and that is what we feature in today’s image below.

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In Pictures: Box 40 says farewell with two special tours

Posted on Sunday 3 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

As we might have mentioned a few times in recent weeks, Blackpool & Fleetwood 40’s time in Blackpool is nearly at an end with its usage on standard Heritage Tram Tours coming to an end on Sunday 24th February. But that wasn’t the end of its running on the tramway as over the past few days there have been two special farewell tours – one on behalf of the Friends of 40 Group and the other a special Farewell Tour where 40 covered the tramway one last time.

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Supertram rail replacement work to continue

Posted on Sunday 3 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

The continued project to replace track on Stagecoach Supertram will be back in 2019 with work scheduled to affect Blue and Yellow route services between mid-April and late August. Once again the work will be taking place in phases with five different areas identified for the new track to be installed, replacing track which was originally laid in the 1990s.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 3 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

We go oll nostalgic this week as we feature photos from the second day of Nottingham Express Transit, 15 years ago this month:

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Council to be asked to approve contracts for Trams to Newhaven project

Posted on Saturday 2 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

It may not be until 14th March that the final decision will be made on whether to progress with extending Edinburgh Trams to Newhaven but another key milestone will be reached before then with a meeting of the Finance and Resources Committee on 7th March being asked to approve the awarding of two contracts for the projects. This will very much be on the proviso that the project is approved as without this approval the contracts won’t be formally signed.

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Picture in Time: Croydon Tramlink 2542

Posted on Saturday 2 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

One of the features of the early days of the Croydon Tramlink system was the number of advertising liveries carried on the trams and we take a look at one of these today.

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Return of Tram Driving Experience to Blackpool

Posted on Saturday 2 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

In the final years of the traditional Blackpool Tramway one of the highlights for many tram enthusiasts was the chance to drive a tram for the day but come upgrade and this was ended with many expecting this to be it for this initiative. But fast forward to 2019 and this has proven to be wrong as Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours have announced that it is back!

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In Pictures: Engineering works on Tyne & Wear Metro

Posted on Saturday 2 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

On Sunday 17th February a partial closure of the Tyne and Wear Metro was in place to allow trackworks at the South Gosforth junction between the Airport and Coast lines. During this closure no trains were able to run between Haymarket and Regent Centre and Four Lanes End.

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In Pictures: Promenade road reopens to traffic as extension works continue to progress

Posted on Friday 1 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

Work on extending the Blackpool Tramway along Talbot Road to Blackpool North Railway Station has now reached a stage which has allowed the Promenade road to reopen to through traffic – bringing an end to winter diversions which have continued slightly longer than planned. The road finally reopened on Friday 1st March after the completion of road resurfacing with the new triangular junction between the two tram routes now in place.

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Tramlink staff balloted on strike action over pay

Posted on Friday 1 March 2019 by Gareth Prior

Members of ASLEF working on London Tramlink are being balloted on taking industrial action in an ongoing dispute over the latest pay offer which is said not to be acceptable to staff.

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Good news for fans of Blackpool’s Balloon cars

Posted on Friday 1 March 2019 by Andrew Waddington

Whilst the imminent departure of Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘Box’ car 40 from its original native tramway dominates the headlines from the Fylde coast, there has been some more positive news for the Blackpool heritage fleet. Two Balloon cars are set to receive workshop attention shortly, the best news being that ‘Princess Alice’ 706 looks set to have its major overhaul started in the spring.

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New destination blinds for Manchester 765

Posted on Thursday 28 February 2019 by Gareth Prior

When looking at the photos of Manchester 765 returning to action at Beamish following its move on loan from Heaton Park you probably can’t help but notice the lack of destination boxes and blinds. Well, there is a very good reason for this as the boxes are receiving some TLC and the chance is also being taken to update the blinds with the project the latest for destination blind guru, Peter Watts.

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Trams to Newhaven project to be approved?

Posted on Thursday 28 February 2019 by Gareth Prior

It is now just two weeks until the final decision is made on whether Edinburgh Trams is extended to Newhaven via Leith Walk with the full council due to vote on the issue on Thursday 14th March. The past few days have again seen plenty written and said on the topic with the possible decision seemingly swaying one way and then the other. The Liberal Democrats – holding six seats on the council – have come out against the tram to join with the Conservatives in their sentiments – although for different reasons – but just when you thought that might be a major blow for the scheme the Transport and Environment Committee met and backed the extension!

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Picture in Time: Seaton 16

Posted on Thursday 28 February 2019 by Gareth Prior

One of three trams at the Seaton Tramway which started off life as a “full size” tram (in this case 3’6” gauge) is no. 16. A former Bournemouth Corporation vehicle this is the tram that features in today’s Picture in the Time.

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In Pictures: Rare moves around the Exhibition Hall at Crich

Posted on Wednesday 27 February 2019 by Andrew Waddington

On 24th February, a number of trams and other objects were moved around at Crich Tramway Village as part of the project to install new displays in the Great Exhibition Hall. The creation of a new exhibition on the life and achievements of Michael Holoroyd Smith has led to a number of exhibits being moved around, and this resulted in the need for some shunting on this day with some little seen trams appearing in daylight.

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