Picture in Time: Docklands Light Railway 02+14

Posted on Tuesday 10 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Our archive photo series continues today with a trip to London’s Docklands for a picture on the DLR in 2004.

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Strike starts in Sheffield after revised pay offer refused

Posted on Monday 9 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

A severely reduced service has run on Stagecoach Supertram on Monday 9th July with the first of a series of days of strike action taking place over the latest pay offer to drivers and conductors. Showing their usual disregard for the travelling public the Unite union has also announced further days of action during the popular Tramlines festival later in July.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 3 Comments

Frequent heritage trams to Fleetwood on 14th July

Posted on Monday 9 July 2018 by Andrew Waddington

The day before the annual Fleetwood Tram Sunday event was a big highlight of 2017 for fans of Blackpool’s heritage tram service, with an intensive heritage service to Fleetwood in operation – and this is set to be repeated, even bigger and better, for 2018! This month also marks the 120th anniversary of trams running to Fleetwood, and although no specific events have been arranged, this is being reflected in the day’s output.

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It’s happened again – more overhead problems on West Midlands Metro

Posted on Monday 9 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Long suffering commuters on West Midlands Metro are having to change trams once again to complete their journeys with yet more overhead line problems. The issue has again happened close to Handsworth Booth Street, although it isn’t known whether this is the same problem as last week – which is believed to have only had a temporary repair – or in a new location.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Trams get ready for service at Seaton

Posted on Sunday 8 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

An aspect of operations at the Seaton Tramway we rarely feature is at the start of the day as the trams are prepared for service and shunted out of Riverside Depot, until now that is! On Tuesday 29th May Keith Chadbourne was getting ready to take the first service tram out and captured the below images for us.

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Finnish trams not yet finished!

Posted on Sunday 8 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

We don’t often report on news from overseas tramways but this story caught our eye as the Helsinki transport authority is offering up some of its historic trams for free! There are several catches, however!

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 8 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

We bring you another couple of Photo Galleries this week:

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On street tram services for Cardiff as part of new rail franchise?

Posted on Saturday 7 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

A story which has gone under the radar slightly was part of the announcement of the new rail franchise for Wales – a tram-train service including on street running and four new stops. Very little detail has actually been released on the plans except that it is likely to start operating in 2023 and 36 new Stadler Citylink vehicles will be ordered to help to run the service.

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Posted in Cardiff Metro | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Blackpool Marton VAMBAC 11

Posted on Saturday 7 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

As our Picture in Time series from Blackpool takes a break for July we go back to more general traditional trams – with this edition featuring a tram from…Blackpooll! It’s a tram which has featured several times before in Picture in Time but as its such a stunner it’s back again – Blackpool Marton VAMBAC 11!

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First track laid as part of Wolverhampton City Centre extension

Posted on Saturday 7 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Whilst there were problems on the current West Midlands Metro network there was a reason for celebration on one of the extensions as the first section of track was laid in Wolverhampton City Centre. This line – which will run along Piper’s Row to Wolverhampton Railway Station – is due to open in 2020 and this is the first major sign of progress in the construction phase.

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In Pictures: Progress continues at Rotherham Central

Posted on Friday 6 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

The slow progress in construction work for the Tram-Train service to Rotherham Parkgate is continuing ahead of the start of public services sometime in the latter part of this year. In this latest pictorial update we take a look at the current state of affairs at Rotherham Central where the new low level platforms are being constructed (slowly!).

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All night trams back for Edinburgh Festival

Posted on Friday 6 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Every Saturday during the Edinburgh International Festival trams will run throughout the night to ensure that visitors to the world renowned festival can get back to their accommodation after late night shows. The Festival takes place between 3rd and 28th August with the special service running on Saturdays 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th August.

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In Pictures: Second battery operated tram enters service

Posted on Friday 6 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

West Midlands Metro now has two battery fitted trams in its main operational fleet with 31 re-entering revenue earning service on Thursday 5th July – a day which saw a full service resume although there were still speed restrictions following the repair of the overhead line damage overnight.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 1 Comment

Tram and lorry involved in Nottingham City Centre collision

Posted on Thursday 5 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Tram services on Nottingham Express Transit were suspended in the city centre for just over an hour after a tram and lorry were involved in a collision close to the stop at Lace Market. Citadis 221 was involved in the collision with the rear of a lorry shortly after 1100 on Tuesday 3rd July causing the tram to suffer a smashed window. Photos from the scene show the immediate aftermath with the back of the lorry having come to a rest alongside the tram. It is unclear from these images whether the lorry reversed into the path of the tram or if it was stationery and the tram scraped alongside it as it attempted to pass. Temporary repairs were made to the damaged section of the tram before it could be moved. Whilst this was dealt with no trams ran between Old Market Square and Nottingham Station. A normal service resumed just after 1200.

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Help bid farewell to Blackpool 623

Posted on Thursday 5 July 2018 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours have confirmed that Blackpool Brush Railcoach 623 will shortly be leaving the seaside again, and heading back to its active retirement home at Manchester’s Heaton Park Tramway. However, before it departs, a special farewell running day has been organised to take place on Friday 13th July, as a precursor to the ‘Tram Sunday’ weekend which sees a gold service operating on the heritage trams for the two days that follow.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Heaton Park Tramway | 1 Comment

Car v tram again – this time on Eccles line

Posted on Thursday 5 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

There has been another collision between a car and a tram on Manchester Metrolink, this time affecting the Eccles line. The slow speed collision – with no injuries reported – happened close to the stop at Ladywell during the morning rush hour on Tuesday 3rd July. Trams were initially suspended between Weaste and Eccles whilst the collision was dealt with before a full service was resumed with severe delays as the service reformed.

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Around the World in Trams Guide: Trams in Rome

Posted on Thursday 5 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

A bit of a change for our worldwide tram series this week as this is the first in a new occasional look at various tram systems from around the world from the view of a visitor to see just what there is to see and do with advice from those who have experienced it first hand! This is not intended to be a full history of the line or an indepth look at current operations but is a starting point if you are considering a visit to the respective cities. In this first edition Ken Jones reports on his experiences in Rome. If you would be interested in supplying similiar articles on other systems from around the world to help enthusiasts thinking of planning a trip please email us at gareth@britishtramsonline.co.uk.

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In Pictures: Concrete base laid for North Station extension

Posted on Wednesday 4 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

The project may be delayed and it is likely to be quite some time before we can all enjoy a ride along Talbot Road to Blackpool North railway station but visible progress is now being made on preparing the surface for the laying of track in the future.

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More overhead problems on West Midlands Metro

Posted on Wednesday 4 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

There may be a new name in town but the UK’s most problematic overhead has once again reared its head with a revised service having to operate on West Midlands Metro after an issue was found with the overhead late on Tuesday 3rd July. Coming less than a month since the last prolonged overhead problem passengers are once being forced to change trams to complete full length journeys between Grand Central and Wolverhampton St George’s.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 2 Comments

Improved pay offer made to Supertram employees

Posted on Tuesday 3 July 2018 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram have confirmed that they have made an improved pay offer to drivers and conductors in a bid to bring to an end the dispute with two strike dates confirmed earlier this week. Currently no Supertram services are due to run on Monday 9th and Thursday 12th July but it is hoped that this new offer may curtail this planned action.

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