British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Newcastle 114

Posted on Thursday 14 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

A lot of this series has been of trams from Crich heading off to other locations on loan but there hasn’t been a huge amount of traffic in the opposite direction, indeed the only trams to visit Crich did so for one specific event – Electric 50. We have already featured Blackpool Balloon 711 but another tram to visit was Newcastle 114 from Beamish.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Events: Seaton Tramway 40th Anniversary

Posted on Thursday 14 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

You probably won’t be surprised to find out that a number of our anniversary events feature actually concerns significant anniversaries on tramways from across the UK. We have already been on the Isle of Man for the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway 140th and in this edition we head down to Devon to look back at the 40th anniversary of the Seaton Tramway.

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Luas Cross City line opens

Posted on Wednesday 13 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

At 1400 on Saturday 9th December the crucial Cross City line on Dublin’s Luas network was officially opened with services on the Green line now extended to travel through to Broombridge. The current Taoiseach Leo Vardaker – a former Transport Minister – was on hand to help pull away a special Red and Green bow from the front of tram 5006 as it arrived onto the new line.

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Plans for new Midland Metro penalty fare approved

Posted on Wednesday 13 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

A new £70 penalty charge for passengers travelling on Midland Metro without a ticket is set to be introduced by the end of 2018 after the West Midlands Combined Authority board approved the plan. This new charge would replace the current £10 penalty.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Blackpool & Fleetwood Rack 2

Posted on Wednesday 13 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Another tram not originally intended to travel to Blackpool for the 125th anniversary was Blackpool & Fleetwood Rack 2 but following the problems with transporting double deckers from Crich it was offered as a substitute and thus made its way home for the first time since 1998.

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Around the World in 18 Trams: Hong Kong 68

Posted on Wednesday 13 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Another visit to Hong Kong as we continue our trip around the world. This time around we see double deck tourist tram 68.

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In Pictures: 110 fails on Supertram

Posted on Tuesday 12 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

On Friday 8th December Stagecoach Supertram 110 failed at Bamforth Street and with a repair not able to be completed on the scene 115 was coupled to the errant tram and pushed it through to Malin Bridge. The fault was obviously not too major though as 110 was back in service the following day. Stuart Cooke was on the scene to take these photos.

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In Pictures: Metrolink puts up the Christmas decorations

Posted on Tuesday 12 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

As has become traditional Manchester Metrolink have added vinyls to a few of their trams to celebrate Christmas. 3011, 3025 and 3032 are amongst the trams which have received the vinyls which feature Noel the elf along with some “lights” added to the windows. Photos from Dave Elison show the temporary vinyls.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Lisbon 730

Posted on Tuesday 12 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

There are three operational Portuguese trams in the UK and all three of them have been loaned at some point in the past 15 years. We have already seen Oporto 273’s aborted loan to Blackpool but this time we take a look at a tram from Lisbon which enjoyed a much more successful loan, it is 730.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Events: Birmingham City Centre extension

Posted on Tuesday 12 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

It may not have expanded as much as some of the other UK second generation tram systems (yet – that will be for our next big anniversary maybe!) but one of the main achievements of the Midland Metro system over the past 15 years has been the opening of the short, but significant, extension into Birmingham City Centre as far as Grand Central (New Street station).

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Trams move in and out of the Crich workshop

Posted on Monday 11 December 2017 by Andrew Waddington

As reported previously, some further shunting of various trams took place at Crich Tramway Village on Saturday 25th November ready for the next phase of the depot refurbishment work to get underway. However, there were also a few trams being moved between the workshop and the depots as this article will clarify.

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Santa joins Heritage Tram Tours

Posted on Monday 11 December 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Father Christmas took time out of his extremely busy schedule to make the first of three visits to Blackpool on Saturday 9th December, when the Heritage Tram Tours team operated the first of their 2017 ‘Santa Specials’. This saw a total of six historic trams grace the promenade – quite an impressive total for the winter period, indeed this compares quite favourably with the pre-upgrade era!

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In Pictures: More Train-Tram construction work progress

Posted on Monday 11 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

2017 was the year that it was hoped that the tram-train pilot between Sheffield and Rotherham would have been up and running but delays in the project have meant that hasn’t been possible. With 2018 now set as the completion for the service to start work is continuing to bring the project to fruition.

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Plans submitted for EATM expansion

Posted on Monday 11 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

The ambitious proposals for expanding the East Anglia Transport Museum have moved a step closer with the submission of the planning application to the local Council. This gives the public the first chance to see just what is planned for the museum with extended trolleybus and railway routes provided but for this website the most exciting development would be the addition of an extra tram route and depot!

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British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Blackpool Brush 630

Posted on Monday 11 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

We bring you right up to date with tram loans today with the feature of this article being the tram which has most recently gone on loan to another tramway. The tram is Blackpool Brush 630.

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Around the World in 18 Trams: Philadelphia and Western Railroad 205

Posted on Monday 11 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Off to the United States for our latest image from around the world as we go to the Rockhill Trolley Museum for a view of one of the many trolleys operational there.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Sheffield 513

Posted on Sunday 10 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

It’s another two tramway loan tram today, although this tram hasn’t actually been to its home tramway throughout the history of British Trams Online! During the past 15 years it has been in both Blackpool and now at the East Anglia Transport Museum.

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UK Tram release statement on London Tramlink derailment report

Posted on Sunday 10 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Following the release of the RAIB report into the London Tramlink derailment, UK Tram have released their own statement confirming steps being taken across the country to help prevent any further tragic incidents like this taking place again. This is provided in full below.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Events: Last Day of traditional trams operation in Blackpool

Posted on Sunday 10 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

6th November 2011 was the day that after 126 years of operation was the end of an era on the Blackpool Tramway with the end of full traditional tram operation ahead of the start of the light rail era and the Flexity2s set to arrive the following Easter. As we all know it wasn’t quite as the end as the last few years has seen the development of Heritage Tram Tours but it was still one of the biggest events to take place over the last 15 years.

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In Pictures: Llandudno & Colwyn Bay 7 out and about again

Posted on Saturday 9 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 2nd December saw the last public outing of Llandudno & Colwyn Bay 7 for 2017 with it taking part in the annual Llandudno Christmas Parade.

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