British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Cardiff 131

Posted on Saturday 9 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Probably the most unusual tram to be loaned over the past 15 years is Cardiff 131 – and its left its usual home at Crich twice!

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In Pictures: Let it snow on Midland Metro!

Posted on Saturday 9 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Friday 8th December saw the first significant dusting of snow to fall in the UK this winter period (even though it isn’t actually officially winter yet!). One tramway to be affected was Midland Metro although despite the falling of the white stuff it didn’t impact on services with the only difference being it made photos a bit more picturesque! Andy Walters was on hand with the images.

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Around the World in 18 Trams: Basel BLT 155

Posted on Saturday 9 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

We have already had one visit to Basel in this series but we head back to Switzerland again in this edition but this time we look at a tram from Baselland Transport (BLT) who work the longer routes out to the far suburbs – with one route crossing into France for about 3km before heading back into Switzerland.

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They’re back! Trams return to Wolverhampton early!

Posted on Friday 8 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

After 177 days trams are once again running all the way between Grand Central and Wolverhampton St George’s after the early completion of testing and commissioning along Bilston Road. Despite the first major snowfall of the winter the full service resumed at 0515 on Friday 8th December, two days ahead of the schedule released last month.

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Tram derails after collision with van

Posted on Friday 8 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

A tram derailed on University Boulevard, Nottingham, after it was hit by a van on Wednesday 6th December causing major traffic gridlock across the city throughout the afternoon and evening. Incentro 214 was involved in the collision which happened close to the University of Nottingham stop as the tram was crossing University Boulevard.

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Major refurbishment for Birkenhead museum

Posted on Friday 8 December 2017 by Andrew Waddington

The main tram depot, workshop and museum at Birkenhead – the Taylor Street site – is set to be closed to visitors for several months to allow for a major refurbishment to take place. This has been some time in the planning, and will create a much improved visitor attraction highlighting the value of the tramway and associated activities within the local area.

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More progress for Warrington 28

Posted on Friday 8 December 2017 by Andrew Waddington

The Merseyside Tramway Society remain busy working on the sole surviving Warrington tramcar, which is being reconstructed as Warrington 28. It may be recalled that over the summer a suitable truck for the tram was supplied by the Tramway Museum Society and moved to Birkenhead from their Clay Cross store.

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Around the World in 18 Trams: Dresden 224 205

Posted on Friday 8 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Back to Europe for this image from around the world. This time we are in Dresden, Germany.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Events: Edinburgh Trams opens…finally!

Posted on Friday 8 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

It was the event which seemed for a long time as it may never happen but on 31st May 2014 Edinburgh Trams finally opened to the public to bring an end to the project which saw the return of trams to the streets of Scotland for the first time since 1962 when Glasgow Corporation Tramways had closed.

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RAIB report released into Sandilands derailment

Posted on Thursday 7 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have released their full report into the tragic derailment at Sandilands on 9th November 2016. Although it has not been possible to prove for definite why it happened the main cause of the incident has been given as the driver losing awareness and it is thought that this was because of fatigue. The report concludes by giving 15 recommendations in improving safety on tramways in the UK.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Blackpool Balloon 711

Posted on Thursday 7 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Its another Blackpool tram which has spent some time away from its home tramway in recent years which features in our loan tram series today. The tram is Blackpool Balloon 711 – the only Balloon Car to have been fitted with the widened entrances to have ever left the north west coast.

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Around the World in 18 Trams: Boston 3680

Posted on Thursday 7 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

From Europe to the United States of America for our tour of world trams. The system we are looking at today is that in Boston.

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In Pictures: Nottingham Express Transit in November

Posted on Wednesday 6 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

A small pictorial from Nottingham Express Transit in late November with well patronised trams in service. Nottingham’s Winter Wonderland is now in full swing with a Christmas Market and ice skating amongst the activities you can enjoy in the city centre and of course the best way to get there is to hop on a tram! Peter Narramore with the photos.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Manchester L53

Posted on Wednesday 6 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

It is a tram which is currently on static display in Bury but head back a few years and it made not one, but two visits to Beamish – it is Manchester Eades Reversible Horse Tram L53.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Events: Douglas Bay Horse Tramway 140th Anniversary

Posted on Wednesday 6 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

The next entry into our special series of events which have taken place over the past 15 years is another once which has happened fairly recently – the 140th Anniversary of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway.

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In Pictures: Cambridge Horse Tram 7

Posted on Tuesday 5 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

The restoration of Cambridge Horse Tram 7 is continuing to make progress at the Ipswich Transport Museum as these latest photos from Stephen Cobb show.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Blackpool Open Top Balloon 706

Posted on Tuesday 5 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Probably one of the most unexpected but successful loans to have happened in the last 15 years, in November 2010 Blackpool Open Top Balloon 706, more commonly known as Princess Alice, visited the Heaton Park Tramway for their Blackpool Event.

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Around the World in 18 Trams: Basel BVB 485

Posted on Tuesday 5 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Still in Europe today we are heading into Switzerland for an image from Basel of the city operator Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (BVB), who mainly work the urban routes.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Tram Loans: Glasgow 1068

Posted on Monday 4 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

2013 was a significant year for the tramway at Beamish, as it was the 40th anniversary of the first trams running. To mark the occasion a couple of trams were loaned to the museum one of which was Glasgow 1068 from Crich, a tram which had only been returned to service temporarily the previous year for the Glasgow commemorations in Derbyshire.

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British Trams Online at 15 – Events: Withdrawal of Metrolink’s T68s and T68As

Posted on Monday 4 December 2017 by Gareth Prior

Not all major events over the past 15 years have been special events as such but nonetheless events of this kind have still been a significant aspect of what has happened since we started off in 2002. One of the most key events was the withdrawal of the Manchester Metrolink T68 and T68As as upon their withdrawal they became the first of the UK second generation tram classes for this to have happened to.

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