Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1026

Posted on Saturday 18 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

The last of the original T68 trams to be delivered to Manchester is the main feature of this edition of Picture in Time. It is 1026 and we catch up with the tram in 2005.

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In Pictures: Crumpsall Metrolink stop in transition

Posted on Saturday 18 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

Work is continuing at Crumpsall which will see it transformed to allow trams from the Trafford Park line to terminate without getting in the way of the 10 trams an hour which currently run through to Bury. So far work has been concentrating on the current platform infrastructure with new passenger ramps being constructed ahead of a new platform face being added for the terminating services. Mike Haddon with the pictures.

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Midland Metro on track to return to Wolverhampton in December

Posted on Friday 17 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

It may have appeared to the naked eye that progress on the track replacement along Bilston Road has been slow but it has now been confirmed that an end is in sight for the completion of the project. Subject to testing it is planned that a full service will resume between Priestfield and Wolverhampton St George’s on Sunday 10th December.

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New DLR trains procurement continues

Posted on Friday 17 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

There are changes afoot in the rolling stock of the Docklands Light Railway with the search for a builder for 43 new trains – due to be introduced in 2022 – stepping up a gear. Transport for London have asked four bidders to submit bids in the next stage of the procurement with a decision on who will be selected to build the trains set to be announced in autumn 2018.

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Free trams in Edinburgh for Hogmanay

Posted on Friday 17 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

There will again be free late-night trams in Edinburgh for Hogmanay with a special tram service running every 20 minutes between midnight on 31st December and 0500 on 1st January from West End Princes Street to Edinburgh Airport. This service will enable the public to enjoy a packed programme of celebrations and then get home afterwards safely.

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In Pictures: Glasgow 1245 restoration continues at Summerlee

Posted on Thursday 16 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

Another low-key tram restoration currently underway can be found at Summerlee where members of the Summerlee Transport Group are heavily involved in returning Glasgow Coronation Car 1245 to the rails. Last time we reported on the tram’s restoration we saw it become a double decker once again and the past year has seen further progress on its restoration.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool & Fleetwood Rack 2 (and friends!)

Posted on Thursday 16 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

A truly fascinating image is featured in this instalment of Picture in Time. We have often taken a look inside Rigby Road Depot in this series but very rarely have we seen such a eclectic mix of trams with Blackpool & Fleetwood Rack 2 at the forefront.

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In Pictures: Citylinks spread their wheels

Posted on Wednesday 15 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

Since their introduction into service the Citylink tram-trains now operating on the conventional Stagecoach Supertram network have been mainly confined to the Purple route – aside from a few “service extras” – but that has now changed as from Thursday 9th November they have been seen running on both the Blue and Yellow routes.

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Statfold Barn Railway operating dates announced for 2018

Posted on Wednesday 15 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

If you haven’t had the chance to see Burton & Ashby 14 running at the Statfold Barn Railway this year don’t despair as it is expected to run again next year with several more opportunities to catch the tram in action.

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In Pictures: Urbos3 18 breaks cover

Posted on Tuesday 14 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

Since returning from Spain following the fitting of batteries Midland Metro’s Urbos3 18 has rarely been seen outside in daylight with it being kept undercover in between test runs (which have now begun overnight). However, that all changed on Monday 13th November when it was spotted sitting outside the depot whilst its pantograph was raised and lowered. Andy Walters provides us with these images.

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Picture in Time: Sheffield 15

Posted on Tuesday 14 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

We are going back to the early days of Crich for this instalment of Picture in Time as we feature horse car Sheffield 15 in operation during 1963 – the first year of passengers being carried at what we now know as the Crich Tramway Village.

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In Pictures: Trackwork starts at Crich

Posted on Monday 13 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

Whilst the main winter project at Crich may be concerned with refurbishing the depots that isn’t all that is going on with a volunteer led project to replace the single line section of track between the Bandstand and Wakebridge. This work started over the weekend of 11th and 12th November with good progress already being made as these photos from Peter Whiteley show.

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In Pictures: Burst water main causes Midland Metro suspension

Posted on Monday 13 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

In the early hour of Monday 13th November a burst water main was discovered in Birmingham City Centre on the corner of Bull Street and Corporation Street. Despite only apparently being a minor leak the water from the pipe covered part of the Midland Metro tracks which led to the decision to suspend services between Bull Street and Grand Central throughout the day.

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Where’s that tram moved to?

Posted on Sunday 12 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

Big Shunt 2 at Crich saw a number of trams moved around the depots and Great Exhibition Hall to allow Depot II to be fully cleared so that the major refurbishment works could commence. In order to fit all of the trams into undercover storage it was necessary to move some of those trams in the Exhibition Hall into the depots and some of those in the depots into the Exhibition Hall! If you are unsure where your favourite tram is currently spending its nights then look no further as we are able to bring you a complete list of where each tram can currently be found!

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2018 NET Community Stars announced

Posted on Sunday 12 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

Each year Nottingham Express Transit Citadis 222 receives a new name having been earmarked as the Community Stars tram. It currently carries the name Michelle and Richard Daniels who were founders of the Forever Stars charity and this will remain on the side of the tram until March 2018 when it is due to be renamed. It has now been confirmed that its new name will be Tim and Jean Jeffrey, who have fostered 200 children and young people.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 12 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

We bring you one further Photo Gallery this week with Stagecoach Supertram the feature:

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Operating seasons end across the British Isles

Posted on Saturday 11 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

As has become traditional the first weekend in November usually brings an end to heritage tramway operating seasons and 2017 has been no different. We have already seen what happened at the end of the season at both Crich and on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway but what of some of the other tramways on the British Isles?

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In Pictures: Bilston Road trackworks carry on

Posted on Saturday 11 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

The deadline for reopening Midland Metro through to Wolverhampton St George’s is now rapidly approaching – in time for Christmas is the plan – which means good progress should be able to be seen along Bilston Road and at the city centre junction in this major project to upgrade the tramway. In this latest pictorial update we do see that a lot of work has now been completed but there does still seem to be a fair bit of track to be laid and full road surface returned whilst on the junction finishing works are now underway. Andy Walters with the pictures.

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Picture in Time: South Yorkshire Supertram 10

Posted on Saturday 11 November 2017 by Gareth Prior

We have more early images from the South Yorkshire Supertram system for you in this instalment of Picture in Time. These photos date from 1994 and show no. 10 in service.

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TLC for trams at Beamish

Posted on Friday 10 November 2017 by Andrew Waddington

2017 has been a difficult years for some of the UK’s heritage tramways – and the line at Beamish Museum has been no different, with an operating pool of just four trams available for service since the return of Blackpool Standard 147 to the Fylde coast in March. Unfortunately, things seem to have gone from bad to worse recently but on the plus side some of the fleet have been receiving some much-needed workshop attention.

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