Blackpool Brush car 623 relaunched in style!

Posted on Monday 17 July 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Following its recent return to Blackpool on loan from the Heaton Park Tramway for its 80th anniversary year, Brush Railcoach 623 has now entered service back on its original home tramway for the first time since November 2009. The tram was officially launched back into service with an evening outing for enthusiasts on Friday 14th July, and it was then used on heritage service over the next two days.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 7 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 16 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

One new Photo Gallery for you as part of this week’s main site update:

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Picture in Time: Midland Metro 01

Posted on Saturday 15 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Today Picture in Time is heading to Midland Metro and the tram we feature is very first T69 built and delivered for the system – 01.

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Centenary Car looks for a new home **updated**

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

When the traditional Blackpool Tramway closed a number of trams were sold and left their home of many years for new lives. Whilst the majority went on to preservation groups or private individuals looking to restore them to their former glories several Centenary Cars found new uses. This included two which ended up at Caravan Parks – the first of these was 643 which has since moved on and is now returned to school whilst 645 has remained at the Windy Harbour Holiday Park. Until now that is, as the owners of the caravan park have now decided that 645 is surplus to requirements and are looking to offload the tram.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

Latest Douglas Prom plans to go to Tynwald

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The redevelopment of Douglas Promenade is in the news again with the plans agreed in principle back in January now requiring full approval from Tynwald. The main headlines for supporters of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway are that twin tracks in the centre of the road would be retained between Strathallan and Castle Mona Avenue with a single track – on the seaward side of the road – then constructed from there to Peveril Square, close to the Sea Terminal.

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In Pictures: NET 210’s livery of many colours

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

It looks as though another new advertising livery is on the way in Nottingham – either that or NET are trialling a new dazzle livery! – with Incentro 210 currently running in a multi coloured vinyl wrap livery. It doesn’t currently carry any signwriting but does feature contravision on the windows and there appear to be no clues as to who are trying to advertise on the tram. This is the first time that 210 has run in non-fleet livery.

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In Pictures: Armstrong Siddeley Rally at Crich

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The latest classic vehicle rally to visit the Crich Tramway Village was the Armstrong Siddeley Rally which was on site on Saturday 8th July. The day also saw the sun make an appearance which saw a complete open top service in the hands of Blackpool 166, London County Council 106 and London United Tramways 159. Photos from Hazel Quarmby.

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More tram shortages in Sheffield leads to further Purple route disruption

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The ongoing saga of tram shortages on Stagecoach Supertram – the sooner the Citylink trams are cleared for entry into service the better – has reared its ugly head again with the Purple route once again feeling the brunt of these issues. As from Friday 14th July – and this time until further notice rather than a set end date – a revised service will be introduced for trams to and from Herdings Park.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 1 Comment

Work set to start in Wolverhampton

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The much anticipated short Wolverhampton City Centre Midland Metro extension is getting closer with works set to start shortly. The first tracks for the extension are due to be installed once a survey is undertaken with traffic management to be put in place from Bilston Street to Market Street for the duration of the work – it is expected that the work will take five months to complete.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 1 Comment

Utility diversion works under way on Trafford Park line

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Those of you who looked at last week’s Photo Galleries would have seen some photos from the Trafford Park extension of Manchester Metrolink where the first work has now started on construction. This first stage is the diversion of various utilities and having experience of this work across the expanded network a collaborative approach will once again be taken with up to 40 ducts and pipes relayed for electricity, water, gas and telecommunications by one contractor within each joint utility trench.

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Car v trams in Croydon and Blackpool

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The last few days have seen further incidences of trams being involved in collisions with cars in both Croydon and Blackpool. The latter system also saw a car abandoned on the tracks close to Cleveleys

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Edinburgh Trams Service Change: Sunday 16th July

Posted on Friday 14 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams services will only run between Edinburgh Airport and West End Princes Street for a few hours on Sunday 16th July because of a street parade in connection with the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival. The last full route service from the Airport will depart at 1240 with a return from York Place at 1322. Services will then run Airport to West End only until 1533 from the Airport and 1614 from York Place (at the latest, services may resume earlier).

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 631

Posted on Thursday 13 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

We are going back to Blackpool in this edition of Picture in Time and this time we feature a tram which remains in the town as part of the active heritage fleet.

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Picture in Time: Great Orme Tramway 7

Posted on Tuesday 11 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno, North Wales is the feature of this edition of Picture in Time as we head back to 1989 for a view of one of the upper section trams.

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TMS trucks to help restore trams elsewhere

Posted on Monday 10 July 2017 by Andrew Waddington

In a very welcome act of great generosity, the Tramway Museum Society have provided two tramcar trucks to other preservation organisations, to assist with the restoration of two very special trams. Both of the trucks had been housed at the National Tramway Museum’s reserve store at Clay Cross for many years, prior to being extracted and moved away earlier this month.

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Posted in Birkenhead Heritage Tramway, Brighton Tram 53 Group, National Tramway Museum | 2 Comments

Bring on the Brush cars!

Posted on Monday 10 July 2017 by Andrew Waddington

As many regular readers of this website will know, 2017 sees Blackpool’s Brush cars celebrate their 80th anniversary and some celebrations are taking place in the town to mark this milestone. This looks set to start on Friday 14th July, when visiting car 623 is set to make its debut following its recent return to Blackpool on loan. In addition, work is progressing nicely on the overhaul of 621 which appears to be on target for its planned return to use in September.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 9 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

We return with a main site update this week with another couple of new Photo Galleries:

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1016

Posted on Saturday 8 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

Another visit to Manchester is on the cards for the latest instalment of Picture in Time and we feature another of the T68s in the early days of the system.

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In Preview: Edwardian Event at Crich Tramway Village

Posted on Saturday 8 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

One of the highlights of the special events programme at Crich, the Edwardian Event, will take place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th July. As well as the regular tram service, Sheffield 15 will be in service on the first day of the event alongside re-enactors adding to the museum street scene.

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Huge increases in Tram-Train pilot costs

Posted on Friday 7 July 2017 by Gareth Prior

A report released by the National Audit Office has shown that the costs involved in the Tram-Train pilot, which will eventually see services run between the Stagecoach Supertram network and Rotherham on the national rail network, has increased five times from the original agreed budget. It is now expected that it will cost £75.1 million for the Network Rail modification works against the agreed budget of £15 million.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 14 Comments