MER Winter Saloon 22 suffers fire

Posted on Friday 19 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Manx Electric Railway Winter Saloon 22 – a vehicle not exactly a stranger to fire – suffered a fire whilst in service on Monday 15th May close to Ballaglass Glen causing disruption to services and passengers to be transferred to another tram.

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Jurassic Mule bus services returns for 2017

Posted on Friday 19 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

After the success of the service in 2016 the Jurassic Mule heritage bus service will return on Saturday 27th May, once again including a link to the Seaton Tramway (with discounted joint fares available). The route has been expanded for 2017 and now includes a link in the morning and evening to Axminster Railway Station during peak periods.

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Nottingham Express Transit Service Change: Saturday 27th to Monday 29th May

Posted on Friday 19 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Track replacement work will see the Nottingham Express Transit network split into two over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend with trams running from Hucknall and Phoenix Park to Wilkinson Street and from The Forest to Toton Lane and Clifton South.

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Re-launch date for Blackpool 718 announced

Posted on Friday 19 May 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Following a repaint into a classic green and cream livery, Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours are re-launching Rebuilt Balloon car 718 with a series of special trips on the evening of Friday 26th May. It will be recalled that 718 previously operated in all-over white since its return to use last summer, having shed its advertising livery for Madame Tussaud’s Blackpool.

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New trains set to be sourced for Docklands Light Railway

Posted on Thursday 18 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Transport for London are starting the search for 43 trains for the Docklands Light Railway with the fleet set to enter service from 2022. The trains – which will be “walk-through and air-conditioned” – will replace 33 of the current fleet with an additional 10 required to boost capacity at busy times.

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Brush Car standee windows

Posted on Thursday 18 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

You may recently have been following the debate in our comments section on the restoration of Brush Car 621 in Blackpool and just how in depth the restoration is mainly in connection with the green standee windows. Although it is not currently the plan to restore these on 621 the subject did come up last year over the private restoration of fellow Brush Car 625…

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Jubilee 761

Posted on Thursday 18 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

As the majority of our Picture in Time images are written in advance sometimes we land lucky with the tram featured as it has been in the news and that is exactly the situation this week (even if it has meant a bit of re-writing!) as we take a look at Blackpool Jubilee 761.

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In Pictures: Once you start, you can’t stop – another new vinyl wrap in Edinburgh

Posted on Wednesday 17 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

If the start of 2017 is remembered for one thing in Edinburgh it looks set to be the advent of the vinyl wrap livery on the tram fleet with 261 having recently received its third different design. This time around it is advertising the Royal Highland Show, which will take place at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston between 22nd and 25th June.

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In Pictures: A splash of green for 45

Posted on Wednesday 17 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway may currently be closed whilst the horses recover from their infection but that doesn’t mean it isn’t making the news as regular service tram 45 has emerged from the depot in a revised livery, featuring green dash panels and yellow numbers!

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In Pictures: The San Francisco Boats

Posted on Wednesday 17 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Of the four Blackpool Boat Cars now residing in the United States of America probably the most high profile pair are those which can be found in San Francisco. Boat Cars 228 and more recent arrival 233 are just two trams of the historic Market Street Railway streetcar fleet which are used to operate services on the F line and have proved to be popular additions to the fleet. Peter Watts was recently in San Francisco and provides us with these photos updating recent news on the two trams a long way from home.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 6 Comments

Fares to increase in Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 17 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Travelling on Blackpool’s trams (and buses) will be more expensive from Sunday 28th May with revised fares being introduced as a result of an increase in operating and fuel costs. An extra 10p will be added to all single fares but any tickets purchased through the recently introduced app will not see any change nor will the 24 hour ticket available on board trams and buses.

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Picture in Time: Sheffield Corporation Tramways Tenter Street Depot

Posted on Tuesday 16 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

For today’s trip into the archives we head to the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield for a view inside one of the original tramway’s depots at Tenter Street with a number of trams present.

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In Pictures: Horse Tram Day at Crich

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Thursday 11th May saw the first use of Sheffield 15 at Crich for 2017 with Joseph once again on hand to provide the horse power. This was the first of six occasions this year when 15 will in use with the special horse service between 1100 and 1300 and 1400 and 1600 with a modest extra fee payable to enjoy the ride between Town End and depot crossover.

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In Pictures: Metrolink 25th Anniversary celebration tram

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

We’ve mentioned it in passing before but we can now bring you images of the special 25th Anniversary celebration tram currently running on Manchester Metrolink. Appropriately numbered 3092 – with 1992 being the year services first began – has seen its spots repositioned to spell out “25” at each end whilst small vinyls on the windows state #Metrolink25 and Celebrating 25 Years of Metrolink. Kevin James provides us with these images.

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Midland Metro closure confirmed to start on 11th June

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

The previously announced Midland Metro closure between Priestfield and Wolverhampton St George’s has been confirmed as starting from Sunday 11th June with the hope that it will be completed in time for Christmas.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 4 Comments

Metrolink network suspended after communications failure

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

There was major disruption for travellers on Manchester Metrolink from mid-afternoon on Sunday 14th May following a major communications failure. The problem was first reported at approximately 1530 with the failure meaning that the control room could not communicate with the trams in service. It was decided on the ground of safety to suspend all services whilst the problem was investigated with passengers advised to find alternative ways to get to their destination.

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PayPoint tickets to be discontinued on NET

Posted on Monday 15 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit will no longer be selling tickets for travel through PayPoint outlets from Monday 22nd May with this formerly popular mode of purchasing tickets having dropped in recent years. Tickets will still be able to be purchased at PayPoint outlets before Monday 22nd May and will remain valid until their normal expiry date but no further tickets will be able to be bought from this date.

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Picture in Time: Croydon Tramlink 2535

Posted on Saturday 13 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

A trip to Croydon for today’s instalment of Picture in Time as we take a look at one of Tramlink’s original Bombardier built CR4000 trams – no. 2535.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 627

Posted on Thursday 11 May 2017 by Gareth Prior

Back to the archives today as we take a look at another tram from Blackpool with this edition of Picture in Time featuring Blackpool Brush car 627.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 3 Comments

Jubilee car 761 acquired by Blackpool Heritage Trust

Posted on Wednesday 10 May 2017 by Andrew Waddington

Since the end of the traditional tramway operation in Blackpool in November 2011, great efforts have been taken to rebuild a collection of trams representing all of the different types of tramcar which formed the running fleet in the final years of the tramway (and some from much earlier) – with one noteworthy exception. With only two Jubilee cars ever built and both preserved by other organisations, it was uncertain whether either would ever become a part of the Blackpool heritage fleet, but happily, that is exactly what has now happened!

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 13 Comments