In Pictures: Preparations for the new season at Crich

Posted on Thursday 9 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

In nine days time on Saturday 18th March another season will commence at the Crich Tramway Village and with this in mind preparations are in hand which has seen Cardiff 131 out and about cleaning the track. 131 started its work on Tuesday 7th March and has been continuing since initially concentrating on the northern section of track up towards Glory Mine.

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2017 Community Heroes tram naming in Nottingham

Posted on Thursday 9 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

On the day that Nottingham Express Transit celebrated their 13th anniversary they were also renaming a tram as 222 – the Community Heroes tram – received the name Michelle and Richard Daniels. The couple set up the Forever Stars charity in 2013 following the tragic loss of their baby daughter Emily, who was stillborn.

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Peter Cushing steps down as Metrolink Director at TfGM

Posted on Thursday 9 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Peter Cushing has formally handed over the leadership and day to day management for Manchester Metrolink to Danny Vaughan after four years in role of Transport for Greater Manchester’s Metrolink Director. Mr Vaughan will be taking up a new role as Head of Metrolink although Mr Cushing will continue in a part time capacity to oversee the operator change from RATP Dev UK Ltd to KeolisAmey.

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New tramstop planned for Broadmarsh Shopping Centre

Posted on Thursday 9 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

A new tramstop is set to be built at the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre in Nottingham City Centre as part of a package of projects announced for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. £10 million has been pledged for the redevelopment of the bus station and car park at Broadmarsh Shopping Centre with a £63 million funding package for the whole region announced this week by the Government.

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Supertram Purple route suspended after points problem

Posted on Thursday 9 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram’s Purple route was suspended on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th March after a points problem was discovered at Gleadless Townend. No trams were able to run on this route – which remains confined to the Cathedral to Herdings Park section except on Sundays – whilst the problem was fixed which wasn’t until Wednesday 8th March. Blue route trams continued to operate with any passengers for Herdings Park having to change at Gleadless Townend for a replacement bus.

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East Didsbury service returns to original route – briefly

Posted on Thursday 9 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Services between East Didsbury and Rochdale will be returning to the original route through Manchester City Centre – although not for long! On Sunday 12th March the Manchester Irish Community Parade will take place and it will cross the tracks in Albert Square. As a result between around 1125 and 1415 all services which normally run via 2CC will be diverted back onto 1CC with no services calling at Exchange Square throughout this period.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Balloon 717 & Blackpool Brush 631

Posted on Thursday 9 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

We have a change of plan for today’s Picture in Time images (this edition wasn’t actually scheduled to appear for a few months) as we take a look at two fairly recent images from 2012 – showing just how far the heritage tram offering in Blackpool has come over the past few years.

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In Pictures: Beamish prepare to bid farewell to 147

Posted on Wednesday 8 March 2017 by Andrew Waddington

On Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th March, Blackpool Standard car 147 operated in passenger service at Beamish Museum for what was expected to be the final time, prior to its preparation for return to Blackpool later this month. The tram was one of five to see use over the weekend for a special enhanced tram service at the museum’s first ‘Power from the Past’ event of 2017, meaning that all of the current operational fleet were used.

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Picture in Time: Modern Electric Tramways 4

Posted on Tuesday 7 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

In this edition of Picture in Time we are off to the south coast for an image taken more than 50 years ago before the Modern Electric Tramways operation was moved to Devon.

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Blackpool Heritage Trust launch two new appeals

Posted on Sunday 5 March 2017 by Andrew Waddington

The Blackpool Heritage Trust are developing exciting plans to add to the diversity of the operational heritage tramcar fleet, but we can’t do this without your help! Avid followers of our progress will know that we have recently acquired two very unique vehicles, Paisley & District tramcar no.16 of 1904 (later Glasgow 1016), and the Blackpool Illuminated Hovertram 735 of 1963. Both of these trams will be superb additions to our fleet once restored, and will afford us with show-piece vehicles of which we can all be proud for many years to come.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 5 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

We have another couple of Photo Galleries for you this week as part of our update:

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1011

Posted on Saturday 4 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

We are heading to Manchester for the next edition of Picture in Time and this time around we are taking a look at T68 1011 back in the first year of the network.

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Permission given for temporary horse tram building at Derby Castle

Posted on Friday 3 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

It would appear that the trams and horses of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway will have a new home in 2017 following the approval of a planning application to construct a temporary building on part of the former Summerland site. The new building will consist of a tram shed, stables, staff welfare facilities, parking and new vehicular access and is partly required because of the very poor condition of the Strathallan Depot and the desire to move the horses from the Summerhill stables which were put up for sale in 2016.

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Blackpool Tramway hits 5 million passengers

Posted on Friday 3 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

More passengers than at any time in the past 20 years are travelling on the Blackpool Tramway according to new figures released this week. 5 million passenger journeys have been recorded since April 2016 – the first time since 1994 that this many passengers have been carried on the tramway and once again showing the benefits of having an upgraded tramway.

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In Pictures: Cardiff 21 shows off new lighting at Crich

Posted on Friday 3 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Crich may have been closed to the public since the end of October but that doesn’t mean that nothing has been going on at the home of the National Tramway Museum. Aside from the high profile going on in the workshops several other improvement projects have been taking place including in the Great Exhibition Hall. This has seen the lighting system replaced which should be a significant improvement for visitors and will improve photographs taken within the Exhibition Hall. Cardiff 21 was showing off on St David’s Day and these photos show the on loan horse tram in the new lighting.

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RAIB launch investigation into DLR incident

Posted on Friday 3 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have announced that they are investigating what they are calling a “platform-train interface” incident which happened at Bank Station on the Docklands Light Railway on 6th February. The incident happened at approximately 2130 and saw a passenger become trapped in the train doors by their coat as the units were departing from the station.

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Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway 7 grounded

Posted on Friday 3 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

A regular sight at events across Llandudno and Colwyn Bay in recent years has been the replica Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway tramcar no. 7. Normally hauled by the Matador truck – itself a historic vehicle in its own right – the tram has visited many events including the Llandudno Transport Festival which takes place over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend. It had been hoped that 7 would also take part in the annual St David’s Day Parade in Colwyn Bay on Wednesday 1st March but unfortunately the Matador is currently out of service requiring expensive repairs. The Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway Society are a small organisation and are seeking donations – however big or small – to enable the Matador to return to service and for no. 7 to be seen out in public again. If you can help please contact the Treasurer of the Society, whose contact details can be found at http://swissitalianpaddlesteamers.com/lcbtramsoc/treasurer.html.

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Work starts on new footbridge at Queens Medical Centre

Posted on Friday 3 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Work has started to build a new footbridge linking the tramsotp at Queens Medical Centre to the main hospital. The new bridge will provide direct access from the tram platform to the south side of the hospital. It is planned to open the bridge in the summer.

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Edinburgh Trams celebrate award wins

Posted on Friday 3 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams are celebrating after they walked away with two prestigious awards at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards. Having been nominated in five categories they were named winners in the High Growth and Excellence in Health and Safety categories.

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Car on tracks causes NET disruption

Posted on Friday 3 March 2017 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit services on the Toton Lane line were disrupted for nearly two hours on Wednesday 1st March after a car got stuck on the tracks. The car managed to drive onto the bridge close to Gregory Street tramstop – a bridge which has numerous signs warning motorists not to follow the tram tracks – at approximately 1205 leading to trams being suspended between Meadows Way West and University Boulevard whilst it was removed. With the car removed services resumed at 1350.

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