Blackpool on ‘Great British Railway Journeys’

Posted on Friday 6 January 2017 by Andrew Waddington

The upcoming episode of the popular BBC2 television series ‘Great British Railway Journeys’, hosted by Michael Portillo, to be shown on Monday 9th January at 6:30pm, will see the presenter travel between Blackpool and Manchester. This programme is expected to feature scenes that were filmed in spring 2016, showing Portillo travelling aboard Blackpool & Fleetwood Box car 40 of 1914.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 4 Comments

Free Edinburgh Hogmanay trams a major success

Posted on Friday 6 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

More than 5,000 people took advantage of Edinburgh Trams free service offered on Hogmanay with extra trams having to be used to keep up with demand. The free service was provided for the first time since the line opened in 2014 with trams running between midnight and 0500.

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Drop-in sessions for Metrolink Trafford Park line

Posted on Friday 6 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

A series of drop-in sessions are to be run to allow the public to find out more about the Trafford Park Manchester Metrolink extension ahead of the start of construction this year. The first enabling and utility works are due to commence next week on the 3.4 mile line which will leave the current Metrolink network at Pomona.

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A new year, same old problems

Posted on Friday 6 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

It may be a new year but it has started with the same problems on Manchester Metrolink’s Airport line – a car has driven onto the tracks and become stuck. The first incident of 2017 was recorded on Thursday 5th January and involved a car making a wrong turn between Roundthorn and Baguley stops shortly after 0915. Whilst the car was recovered Metrolink services only ran from Cornbrook to Sale Water Park with passengers wishing to travel further advised to change onto the East Didsbury line at St Werburgh’s Road as far as Withington where they could complete their journey by bus.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Brush 626

Posted on Thursday 5 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Blackpool Zoo adverts have long been synonymous with Blackpool trams – and in particular the Brush Railcoaches – with the very first single deck advert being for that very attraction. In this edition of Picture in Time we are taking a look at the last all over advert on a single decker for Blackpool Zoo as carried on Brush 626.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 1 Comment

Edinburgh Trams introduce new timetable

Posted on Wednesday 4 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Trams in Edinburgh are now running more frequently following the introduction of a new timetable on Wednesday 4th January. Previously a trial timetable had been introduced which saw increased frequencies at peak times but extra trams are now being run throughout the day, every day of the week.

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Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 5 Comments

Welcome to Seaton 15

Posted on Tuesday 3 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

The transformation of Seaton Tramway’s no. 17 into a fully enclosed saloon tram was completed in the lead up to Christmas with it being used alongside the other enclosed single deck trams during the Polar Express event. As part of the tram’s rebuild it has been renumbered 15 and has been completed in a blue and white livery.

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Posted in Seaton Tramway | 8 Comments

In Pictures: Burton & Ashby 14 update

Posted on Tuesday 3 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Work on returning Burton and Ashby 14 to the rails is continuing at the Statfold Barn Railway in Staffordshire with the owner of the railway hoping that no. 14 will be running in the UK once again in March.

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Posted in Burton & Ashby 14 | 3 Comments

Snow Hill becomes St Chads

Posted on Tuesday 3 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

A new year has equalled a new stop name in Birmingham City Centre with the stop adjacent to Snow Hill station now known as St Chads. The change was made from New Year’s Day and is said to more reflect the wider area although it is adjacent to Snow Hill railway station, albeit currently without any direct access.

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Picture in Time: Leeds 602

Posted on Tuesday 3 January 2017 by Gareth Prior

Always a popular tram when featured in any form on this website today Picture in Time takes a look at Leeds 602, but this time we aren’t looking at its preservation career as we catch up with it in Leeds whilst still in service.

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Picture in Time: Midland Metro 06

Posted on Saturday 24 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

As its nearly Christmas we have some wintery images for our last visit to the archives for 2016 as we are on Midland Metro. The subject of this edition of Picture in Time is T69 06 which had been in the wars following heavy snow fall on 21st March 2013.

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

As this is our last update until early in the new year we would like wish everyone who reads this website a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 2016 has been a year full of ups and downs in the UK tram scene with the good seeing the return of trams to service after restoration/overhaul, popular tram loans and some excellent speciale events. However, unfortunately, it is the bad which has dominated the headlines with the tragic derailment in Croydon bringing trams to the attention of the national media whilst we also saw the fire suffered by Blackpool Twin Car 272+T2 in September make the news.

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Christmas and New Year services 2016-17

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

This is your complete one-stop guide to services being operated on all tram and light rail networks in the British Isles over the Christmas and New Year period 2016-17. The differences in services being offered is plain to see from the example of Nottingham Express Transit who provide a service until late on Christmas Eve to the opposite end of the spectrum where once again Blackpool has no trams not only on Christmas Day but also on Boxing Day and New Years Day. So if you get bored with the turkey and constant repeats on television take a look to see where you can enjoy some tram action!

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Docklands Light Railway, Dublin Luas, Edinburgh Trams, London Trams, Manchester Metrolink, Nottingham Express Transit, South Yorkshire Supertram, West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

RAIB release safety digest into Twin Car 272 fire

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have released their safety digest into the electrical fire suffered by Blackpool Twin Car 272 on Saturday 24th September during the Anniversary Spectacular event in the resort. As was previously known the fire started as the tram was ascending from Gynn Square northbound and the problem which caused this fire has now been confirmed as a failure of cable insulation.

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Looking ahead to 2017: Crich Tramway Village

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

As one year rapidly comes to a close our attention starts to turn to the next and plans are made for events at the various heritage tramways across the UK. We have already reported on the events planned for the Isle of Man and Blackpool and now turn our attention to the home of the National Tramway Museum, the Crich Tramway Village.

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Looking ahead to 2017: Birkenhead Heritage Tramway

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

The Birkenhead Heritage Tramway (and Wirral Transport Museum) will again be operating throughout 2017 with services on their tramway between Woodside Ferry and Taylor Street running on most weekends and during local school holidays. In addition they are also planning a number of special events.

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Looking ahead to 2017: Heaton Park Tramway

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

One of the first of the UK’s heritage tramways to announce their events plan for 2017 was the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester with an ambitious plan of events aimed at both enthusiasts and families.

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Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 5 Comments

New year, new fares for Midland Metro

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Monday 2nd January 2017 will see the introduction of new fares for Midland Metro and although the cost of off-peak travel (including the day ticket), the city hop fare and group daysavers will not see a change there will be increases on single and return fares.

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In Pictures: Sheffield tram-train construction

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

It may be the project which seems to be constantly delayed but despite that there is still some progress on bringing the UK tram-train pilot between Sheffield and Rotherham to fruition. In this pictorial update Glyn Hill provides photos from Rotherham Parkgate and Tinsley Viaduct.

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Wolverhampton utility diversion work to start in new year

Posted on Friday 23 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

The scheme to bring Midland Metro further into Wolverhampton City Centre will see a major step forward in early 2017 with the start of the utility diversion stage. From 9th January the work will start in Pipers Row with a number of traffic diversions being put into place during this period.

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