British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2016 – voting open!

Posted on Sunday 4 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Voting is now open for the British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2016 in all four categories: Tram of the Year (traditional), Tram of the Year (modern), Tramway of the Year and Event of the Year.

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In Pictures: Metrolink goes Christmassy

Posted on Sunday 4 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

As the build-up to Christmas continues Manchester Metrolink have put up their Christmas decorations with a number of trams being seen with window vinyls in place. Mainly consisting of snowflakes the trams which have been decorated also have Santa and Rudolph on the side trying to persuade you that a Metrolink Travelcard is the way to travel this festive season!

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Midland Metro 04

Posted on Saturday 3 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

We take a trip to Wolverhampton for our latest archive image as part of Picture in Time as we feature an image of one of the T69s in action in the year 2000.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

Ballooning in Winter

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016 by Andrew Waddington

The final ‘gold’ operating weekend for Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours took place on Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th November, and as usual each day featured a regular service operated by six trams. Understandably for the time of year, the weather was bitterly cold but despite that there was some sunshine and an interesting selection of cars in use, with the Balloons out in force!

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Douglas Horse Tramway to be relaid – but only partly

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

It may be a new government on the Isle of Man but it really seems to be the same old decision making as the latest plans for the reconstruction of Douglas Promenade will see the Horse Tramway only relaid between Derby Castle and Broadway. Following the elections on the Isle of Man the previous plans for the Prom were thrown out with the promise that they would be revisited but the new recommendation goes back to a very similar proposal with the main change being that it will be a double track tramway in the centre of the road for the short section of line which will be retained.

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Posted in Douglas Bay Horse Tramway | 9 Comments

October breaks records on Metrolink

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

October seems to be a popular month for travelling on Manchester Metrolink with a new record set over the 31 days in 2016 breaking the previous record set in October 2015. 3.3 million passengers were carried on Metrolink in October 2016 (beating the 3.1 million in 2015).

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Award winning partnership awarded Trafford Park Metrolink line

Posted on Friday 2 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Transport for Greater Manchester are to continue their collaboration with MPact Thales (MPT) and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff on the Trafford Park extension of Manchester Metrolink it has been announced. This same partnership has already successfully delivered extensions to MediaCityUK, Manchester Airport, Ashton-under-Lyne, East Didsbury, Oldham and Rochdale and has also been involved in the Second City Crossing due to open in early 2017.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Testing starts on Second City Crossing

Posted on Thursday 1 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

The early hours of Thursday 1st December saw the first gauging run on Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing with M5000 pair 3004 and 3021 in use to officially become the first trams to run on the section of the 2CC from St Peter’s Square.

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MER prepares for 2017

Posted on Thursday 1 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

No sooner had the 2016 season on the Manx Electric Railway finished then attention was turned to preparing both the fleet and infrastructure for 2017. It is planned that this winter will see a number of repaints with some trams having new looks whilst two trailers stored for a number of years will be prepared to return to service whilst track relaying is also underway along with the long expected demolition of Ramsey Car Shed and Good Shed.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Centenary 646

Posted on Thursday 1 December 2016 by Gareth Prior

Our archive photo series is back with another helping from Blackpool. This time around we are taking a look at Centenary 646 in the early 1990s.

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British Trams Online Advent Calendars 2016

Posted on Wednesday 30 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Yes, its that time of the year once again as we bring you our Advent Calendars. No chocolate for you behind each window but we do have 48 more photos of tram waiting for you in the lead up to Christmas. As in the past few years we have two Advent Calendars for you – Traditional Trams and Modern Trams and you can find the link to both by going to http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/advent.html. We will tend to upload the next image the night before so please so sneaky peeks before the day!

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Glasgow 1017 returns to service

Posted on Wednesday 30 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Late in 2015 one of the stalwarts of the tram fleet at the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Glasgow 1017, had to be withdrawn from service with a fractured axle box leaving Dusseldorf 392 to provide the majority of services along the short operating fleet. Now after the completion of repairs 1017 has returned to service which will allow the German tram to take a well earned break.

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Posted in Summerlee Museum Tramway | 1 Comment

Brush car 621 left out in the cold (** updated with photos**)

Posted on Wednesday 30 November 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Whilst the expansion of the tram fleet at Beamish Museum has been a generally positive development, it has placed great pressure on the available depot space. The recent addition of Oporto C65 to the ranks following its transfer from the national collection has meant that insufficient space is available to house all of the museum’s trams and buses undercover, leaving Blackpool Brush Railcoach 621 outside again.

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Posted in Beamish Tramway | 3 Comments

Picture in Time: Seaton Tramway 16

Posted on Tuesday 29 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

Today Picture in Time is in Devon for an image from the Seaton Tramway featuring one of the trams which has been given a new lease of life following a rebuild from its original identity as Bournemouth Corporation Tramways 106. It is of course Seaton 16.

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British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2016

Posted on Sunday 27 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

As we approach the end of another year we start to turn our attention towards celebrating what has gone on over the past 12 months and we all know what that means don’t we? Yes it’s time for the British Trams Online Tram of the Year contest! As always the contest starts with the nominations process and we are now seeking your nominations in four categories: Tram (traditional) of the Year, Tram (modern) of the Year, Tramway of the Year and Event of the Year. Nominations will remain open until Saturday 3rd December.

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Posted in Tram of the Year | 18 Comments

In Pictures: Tramlink 2550 back in fleet livery

Posted on Sunday 27 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink CR4000 2550 is now operating in standard fleet livery again following the removal of the yellow based Tramlink Safety vinyls. The tram was moved into the workshops during November for the removal of the special livery and is now operating in the Lime Green, Blue and White Tramlink house colours once again.

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In Pictures: Edinburgh Transport Group unveil commemorative plaque

Posted on Sunday 27 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

The Edinburgh Transport Group have unveiled a plaque and information panel at the former Braids tram terminus on Comiston Road, Edinburgh to mark the restoration of the former 1930s tram shelter and to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the closure of the last of the Edinburgh Corporation Tramway route on 16th November 1956. The panel gives a brief history of Edinburgh’s tramways as well as the shelter itself and was unveiled on 19th November.

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Blackpool Brush car 637 under threat

Posted on Sunday 27 November 2016 by Andrew Waddington

The future of Blackpool Brush Railcoach 637 is currently in some doubt after its private owner was given notice that a new home must be found for the tram after Christmas. 637 is at present stored at a compound on the Fleetwood docks along with many of the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust’s trams, but the FHLT have now informed its owner that it must be removed in the near future.

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Posted in Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust | 1 Comment

Picture in Time: Docklands Light Railway 04

Posted on Saturday 26 November 2016 by Gareth Prior

We are off to London for today’s Picture in Time as we take a look at one of the original trains which operated on the Docklands Light Railway.

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Blackpool tramway extension gets Council approval

Posted on Saturday 26 November 2016 by Andrew Waddington

Its more good news for the proposed extension of the Blackpool tramway up Talbot Road to North Station – which has been approved by local Councillors at their latest meeting held on November 23rd. This is in spite of some serious opposition from the Conservative Party, which is quite a turnaround as the project was actually a key feature of their local election manifesto only last year!

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 11 Comments