Picture in Time: Blackpool Illumination Tours

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Over the past couple of months we have been taking a look at the Illuminated trams of the Blackpool Tramway over the past 45 years or so and now to round this off we feature some other trams on Illumination Tours.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 5 Comments

Overhead problems on Midland Metro

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Midland Metro services were severely disrupted on Friday 6th November after damage to the overhead at The Hawthorns. The problem was discovered at approximately 1300 and saw through tram services from Wolverhampton St George’s to St Paul’s suspended for several hours whilst repairs were undertaken. And then to compound matters during the evening problems with traffic lights meant no trams could run beyond Priestfield.

Continue reading →

Posted in West Midlands Metro | Comments Off on Overhead problems on Midland Metro

Stadler 2560 enters service

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Just a few days after playing a starring role in the launch of the new platform at Wimbledon Stadler Variobahn 2560 has become the 31st tram to carry passengers on the London Tramlink network.

Continue reading →

Posted in London Trams | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Birmingham City Centre extension

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

The weather might have been a bit grim but the past week has seen significant progress made on Midland Metro’s Birmingham City Centre extension with the major news to report that the old and new lines are now connected up just beyond St Paul’s. Meanwhile progress continues to be made on the overhead throughout the city centre including towards New Street station; although oddly the section closer to St Paul’s – which is due to open before that at New Street – has yet to have even the poles erected.

Continue reading →

Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

In Pictures: The new look Wimbledon opens

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Monday 2nd November saw London Tramlink return to Wimbledon station following completion of the work to extend the platform length to allow two trams to be in situ at any one time. Tramlink services had been terminating at Dundonald Road since 13th July whilst the work was undertaken.

Continue reading →

Posted in London Trams | 1 Comment

New timetable for Blackpool

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

The end of the Illuminations signals the start of another new timetable on the Blackpool Tramway with a standard 15 minute service due to operate every day of the week from Sunday 8th November.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | Comments Off on New timetable for Blackpool

Another £1 day on Nottingham Express Transit

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit are offering passengers the chance to travel on their network for just £1 again on Sunday 8th November. Following the success of the previous £1 Sunday the deal is being repeated with the offer available for both adults and children. The tickets must be purchased from the ticket machines before boarding a tram.

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | Comments Off on Another £1 day on Nottingham Express Transit

New NET Park and Ride sites are officially safe

Posted on Friday 6 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

The two large Park and Ride sites at Toton Lane and Clifton South on the Phase Two extensions of Nottingham Express Transit have been awarded “Park Mark” safer parking awards following recent Police assessments. Both sites have extensive lighting, excellent vehicle and pedestrian access and are covered by CCTV all of which combine to make it a safe environment to leave your car. The NET sites at Phoenix Park, Wilkinson Street and Hucknall already have “Park Mark” status.

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | Comments Off on New NET Park and Ride sites are officially safe

Going for a ride…

Posted on Thursday 5 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

And as the bonfires are lit and the Christmas adverts start traditional tram operation starts to draw to a close for another year. Yes there will be Santa Specials and a few locations continue with regular operation throughout the winter but this weekend will see the true end of the 2015 operating season. Blackpool (with an enhanced green timetable running) and the Manx Electric Railway run normal services for the last time this year which will just leave us with Beamish, Birkenhead, Black Country Living Museum, Heaton Park and Summerlee to see us through the winter. But more on that next week; in the meantime read on to find out when and where you can enjoy a ride on a traditional tram over the next week or so…

Continue reading →

Posted in Going for a ride | Comments Off on Going for a ride…

Crich – on the right track to the future?

Posted on Wednesday 4 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The Tramway Museum Society’s 2015 Annual General Meeting was preceded by a discussion regarding plans for the future development of Crich Tramway Village and a series of interesting proposals to improve the visitor offer. A number of these will hopefully be in place by 2019, whilst looking further ahead, thoughts are turning towards some much-needed improvements to the museum’s tram depots.

Continue reading →

Posted in National Tramway Museum | 21 Comments

Latest vehicle on tram tracks is a bus!

Posted on Wednesday 4 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

We are used to reporting about cars driving onto tram tracks across the UK and getting stuck but the morning of Wednesday 4th November saw a bus make a wrong turning on Stagecoach Supertram! The First Bus – hopefully not a case of industrial sabotage! – somehow drove onto the tram track at Birley Lane blocking services on the Blue route from approximately 0630. The bus was eventually dragged clear by a tram and services resumed from 0745. In the intervening period First provided four buses as a tram replacement between Halfway and Gleadless Town End (you may say that is the least they could have done!). It just goes to show even professional drivers make a wrong turn at times!

Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | Comments Off on Latest vehicle on tram tracks is a bus!

Picture in Time: Glasgow 1282

Posted on Tuesday 3 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

Crich is the location again for our latest Picture in Time image with the main focus of our attention between Glasgow 1282. It was 1993 when this photo was taken and the scene around the tram is probably as interesting to see as 1282 itself.

Continue reading →

Posted in National Tramway Museum, Picture in Time | 5 Comments

In Pictures: Half-term heritage in Blackpool

Posted on Tuesday 3 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The October school half-term holidays usually provide the Blackpool tramway with one of its busiest and most interesting weeks of the year, and 2015 was no exception to the rule. As well as the core tram service being boosted by a few additional trams running as specials, the heritage fleet also had an excellent week with a daily blue service operating plus a vastly increased amount of illumination tours.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | Comments Off on In Pictures: Half-term heritage in Blackpool

Blackpool’s last hurrah for 2015

Posted on Monday 2 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

As briefly mentioned previously on British Trams Online, the final weekend of the 2015 Blackpool illuminations has been enhanced with an increased heritage tram output now planned. Instead of the basic two car promenade service originally expected to operate, the four car green timetable will now run on both Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th November. However, since being announced this has been further enhanced with six heritage trams now expected to run on both days.

Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | Comments Off on Blackpool’s last hurrah for 2015

A ticket to drive Newcastle 114

Posted on Monday 2 November 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The final weekend of enhanced transport activity at Beamish Museum during 2015 is set to take place on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th November, with focus on some of the passenger-carrying vehicles in the resident fleet. The star attraction will be tramcar Newcastle 114 which is celebrating its 114th birthday, and to celebrate this members of the public will be able to actually drive the tram!

Continue reading →

Posted in Beamish Tramway | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Testing starts on Second City Crossing

Posted on Sunday 1 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

As expected the early hours of Sunday 1st November saw the first tram movements on Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing between Victoria and Exchange Square. M5000s 3083 and 3090 were chosen to perform the initial gauging run operating a successful return trip before heading back to depot. Further gauging and test runs will continue over the next few weeks before services start before Christmas. Photos courtesy of Steve Hyde.

Continue reading →

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 7 Comments

Picture in Time: Nottingham Express Transit 203

Posted on Sunday 1 November 2015 by Gareth Prior

For the first time in our Picture in Time series we are off to the East Midlands’ only operating light rail system – Nottingham Express Transit. We are in Nottingham for the second day of public operation – 10th March 2004 – with a view of one of the original Incentro trams.

Continue reading →

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit, Picture in Time | Comments Off on Picture in Time: Nottingham Express Transit 203

Two becomes one

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram is set to welcome a hybrid tram into service following the announcement that the undamaged sections of 118 and 120 – which were of course involved in a collision at Shalesmoor in October – are to be combined to provide one good tram whilst repairs are undertaken. Work is already underway at the Nunnery Square Depot to combine the tram on Sunday 25th October when the doors were flung open to the public as part of the 21st anniversary celebrations.

Continue reading →

Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 4 Comments

Frozen fever and starlight surprises at Crich

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

The busy October school half-term holidays saw an expanded Starlight Halloween event take place at the Crich Tramway Village over a period of six days. This event has established itself as one of the museum’s best – but this year even more effort has been made to attract families in particular with craft stalls and costumed characters adding to the atmosphere this year. British Trams Online‘s own Andrew Waddington paid a visit on Friday 30th October and this is what happened!

Continue reading →

Posted in Event Reviews, National Tramway Museum | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Supertram 123 unveiled in new livery

Posted on Saturday 31 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

On Sunday 25th October Stagecoach Supertram held an Open Day at the Nunnery Square Depot with over 1800 visitors taking the opportunity to see behind the scenes. Included on the day was a behind the scenes tour (allowing visitors to see the accident damaged 118 and 120), cake, historic displays and the unveiling of 123 in a new livery with artwork by local artist Pete McKee.

Continue reading →

Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 4 Comments