Picture in Time: Blackpool Illuminated Western Train 733+734

Posted on Friday 23 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

We have another of the Illuminated feature car fleet from Blackpool as the latest star of Picture in Time. This time it is probably the most iconic of all the feature cars – the Western Train 733+734 which is seen in 1998 during a rare daylight outing.

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Metrolink to reach Exchange Square by Christmas

Posted on Friday 23 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

It is expected that the first section of the Second City Crossing (2CC) will be open to trams by Christmas with good progress being made on the stop at Exchange Square. When the stop is completed extra Metrolink services will run between Shaw and Crompton, Oldham and the city centre ahead of the full 2CC being completed in 2017.

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New Programme Director for Midland Metro

Posted on Friday 23 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Centro have appointed Phil Hewitt as Midland Metro Programmes Director in replacing Paul Griffiths who has moved to the HS2 project. Mr Hewitt is a name well known to UK tram circles having recently been Executive Chairman of Tramlink Nottingham and also being involved in several roles at Croydon Tramlink between 2000 and 2013.

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NET services delayed after car incursion

Posted on Friday 23 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Just to prove that it isn’t only motorists in Greater Manchester who manage to drive onto tram tracks, services on Nottingham Express Transit’s Chilwell line were delayed on Wednesday 21st October after a car became stuck on the Lenton Lane bridge near to ng2.

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Collision on Supertram

Posted on Thursday 22 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

At around 0830 on Thursday 22nd October two Stagecoach Supertram trams were involved in a low speed collision at Shalesmoor tramstop causing severe disruption for both the Blue and Yellow routes for the rest of the day. Photos on the internet seem to show that 120 ran into the back of 118 but at this stage the exact circumstances cannot be confirmed.

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In Pictures: The next Stadler arrives in Croydon

Posted on Thursday 22 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink welcomed the third of the second batch of Stadler Variotrams on the morning of Sunday 11th October with 2562 arriving on the back of a lorry following its journey from Germany. Four Stadler trams are on order for Tramlink with just one further example due to make the trip across Europe although 2556 is also currently in Germany undergoing repairs with its return awaited. None of the second batch – 2560 and 2561 – have yet to enter service.

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Going for a ride…

Posted on Thursday 22 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Have you been thinking where and when you can enjoy a ride on a traditional tram over the next week or so? If so you have come to the right place as this is your one stop round-up of the all the heritage tramways in the British Isles. The 2015 operating season is coming towards an end but with Half Term upon us it means Blackpool will enjoy daily operation of the heritage trams whilst over at Crich it is the Starlight Spectacular including special lighting effects. Read on to find out all the details from across the country…

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A trio of Balloon car treats

Posted on Thursday 22 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

For any readers who are getting bored of reading about how the Blackpool tramway continues to surprise and delight us in the modern age and why we love this system so much – this article might be one to skip! Wednesday 21st October was yet another example of a non-event day in Blackpool when traditional trams provided some treats for enthusiasts and members of the public alike, proving yet again that the upgrade has failed to remove the ability of the tramway to throw up many unexpected highlights.

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Stockport 5 moves back to Middleton Road

Posted on Wednesday 21 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Stockport 5 has taken another step forwards towards being returned to service at Manchester’s Heaton Park Tramway, being extracted from the back of the Lakeside Depot and transferred to the tramway’s original Middleton Road Depot on Tuesday 20th October. The protective tarpaulin, employed to shield the tram from the unwanted attentions of the depot pigeons, has also been removed ahead of work resuming on repairs to the upper deck flooring.

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Picture in Time: Glasgow 1100

Posted on Tuesday 20 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

A tram which hasn’t run in service since 1976 and has been stored out of public view for almost 10 years is today’s Picture in Time image – Glasgow 1100, part of the national collection.

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Supertram prepare for depot open day

Posted on Tuesday 20 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

It is only a few days until the centrepiece of Stagecoach Supertram’s 21st anniversary celebrations with a Depot Open Day taking place at Nunnery Square Depot on Sunday 25th October – with free entry! Highlights look set to be the unveiling of a tram in a special livery and the chance to take a tram ride through the tram wash.

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NET Citadis 235 named David Clarke

Posted on Tuesday 20 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

And the namings keep on coming on Nottingham Express Transit with 235 the latest Citadis to receive a name. The tram now carries the name David Clarke, who is the captain of the Nottingham Panthers ice hockey team, and was named in a ceremony on Tuesday 20th October. There are now 14 of the Citadis trams named (following the removal of Julie Poulter from 216) of which five are named after sporting legends in the Nottingham area.

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‘Princess Alice’ set to retire

Posted on Tuesday 20 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours have confirmed that the unique open-top Blackpool Balloon car, ‘Princess Alice’ 706, will be withdrawn from service at the end of the 2015 illuminations season. The tram has operated for three decades since it was restored as an open-top car and is now due for workshop attention again, so will be retired until resources are available to carry out this work.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 18 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

We have a further two Photo Galleries as part of this week’s main site update with images coming from the Seaton Tramway and Midland Metro:

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Picture in Time: Manchester Metrolink 1015

Posted on Sunday 18 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

The fifteenth of the T68s to be built for Manchester Metrolink is the latest tram to feature in our Picture in Time series. We take a brief look at the history of 1015 accompanied with an image from August 1992.

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Blackpool Balloon 716 – an appeal for information

Posted on Saturday 17 October 2015 by Andrew Waddington

I have recently been contacted with a request for up-to-date information on the whereabouts of Blackpool Balloon 716. The last I had heard about this tram, it was standing in a scrapyard in Perth, Scotland awaiting a decision on its fate, with at least one possible preservation bid having been suggested. Since then nothing has been heard of relating to this tram – so we are appealing to the readers of British Trams Online to contact us if you know anything about what has happened to 716.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Illuminated Rocket 732

Posted on Friday 16 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

We are heading back into the depths of Rigby Road Depot for today’s Picture in Time image as we continue our review of the illuminated tram fleet. The tram which caught the eye of our photographer today is the iconic Illuminated Rocket 732.

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Four shortlisted to operate Metrolink

Posted on Friday 16 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink could once again have a new operator from 2017 with the contract to operate and maintain the network up for grabs. Four companies have been shortlisted with current incumbent RATP Dev joined by KeolisAmey, National Express and Transdev now being invited to submit a tender for the contract.

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More namings in Nottingham

Posted on Friday 16 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Two more Alstom Citadis trams have received in Nottingham with mathematicians Ada Lovelace and George Green the latest inspirational figures to be honoured. A joint ceremony took place at Wilkinson Street Depot on Wednesday 14th October with local schoolchildren given the task of unveiling the names.

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Disruption for Metrolink after major city centre fire

Posted on Friday 16 October 2015 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services between Victoria and Piccadilly Gardens were suspended at the start of this week following a major fire alongside the tramway on Balloon Street leading to concerns about the safety of the building. The Hanover Tower, formerly the CWS building, on Corporation Street caught light on the night of Monday 12th October leading to a couple of days of disruption for Metrolink travellers.

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