In Pictures: Starlight Specials at Crich

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

The swansong of a successful 2014 season at the Crich Tramway Village was the week long Starlight Specials which saw much of the Museum site specially lit and a regular tram service employed after dark – a rare chance to see the home of the National Tramway Museum during the dark. In a photo special we bring you a selection of official photos from Crich Tramway Village showing the Museum during this end of season event.

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Douglas Horse Tramway passenger numbers rise

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

Douglas Borough Council have announced that passenger numbers on the Horse Tramway during 2014 rose by 3.6% with approximately 62,000 passengers carried during the season, which ran from May until September. At a time when the future of the line is in some doubt with proposals to move the tracks to either the side of the Prom road or on the walkway itself still up in the air this is pleasing news and reverses the trend which has developed for many years.

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NET services delayed after car parks on tracks – onlookers move it!

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

It was only a delay of 15 minutes but it was a delay which made it onto the BBC local news as a result of just how it was solved. On Thursday 20th November a tram running a service from Station Street to Phoenix Park was brought to a halt outside Nottingham Trent University as a car was parked blocking the tracks.

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Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 6 Comments

Manchester Metrolink Performance Update

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

It is time once again to take a look at the performance stats of Manchester Metrolink following the release of the latest report from Transport for Greater Manchester ahead of their regular sub-committee meeting. This report features information from period 5 (Monday 18th August-Sunday 14th September) and we include data on the service performance, details of major incidents, the LRVs, patronage and the number of complaints received.

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Car in collision with tram on Metrolink Airport line

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services on the newly opened Airport extension were suspended for approximately an hour after a car collided with a LRV at Wendon Road on Friday 28th November. The Manchester Evening News reported that this was the third time in a week that a car had managed to find itself on the tracks on the extension although the previous two had not seen a collision.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 2 Comments

Metrolink services severely delayed after city centre stabbing

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink services through the city centre were severely delayed at the start of service on Tuesday 25th November following a stabbing the previous night at Piccadilly Gardens. Greater Manchester Police had cordoned off a large area in the vicinity of the tram tracks whilst they undertook forensic investigations into the incident which meant that no trams were able to run between Piccadilly Station and Piccadilly Gardens.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Special ticket offers in lead up to Christmas

Posted on Saturday 29 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

Both Blackpool Transport and Manchester Metrolink have recently announced special ticket deals in the lead up to Christmas to help people get into the town and city centres for discounted rates. In Blackpool a special 2 for 1 single ticket offer is available on selected dates between the end of November and Christmas whilst on Manchester Metrolink children can travel free with a special voucher downloadable from the website.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Manchester Metrolink, Nottingham Express Transit | 1 Comment

Santa to visit trams in Blackpool and Manchester

Posted on Thursday 27 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Two tramways have announced that Father Christmas will be paying them a visit in the run-up to the big day, with both Blackpool and the Heaton Park Tramway preparing to welcome jolly old Saint Nick himself. Although not aimed at tram enthusiasts (unless any small children like trams of course), these events should help to promote the activities of two of the most pro-active tram preservation groups in the country to a wider audience.

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Nottingham Express Transit Citadis trams: deliveries complete!

Posted on Monday 24 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

Another major milestone has been reached in the extension of Nottingham Express Transit with the arrival of the last of the 22 strong class of Citadis trams from Spain. It is understood that the last of the trams – numbered 237 (or at least it will be eventually as it was delivered with the number 022 to signify it was the 22nd tram of the order) – was delivered to Wilkinson Street late last week but an official ceremony was due to take place on Monday 24th November involving NET and Alstom staff to mark the occasion.

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Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 4 Comments

Blackpool Heritage Trust response to comments on Coronation 663

Posted on Monday 24 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Following recent comments on this website relating to the situation surrounding the donation, by a private sponsor, towards restoration work on Blackpool Coronation car 663, and indeed the level of restoration undertaken on this tram (using these funds) prior to its departure from the LTT’s former Brinwell Road depot, the Blackpool Heritage Trust have provided the following statement to British Trams Online. It is hoped that this information will be of interest to all, and demonstrate the level of openness and honesty by which the BHT operates, to achieve total clarity.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 6 Comments

British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2014

Posted on Friday 21 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

It may seem like it was only five minutes since we were crowning Blackpool Boat 227, the Heaton Park Tramway and the Rejuvenation of the Blackpool Heritage Service with awards in the British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2013 contest but with December rapidly approaching it is time for us to once again turn our thoughts to just what deserves the accolade for the past 12 months. This year as well as the original “Tramcar of the Year” category we will also be looking for “Tramway of the Year”, “Event of the Year” and for the first time “Light Rail Vehicle of the Year”.

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Posted in Tram of the Year | 39 Comments

Picture in Time 24: Brussels Snow Broom 96

Posted on Friday 21 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The latest tram to feature in our occasional series of archive images is Brussels 96, a snow broom car which is a static exhibit at the Crich Tramway Village painted in a generic brown colour scheme, representing show room condition as it was once displayed as the centrepiece of the J G Brill display in the Trade Exhibition. However, we are turning the clock back almost two decades to see how the tram looked when it first arrived at Crich.

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Posted in Picture in Time | 1 Comment

Strictly Come Tramming

Posted on Tuesday 18 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The Blackpool tramway has gained a bit of welcome exposure this month via BBC television. Earlier this month, the illuminated Frigate 736 appeared on ‘The One Show’ in connection with publicity for the broadcaster’s annual Children In Need appeal, and then just over a week later, Brush Railcoach 631 made a brief appearance on one of the BBC’s flagship programmes, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 10 Comments

Book Review: ‘Starr Gate to the Tower – the Blackpool Tramway since 1960’ by Brian Turner

Posted on Monday 17 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

With so many books having been published over the years on the subject of the Blackpool tramway, finding new ways to cover this much-loved system in print is no easy task. However, Brian Turner has achieved it in his latest book which is now on sale. Instead of focussing on the actual trams, this title aims to take a detailed look at the tramway itself, with this, the first of an intended three volumes, featuring the section from Starr Gate to the Tower.

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Consultation launched for new Croydon loop line

Posted on Friday 14 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

Transport for London have started a public consultation into the proposed new loop line near East Croydon which it is hoped would increase the capacity of the Tramlink network and would also help support the redevelopment of the old Whitgift Centre site in central Croydon. There is a long-term aspiration to increase capacity in Croydon by 36% so that an extra 1600 passengers could be carried per hour in each direction.

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Posted in London Trams | 6 Comments

Work continues at Deansgate-Castlefield

Posted on Friday 14 November 2014 by Gareth Prior

This weekend (15th and 16th November) will see disruption to Manchester Metrolink services through Deansgate-Castlefield with work continuing on the major transformation works at this key stop of the network. All lines will be closed through Deansgate-Castlefield throughout the weekend to allow the overhead line to be installed over the loop line on the new inbound platform (the left hand side in direction of travel).

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 4 Comments

Heritage tramways look forward to more anniversaries

Posted on Friday 14 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Two operating heritage tramways in the UK are already making very early plans to celebrate key anniversaries in their histories next year. 2015 marks the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Tramway Museum Society, who are planning to suitably celebrate this milestone at Crich Tramway Village in September, whilst the Birkenhead tramway will also be 20 years old next summer.

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Another season ends for Blackpool

Posted on Thursday 13 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Sunday 9th November marked the end of the Blackpool illuminations for 2014, and with it the end of the peak season for the town’s famous tramway. This brought the curtain down on another enjoyable year of public use for the heritage fleet, with all three illuminated cars out on the final evening – the Western Train 733+734 and Frigate 736 being used for illumination tours, whilst the Trawler 737 was otherwise engaged with a private hire. Earlier the same day, Bolton 66 had made a rare visit to Fleetwood in connection with the town’s services to mark Remembrance Sunday.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 16 Comments

Sunderland 16 sees daylight at last!

Posted on Thursday 13 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The heavily-delayed overhaul of Beamish Museum tramway stalwart Sunderland 16 has taken some significant steps towards completion this week. The tram was re-trucked on Wednesday 12th November, which allowed it to be moved outside allowing a sneak preview of its greatly improved appearance following the cosmetic attention carried out earlier in the year.

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Posted in Beamish Tramway | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Blackpool 621 arrives at Beamish

Posted on Wednesday 12 November 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The latest addition to the Beamish tram fleet, Blackpool Brush Railcoach 621, has now arrived safely at its new home and thanks to Gordon Bulmer we can share with you a couple of images showing the tram in the depot at Beamish, as well as a photo of the car on its road journey on 11th November, courtesy of James Millington.

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Posted in Beamish Tramway | 2 Comments