In Pictures: Blackpool & Fleetwood 40 meets Blackpool 40 – take two!

Posted on Thursday 28 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

We have previously featured images of the two Blackpool 40s in action at Crich on these pages but we are firm believers that if something is worth seeing once, it is worth seeing several times! On Wednesday 20th August the two trams were both in service again at the Crich Tramway Village and our regular Crich contributor, Hazel Quarmby, was on site again to capture 40 x 2 in the Museum street again.

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In Pictures: Stagecoach Supertram rail replacement works

Posted on Thursday 28 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

The ongoing rail replacement works on Stagecoach Supertram have now moved on to the University and subway area. The outbound track is currently being lifted ahead of new rail being laid whilst additional overnight work is also taking place in Kelvin area of Infirmary Road. This phase of works – which will be the last of 2014 – are due to be completed by mid September with no trams currently able to run beyond Sheffield City Centre with a replacement bus service in operation serving Malin Bridge and Middlewood. Photos provided by Stuart Cooke.

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In Pictures: Crich Classic Transport Gathering

Posted on Wednesday 27 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

The latest special event took place at the Crich Tramway Village over the Bank Holiday Weekend. The Classic Transport Gathering took place between Saturday 23rd and Monday 25th August and saw a number of visiting vehicles on display, the Howards Vintage Fun Fair was in attendance again and of course there was the usual tram service in operation. The weather was fine over the first two days of the event but come the final day typical Bank Holiday weather arrived putting a dampener on proceedings. Photos by Hazel Quarmby and John Huddlestone.

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Blackpool 762 launch date announced

Posted on Wednesday 27 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Following extensive attention in the workshop at Crich Tramway Village, Blackpool Jubilee car 762 is finally set to enter public service at the museum next month. The tram will be launched into the operating fleet at Crich as part of the much-anticipated ‘Electric 50’ event, taking place on 13th & 14th September.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 1 Comment

A bumper Bank Holiday for Blackpool’s heritage trams

Posted on Tuesday 26 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool’s heritage tram fleet enjoyed their final spell of daytime operation during 2014 over the August Bank Holiday weekend, with a very credible total of eleven different historic trams appearing in traffic over the three action-packed days. This included the year debuts for both Boat 227 and Balloon 701 following workshop attention, with the latter showing off its fresh coat of red and white paint – but for many, the highlight of the weekend was the welcome return to service of Coronation car 304 on the Monday afternoon.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 4 Comments

In Pictures: Return of the Routemaster Balloon car

Posted on Monday 25 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The August Bank Holiday weekend saw the welcome return to service in Blackpool of Balloon 701, fresh from the Paint Shop following a complete repaint. Gone was the faded and unflattering plain yellow coat of paint it carried when it last ran in May 2013, and in its place, it has regained the stunning red and white livery last seen on this tram between 1991 and 1993 following a major overhaul.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 7 Comments

In Pictures: Blackpool 290’s role in history recognised

Posted on Monday 25 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Work on the repainting of preserved Blackpool Brush car 290 for continued static display near the Pleasure Beach on Blackpool promenade appears to be complete, with the tram now sporting a very smart looking green and cream livery. In addition, its appearance has been further enhanced with various images of trams showing the history of the line to Fleetwood applied over the windows to hide the unsightly graffiti ‘art’ painted over its glazing last year.

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Posted in Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust | 3 Comments

First tram runs on Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two

Posted on Friday 22 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

During the early hours of Friday 22nd August a major milestone was reached in the construction of Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two extensions with the first movement of a tram over the Karlsruhe Friendship Bridge and on towards Wilford.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Thursday 21 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

A mini update for you this week with just the one Photo Gallery added for your viewing pleasure:

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Bargain hunting at Crich

Posted on Thursday 21 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Crich Tramway Village played host to the popular BBC1 daytime television programme ‘Bargain Hunt’ on Wednesday 20th August, when the show’s charismatic presenter Tim Wonnacott visited the museum to film a segment to feature in a future episode. The programme is expected to be shown at the end of October or early in November.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 1 Comment

A Coronation to Fleetwood

Posted on Thursday 21 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Just one day after making a historic test run along Blackpool promenade, Blackpool Coronation car 304 hit the headlines again on Thursday 21st August, when it completed its first run to Fleetwood since 2009! Following the success of the testing on the previous day, 304 was taken out again, this time to allow a number of tram drivers to be familiarised with its unique VAMBAC equipment.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 4 Comments

Another Citadis is delivered to Nottingham

Posted on Thursday 21 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

The 17th Alstom Citadis tram for Nottingham Express Transit was delivered to Wilkinson Street Depot in the early hours of Wednesday 20th August – the first delivery for over two months. 232 arrived by the same route as the previous 16 deliveries and was soon unloaded at the depot where it will now undergo commissioning ahead of an entry into service. Just five more of the trams are now due to arrive in Nottingham and as reported earlier this week the class will enter regular passenger service from Tuesday 26th August with the introduction of a new more regular tram service.

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 1 Comment

Heritage Trams this week

Posted on Thursday 21 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Want to know when and where you ride on heritage trams over the next few weeks? Well if you do you have come to the right place as this is your one stop guide to heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man! With it being Bank Holiday weekend this week it is set to be a busy time for our heritage tramways with another three days of heritage operation on the Blackpool Tramway and the Classic Transport Gathering at Crich. After that we are nearly in September, a month which is traditionally a busy one for our heritage tramways.

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Posted in Going for a ride | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Brush car 290 meets an old friend

Posted on Wednesday 20 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Our latest look at the transformation of the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust’s Blackpool Brush car 290 shows the tram in the latter stages of its repaint into a traditional green and cream livery. The gloss coat has now been applied and the tram is looking much better for this attention. These views from 20th August, when the car was reunited with one of its former stablemates, show the recent progress.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust | 2 Comments

1014 leaves Manchester for scrapping

Posted on Wednesday 20 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

It looks set to be a busy couple of days for the movement of Manchester Metrolink’s T68s with 1014 having already left for Rotherham and 1016 due to depart in the early hours of Thursday 21st August for Long Marston.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Blackpool Coronation 304 runs on test

Posted on Wednesday 20 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Another small piece of tramway history occured on Wednesday 20th August 2014, when a VAMBAC equipped tramcar operated on the upgraded Blackpool system for the first time. The honour of performing this historic duty went to Coronation car 304 which also became the first of the former Lancastrian Transport Trust collection to be commissioned for operation since rejoining its home fleet.

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Liverpool 869 lifts off!

Posted on Tuesday 19 August 2014 by Andrew Waddington

A satisfying step towards the return to service of Liverpool 869 at Crich Tramway Village occurred on Saturday 16th August, when the tram was lifted off its bogies for a heavy overhaul to begin. This follows a period of inactivity for this particular tram which last operated in passenger service in 2010, although it was used on a restricted basis in 2011, primarily for public driving courses.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Metrolink reaches Manchester Airport

Posted on Tuesday 19 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

The first Manchester Metrolink LRVs have reached Manchester Airport as testing of the extension continues ahead of the planned opening by the end of this year. M5000s 3075 and 3066 (running as a pair) arrived at the Airport at 0045 on Tuesday 19th August meaning that LRVs have now traversed all sections of the route.

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Nottingham Express Transit’s new timetable to launch on Tuesday 26th August

Posted on Tuesday 19 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

It has been confirmed that the new higher frequency timetable will be fully introduced on Nottingham Express Transit from Tuesday 26th August following the successful conclusion of trials over the past few weeks. Trams will now run up to every five minutes during most of the day, seven days a week and has been made possible by the introduction of the new Alstom Citadis trams.

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Edinburgh Trams to trial extended timetable

Posted on Tuesday 19 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams are to run services until 0030 on 22nd-24th and 31st August as part of a trial to test whether there is a business case for occasional extensions to the timetable. This trial will take place during the final weekend of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and also the Virgin Money Fireworks Concert which are seen as an ideal time as the city is expected to be busy.

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Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 2 Comments