In Pictures: From the 5th floor – Manchester Metrolink

Posted on Saturday 2 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

A selection of photos taken from the 5th floor of a Manchester City Centre hotel which overlooked the Metrolink lines running into Piccadilly Station. These photos were taken over 23rd and 24th July and show a number of M5000s in service and also include some photos taken at ground level running through Piccadilly Place. All photos provided by Ken Jones.

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Feasibility study for Kimberley NET extension to be launched

Posted on Saturday 2 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Broxtowe Borough Council have narrowly voted in favour of launching a feasibility study into the possibility of extending Nottingham Express Transit to Kimberley. The majority of the cost of this feasibility study – which could cost up to £70,000 – will be met by the private sector and the study will seek to find out whether it is practical to construct the line before any final decision is made on whether to go-ahead with the idea.

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Edinburgh Trams hit by delays after broken down tram

Posted on Saturday 2 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Services on Edinburgh Trams were suspended for an hour with delays for the remainder of the day on Friday 25th July after one of the fleet of CAF built trams failed at Haymarket. The tram suffered a loss of power at approximately 1630 (the fact that your Editor arrived in the city at about 1630 on the same day is nothing but a coincidence – honest!) and meant that all trams were stopped for approximately one hour. The errant tram was eventually returned to the Gogar Depot but for the rest of the evening trams were only running to a 15-20 minute frequency instead of the usual 8-10 minutes. (Despite the fact that I arrived at Haymarket Station at about the time of the breakdown I managed to completely miss that there was a broken down tram!)

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In Pictures: Nottingham Express Transit Phase 2 – Beeston

Posted on Saturday 2 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Work continues to construct Phase 2 of Nottingham Express Transit ahead of the opening of the two new lines in early 2015. These views provided by Ken Jones show the current scene at Middle Walk, Beeston where there will be a three track layout to allow for short running services to be turned. Beeston will be on the line which runs through to Chilwell. Most of the track has now been laid in the centre of Beeston and is various forms of being set in place.

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In Pictures: Supertram rail replacement works

Posted on Saturday 2 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Over the weekend of 26th and 27th July attention on the Stagecoach Supertram rail replacement works was turned towards the Netherthorpe Road/Meadow Street crossing. In order to minimise disruption for other traffic all resources were put into this area over the weekend with the worksite at West Street not being worked on.

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Progress continues on NET Phase Two

Posted on Saturday 2 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

The next six weeks are to see major road resurfacing works at the junction of Queens Road East and University Boulevard as the tram construction works here approach a conclusion. The tram tracks at this location have now been laid and it is now necessary to complete the resurfacing of the new traffic light controlled junction which will mostly take place at night to try and minimise the impact on the public although some daytime works will also be necessary.

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Metrolink Second City Crossing works continue

Posted on Saturday 2 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

Work on the Second City Crossing (2CC) of Manchester Metrolink is moving on to Albert Square from the start of August ahead of the planned opening of the line in 2017. Initially utility diversion work will take place in around a third of Albert Square with two phases of work planned: August-October 2014 and January-March 2015. At all times access will be maintained to the Town Hall and one lane of traffic will be in place along Albert Square and Princess Street.

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Apologies for the lack of updates

Posted on Friday 1 August 2014 by Gareth Prior

You may have noticed that there have been no updates to the website for over an week. This has been down to a variety of reasons, firstly I was away over last weekend, Andrew has had ongoing computer problems and there have also been technical problems with adding any content to this blog. Fortunately two of those have now been solved and so updates should start to gradually reappear onto this blog over this weekend. Please bear with us as we catch-up with all the latest news! If you have left a comment over the past week and it has not been published please re-post it as it will have not have been registered on the blog due to the technical issues.

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Plans revealed for proposed Tramlink extension to Sutton

Posted on Thursday 24 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

The London Boroughs of Sutton and Merton have joined forces to progress proposals for a London Tramlink extension from Wimbledon to Sutton Town Centre via Morden. They have appointed OPM Group to carry out a consultation on the proposals with a preferred route shown to leave the current Wimbledon branch of Tramlink at Morden Road and running to Sutton Town Centre via Morden Hall Road, St Helier Avenue and Rosehill. Several alternative routings are also given for people to comment on.

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Picture in Time 20: Seaton Tramway 12

Posted on Thursday 24 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

We stay in Eastbourne for the latest edition of our archive photo series and this time we feature a tram which may still be in existence today but looks very different – number 12. Today we all know 12 as a double deck tram based on a Feltham but in 1968 it was still in its original format as an enclosed single deck tram.

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In Pictures: Box 40 arrives at Crich

Posted on Thursday 24 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Yesterday we reported on the arrival of Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 at Crich where it is to play a starring role in the Electric 50 celebrations on 13th and 14th September and now we are able to bring you some photos of the tram arriving back at Crich first time in nearly 20 years.

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Heritage Trams this week

Posted on Thursday 24 July 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! The next major highlight on our heritage tramway will be the Manx Heritage Transport Festival between Wednesday 30th July and Sunday 3rd August with the Manx Electric Railway playing a key role.

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In Pictures: Supertram rail replacement works

Posted on Thursday 24 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Work on replacing the tracks on West Street have now transferred to the outbound side with the inbound track now having been completed. These views, provided by Stuart Cooke, show the line through the West Street stop with the buses now running over the new track.

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In Pictures: Blackpool 619 operating at Heaton Park

Posted on Thursday 24 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Over the weekend of Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th July the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester operated for longer than usual in connection with the Festival of Model Tramways taking place at the nearby Manchester Museum of Transport. When Stuart Cooke visited in the Sunday a one tram service was operating utilising popular Blackpool 619.

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A Box delivered to Crich

Posted on Wednesday 23 July 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘Box’ 40 has enjoyed a few very hectic days during July 2014, following the completion of recent work on its trucks and body. The tram re-entered service in Blackpool on Sunday 20th July, but was then hastily prepared for departure and left for a period of operation at the National Tramway Museum the following day – its first since 1965!

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Nottingham Express Transit Citadis’ to enter service

Posted on Wednesday 23 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

The first of the new Alstom built Citadis trams are due to enter passenger service for the first time on Sunday 27th July as new higher frequency service is tested. It is planned that around double the number of trams will run between Hucknall/Phoenix Park and the city centre.

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MER 1 and 2 to operate services to celebrate 120th anniversary of Laxey

Posted on Wednesday 23 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

The two oldest operational tramcars on their original line in the world are to run scheduled passenger services on Sunday 27th July to mark the 120th anniversary of the Manx Electric Railway reaching Laxey. Cars 1 and 2 – built in 1893 by G F Milnes – will operate services on the MER on this day with the schedule seeing them due to pass in Laxey Station at 1225.

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Manchester Metrolink improvement works: Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th July

Posted on Wednesday 23 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Major improvement works at Deansgate-Castlefield over the weekend of Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July will see changes to Metrolink services with replacement bus services in operation. The weekend will see a large 350 tonne crane lift sections of the new Deansgate-Castlefield stop track into place.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 20 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

We have one more Photo Gallery for you on this week’s main site update of British Trams Online:

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Queen’s Road welcomes back a T68!

Posted on Sunday 20 July 2014 by Gareth Prior

Just eight weeks after losing its last T68 (and three weeks since the last T68As departed) Queen’s Road Depot has now welcomed back a T68 following the transfer of 1003 overnight on Friday 18th July. Despite some claiming that no T68s would be able to operate across the city centre following the changes at Victoria 1003 ran under its own power although due to a traction fault one set of traction motors had been isolated and it operated on limited power.

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