NET ticket machines are live!

Posted on Tuesday 29 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit has become the latest UK light rail system to introduce ticket machines with the machines going live for the first time this week. The machines have undergone extensive testing over the past few weeks and after this was deemed a success the decision has been taken to official switch them, alongside the smart card validators, on allowing the public to purchase tickets through then instead of the onboard conductors.

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A Balloon lands at Heaton Park

Posted on Tuesday 29 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Tuesday 29th April 2014 was a momentous day for the Heaton Park Tramway, with the arrival of yet another ‘new’ tram on site – Blackpool Balloon 702. The arrival of this tram has been eagerly awaited ever since it was sold to the Manchester Transport Museum Society in 2010, and now means that the preserved Manchester tramway now has an enclosed double-deck tramcar on site for the first time in its 35 year history.

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Goodbye to Beamish and hello to Blackpool for 167!

Posted on Tuesday 29 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

One of the most anticipated tram loans of recent years kicked off late on Monday 28th April, when Blackpool Pantograph car 167 touched down on Blackpool tracks for its fourth visit back home since entering preservation. This stunning tram has enjoyed a highly successful stint of operation at Beamish Museum since late January, but has now returned to the seaside for a further loan period which is set to last until September.

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Posted in Beamish Tramway, Blackpool Tramway, National Tramway Museum | 4 Comments

Blackpool Councillors approve North Station tram extension

Posted on Monday 28 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

One of the best pieces of news concerning any British tramway so far in 2014, is the announcement that Blackpool Council have voted in favour of extending the town’s famous tramway to North Station. This will provide an invaluable link to the main line railway network, and also offers the opportunity to fully integrate all of the town’s main public transport, with the potential to create a bus, tram and train interchange now more likely to become a reality than ever before.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 16 Comments

Heaton Park trams prepare for the future!

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The last few weeks have been a busy time for volunteer members of the Manchester Transport Museum Society. As well as staging an Easter event which celebrated the revival of Blackpool Vanguard 619, work has been going on behind the scenes in anticipation of a few other developments, as the MTMS look forward to a very exciting future for the Heaton Park Tramway.

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Midland Metro tram update

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

It is not only Nottingham where there is due to be an increase in testing and driving training of their new trams as it is expected that driver training on the Urbos 3 trams on Midland Metro is due to start from Monday 28th April. Each driver will have four days on the new trams with sessions taking place each night between 1900 and 0300.

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Proof that Nottingham Express Transit can’t count!

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Yesterday we brought you the news that the new Nottingham Express Transit Citadis trams were due to start daytime testing imminently. In that same news story we reported that 13 of the class had been delivered to Wilkinson Street so far but it would appear that unfortunately NET don’t seem to be able to count as the 14th delivery has snuck into Nottingham recently! Number 229 was first spotted at the depot on Friday 18th April but it is not known the exact date of when it arrived in Nottingham. It’s just as well that NET seem better at operating a tram service than they do at counting up to 14!

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Blackpool Event Preview: May Day Bank Holiday

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Details of the plans for Blackpool’s heritage tram service over the imminent May Day Bank Holiday weekend have now been announced, with a three-car service due to operate on both Sunday 4th & Monday 5th May. With a similar pool of cars available due those which ran at Easter, just two weeks earlier, this may not be quite as exciting although the first passenger journeys by a Centenary car in 2014 should provide extra interest.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Event Previews | 2 Comments

In Pictures: Metrolink T68 1004 gets ready for departure

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The next Manchester Metrolink T68 to head to Rotherham for scrapping will be 1004 with the vehicle now loaded upon an Allelys low loader at Trafford Depot awaiting departure. It is expected that the LRV – which will become the fourth to go to South Yorkshire for scrapping – will depart Manchester either late on Sunday or early on Monday as Booths are unable to accept the delivery until Monday. For the time being it is on the back of a low loader within the depot confines as these photos provided by Steve Kemp show.

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In Pictures: Seaton Tramway repairs

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

We have reported a lot this year on the repairs undertaken on the Seaton Tramway following the devastating damage caused by the Valentines night storms but haven’t seen the repairs but now thanks to Keith Chadbourne we are able to show you photos of the work undertaken. These photos show the work around Axmouth loop with new ballast in evidence. Rocks in wire cages were put in place either side of the trackbed and the space was filled in with stone and then the ballast and track were out on top of that.

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NET Citadis trams to start daytime testing

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Next week should see a major step towards the introduction of the new Alstom Citadis trams into service on Nottingham Express Transit with the expected start of daytime testing of the trams. The first of the 22 strong class of trams has now completed their overnight tests and will be able to move on to daytime testing and will provide the first chance for many tram passengers to catch a close-up look at the vehicles.

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In Pictures: Latest M5000s around Manchester

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The latest M5000 to enter service has been 3080 which joined the non-ATS and VRS equipped pool of trams for use (mainly) on the Eccles and MediaCityUK services. Meanwhile one of the latest vehicles to be delivered to Manchester, 3081, remains at Trafford Depot being prepared for entry into service but is now out of the workshops and in the yard suggesting that entry into service can’t be far off.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 5 Comments

In Pictures: Supertram rail replacement works update

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The first phase of the 2014 stage of rail replacement work on Stagecoach Supertram has now been completed with works in the Hillsborough and Malin Bridge areas now completed. The final part of this phase saw the double track and points replaced leading into Malin Bridge terminus with this completed by Monday 21st April when trams returned here but instead of running all the way to Halfway they are diverted to Herdings Park for the next few weeks due to rail replacement works on White Lane.

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In Pictures: Victoria Station redevelopment continues

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The major redevelopment work at Victoria Station, which will see a new Metrolink stop constructed alongside other much needed improvements to the Station complex, is continuing with Metrolink services still altered through the area. This photo update from Steve Kemp shows the latest work being undertaken at Victoria.

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In Pictures: Rochdale bus station and car park demolition

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Although not directly affecting Manchester Metrolink work is also continuing on the demolition of the old Rochdale Bus Station and adjoining car park which is adjacent to the new Metrolink Rochdale Town Centre terminus. The work will see the 1970s structure eradicated from the skyline of Rochdale permanently with a new major transport interchange already having been built and opened opposite.

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Car & tram collide on Addiscombe Road

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

A car driver was taken to hospital after the vehicle he was in was involved in a collision with a tram on Addiscombe Road. The incident happened at 1900 on Thursday 24th April when CR4000 2549 came into contact with the car. There were no injuries on board the tram but the car driver was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Tram services were suspended on Addiscombe Road for approximately one hour before normal service could resume.

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Utility diversion works continue in Manchester City Centre

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Ground investigations and utility diversion work for the Second City Crossing (2CC) will move to Lower Mosley Street from Monday 28th April for approximately three weeks with the road closed to all through traffic from the junction of Oxford Street to Windmill Street. Through road traffic during this period will be diverted although local access will remain for the three weeks and Metrolink services will be unaffected.

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Heritage Trams this week…

Posted on Friday 25 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

This is your one stop guide to when and where you can ride on heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man. Although the excitement of Easter’s special events is now a memory this week sees 10 of our heritage tramways offering services with the next running day in Blackpool only just over a week away…

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Cash injection for owners of Brush car 636

Posted on Friday 25 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Stored Energy Technology, the Derby-based company who currently own Blackpool Brush Railcoach 636, have been awarded a sizeable grant to progress its aims to develop a lighter and more efficient method of powering electric trams. This project had begun some years ago with the fitting of experimental equipment to car 636 which was subsequently tested in Blackpool for a short period, before being sold to the firm and returned to Derby for further modifications.

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Playing with numbers at Heaton Park

Posted on Tuesday 22 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Following a period of time masquerading as Heaton Park 7, Blackpool Vanguard 619 has now regained its true identity with the fleet number it carried during its time spent in Blackpool being restored. The newly applied gold numerals on the end dash panels were unveiled by Blackpool Transport’s head of heritage trams Bryan Lindop at a short ceremony at the Heaton Park Tramway as part of a special Blackpool-themed event held on Easter Monday, 21st April.

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