Heritage Trams this week…

Posted on Thursday 10 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. The Snaefell Mountain Railway will become the latest place to start operations for 2014 when its first passengers are carried on Friday 11th April and then on Friday 18th April the first Heritage Services in Blackpool will run for the year.

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In Pictures: Continuing rail replacement works at Hillsborough Corner

Posted on Thursday 10 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The work to replace track on Stagecoach Supertram at Hillsborough Corner has been continuing as the photos below, taken on 5th April by Stuart Cooke, show. This work is part of the major track replacement programme which started last summer and will continue for much of this year. This phase in the vicinity of Hillsborough will see no trams run any further than Shalesmoor with replacement buses completing passengers journeys to Malin Bridge and Middlewood and is scheduled to be completed by the end of April.

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Heaton Park and Blackpool Transport team up for Easter event

Posted on Thursday 10 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

When it was first announced that Blackpool’s heritage tram service would not be operating on Easter Monday this year, there was considerable disappointment expressed, particularly from those people who had planned to stay over in Blackpool for the long weekend to enjoy the heritage tram action. However, the Heaton Park Tramway have stepped in to offer a slightly different attraction for the Bank Holiday Monday, with the support of Blackpool Transport.

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The race is on to save a Brighton tram shelter

Posted on Wednesday 9 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Not content with working to restore the last electric passenger tram from Brighton, a small but dedicated group of transport enthusiasts are now seeking to rescue another rare artefact from this long-lost tram system. The Brighton Tram 53 Society have been offered the chance to acquire a genuine Brighton tram shelter, but as is so often the case with such things, there is a catch… it has to be removed from its current location within a matter of days!

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Midland Metro welcomes its sixth new tram

Posted on Wednesday 9 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Six CAF Urbos 3 trams are now at the Wednesbury Depot of Midland Metro following the arrival of 22 on Wednesday 9th April. The tram arrived in the UK at approximately 2200 on 8th April before making its way north to Birmingham where it arrived at around 0700. A swift unloading soon followed and by 1000 the two parts of the tram were back together and it was manoeuvred into the workshops where a start was made on its initial commissioning. The other five trams continue to see limited testing around the depot complex during daylight hours ahead of an entry into service which is expected sometime this summer although before then one will be making a public appearance at Wolverhampton St George’s following on from last Saturday’s display at Birmingham Snow Hill.

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Warning! Tramcar unloading! (updated with more photos)

Posted on Wednesday 9 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Less than twenty-four hours after it left the seaside behind, Blackpool Balloon car 711 touched down on Crich rails to begin its operating loan period at the National Tramway Museum on the morning of Wednesday 9th April. Having travelled via Preston, Broughton and Macclesfield (locations where the tram was sighted by various interested onlookers), 711 was stabled in the car park at the museum before moving into the site itself to be off-loaded with assistance from the workshop team.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, National Tramway Museum | 3 Comments

Warning! Tramcar departing!

Posted on Tuesday 8 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

On Tuesday 8th April 2014, Blackpool Balloon car 711 bid farewell to the seaside for the first time in its eighty-year career when it left Rigby Road on the back of a low loader. As reported previously, the tram is being loaned to the National Tramway Museum as part of the same deal which will see Blackpool ‘Pantograph’ car 167 revisit its old haunts for the summer season.

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Blackpool Tramway comes out on top of major passenger survey

Posted on Tuesday 8 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The Blackpool Tramway has the most satisfied passengers of five major UK tram systems according to Passenger Focus’ first Tram Passenger Survey (TPS). 97% of those questioned in Blackpool were satisfied with the tram service but it was not good news across the country as Manchester Metrolink only managed an 83% satisfaction rating. Overall 90% of the 5,250 passengers questioned on the tramways in Blackpool, Manchester, Midland Metro, Nottingham Express Transit and Stagecoach Supertram were satisfied with their journeys.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Manchester Metrolink, Nottingham Express Transit, South Yorkshire Supertram, West Midlands Metro | 2 Comments

Balloon cars on Blundell Street

Posted on Monday 7 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Further details of the ‘English Electric at Easter’ event which is due to take place on the Blackpool tramway over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend have now emerged, with a series of four-car lineups on Blundell Street set to add to what should be a highly enjoyable weekend. Sticking with the event’s core theme, which is a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the English Electric streamlined fleet, various different Balloon cars will be posed for photographs on the three days on which the heritage service operates.

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Southampton 45 raised from the dead!

Posted on Monday 7 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Welcome news from the Crich Tramway Village, is the commissioning of Southampton 45 following a year-long lay-off. On Saturday 5th April, the tram was taken up to Glory Mine on a test run, and now looks set to rejoin the operational fleet imminently having sat idle during the entire 2013 season.

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Your OMO car needs you!

Posted on Sunday 6 April 2014 by Andrew Waddington

One of Blackpool’s most valuable heritage tramcars, OMO car 8, could soon be back in passenger service thanks to the support of an appeal for donations to finance its restoration to an operational condition. The tram – which is of course one of several previously owned by the Lancastrian Transport Trust to be returned to Blackpool Transport’s care during 2013 – last ran in 2010, but now requires further workshop attention to reverse the ravages of time.

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This week on British Trams Online…

Posted on Sunday 6 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

We have three varied Photo Galleries for you to take a look at as part of this week’s main site update:

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In Pictures: Midland Metro Urbos3 20 meets its public

Posted on Sunday 6 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Saturday 5th April was the first chance for members of the public to get a good look at one of the new CAF built Urbos3 trams when 20 was displayed at Birmingham Snow Hill as part of a Your Public Transport Matters event. The tram moved to Snow Hill before the start of normal services and was then opened to the public between 1000 and 1500 with officials from Centro and Midland Metro on hand to answer questions.

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In Pictures: Manchester Metrolink T68As in action on shuttles

Posted on Sunday 6 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Both of the remaining operational Manchester Metrolink T68As were in use on the Bury-Abraham Moss again on Saturday 5th April. 2001 and 2003 were in use for most of the day with the former returning to Queens Road at approximately 1700 and 2003 remaining in service at 1730.

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In Pictures: Stagecoach Supertram rail replacement works

Posted on Sunday 6 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The rail replacement works at Hillsborough Corner are continuing with old track removed in places with the new track ready for fitting. Despite the engineering works all traffic is still able to travel Langsett Road to Holme Road in both directions but all other traffic movements at Hillsborough Corner are currently stopped. This phase of works is due to be completed by the end of April.

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Manx Electric Railway starts services for 2014

Posted on Saturday 5 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The Manx Electric Railway is now open for the 2014 season with the first public services of the year running on Friday 4th April. Winter Saloon 21 had the honour of operating the first journey, the 0940 Derby Castle-Ramsey, as another season for the MER got underway.

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Edinburgh Trams testing to go daily

Posted on Saturday 5 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Testing on Edinburgh Trams is set to increase further from Monday 7th April with trams running seven days a week and at an increased frequency as preparations continue ahead of a planned opening in May. With an increase in testing the safety message to the public is also being stepped up with a new Twitter campaign, #carefulnow, being launched.

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In Pictures: Manchester Metrolink T68A 2003 on test

Posted on Saturday 5 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Since the redevelopment works got underway at Victoria the two remaining T68A LRVs on Manchester Metrolink have been limited in their operation to the Bury-Abraham Moss shuttle service but on Friday 4th April, 2003 managed to break this curfew when it was taken on a test trip through the city centre. The vehicle was seen at both Cornbrook and Deansgate-Castlefield and Steve Kemp was on hand to record this scene.

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In Pictures: Manchester Metrolink M5000s

Posted on Saturday 5 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink M5000 3019 has received small vinyl stickers on the ends advertising Rochdale with the slogan “Birthplace of Co-operation”. The vinyls are located below the numbers. Meanwhile the latest delivery, 3081, remains at Queens Road Depot where it is still awaiting the application of its spots to complete the livery.

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More NET Phase Two works to take place

Posted on Saturday 5 April 2014 by Gareth Prior

The next stage of works to lay tram tracks across Queen Road East as part of Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two is to take place this weekend. The work will also see a new T junction installed where University Boulevard meets Queen Road East and Woodside Road and will start from 2000 overnight on Saturday 5th April. Traffic is due to be switched onto new lanes where works have already been completed.

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