Vanguard 619 gets bored of boards

Posted on Wednesday 12 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

With all of the trams residing at the Heaton Park Tramway now safely undercover, no time has been wasted in preparing Blackpool Vanguard 619 for service for the first time since 2011. This tram had been covered with wooden boards and protective sheeting since November 2011 when it had been moved outside to accomodate Blackpool Brush Railcoach 623, but the availability of sufficient covered space in the new Lakeside Depot means that this is no longer necessary.

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Visitor numbers fall at Glasgow museum

Posted on Tuesday 11 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The transport museum located in the Scottish city of Glasgow has traditionally been the most visited tram-related visitor attraction in the UK, no doubt largely thanks to the lack of an admission charge. Since being redeveloped as the Riverside Museum at a new site in 2011, attendance numbers have been very impressive but unfortunately 2013 saw a significant drop in visitor numbers.

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Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Midland Metro welcomes its fifth CAF Urbos 3

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The fifth of the CAF constructed Urbos 3 trams for Midland Metro arrived at Wednesbury Depot on Monday 10th March. 21 followed the usual road, sea, road path via Santander and Plymouth from the CAF factory at Zaragoza in Spain and was again delivered in two sections.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 2 Comments

And then there were 10! Citadis 225 arrives in Nottingham

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit now has ten Alstom Citadis trams on site following the arrival of 225 late on Friday 7th March. The tram was unloaded the following day and joins its nine other sisters in Nottingham.

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In Pictures: Metrolink T68As on Abraham Moss shuttles

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The two remaining T68As available for service – 2001 and 2003 – saw use on the Bury to Abraham Moss shuttle service on Saturday 8th March and with thanks to Steve Kemp we are able to bring you a few photos showing the pair in action.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 4 Comments

Help for horse trams at Leeds

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The restoration of the rediscovered Cambridge/Bradford/Bath horse tramcar now housed at the Ipswich Transport Museum is now underway, with some assistance being provided by the Leeds Transport Historical Society. Having gained considerable expertise whilst restoring the similar horse tram Leeds 107, the LTHS have arranged to carry out some of the required work to transform this unrestored relic into a stunning museum exhibit.

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Posted in Ipswich Transport Museum, Leeds Transport Historical Society | 3 Comments

Another Heaton Park tram goes undercover

Posted on Monday 10 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

It seems like barely a week goes by without something momentous happening at Manchester’s Heaton Park, and the latest milestone was achieved on Sunday 9th March when the first two tracks to be laid within the new Lakeside Depot were fully occupied by trams. This included Blackpool Vanguard 619, which is now back in full-time undercover accomodation for the first time since the end of 2011.

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Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 1 Comment

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 9 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The latest main site update of British Trams Online is now available for your viewing pleasure with another couple of Photo Galleries online alongside the usual Fleet List updates:

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Further section of track re-opens at Seaton

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

Trams are now able to run on two separate sections of the Seaton Tramway following the completion of the first stage of repairs required because of storm damage suffered shortly before the tramway opened for the 2014 season. As you may remember trams were initially limited to operate between Colyton and Colyford but as from Saturday 8th March trams can now also run between Seaton and Axmouth loop.

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In Pictures: Metrolink M5000 deliveries continue

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

Two more M5000s have been delivered to Queens Road Depot since we last reported on them on these pages with 3079 arriving on Saturday 8th February followed by 3080 on Saturday 1st March. The latter tram remains at Queens Road undergoing commissioning and mileage accumulation whilst 3079 has already entered service.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Nottingham Express Transit Incentro catch-up

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The refurbishment of the Bombardier built Incentro trams in Nottingham is continuing with the latest example to have the interior work done being 201, although it retains its all over advert for Nottingham Contemporary and continues to fly the flag for the original livery on its ends. It had last run at the end of last 2013 and was seen back in the depot yard at Wilkinson Street at the start of February before first being noted in service on 12th February.

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Tram-Trains proposed to link Glasgow Airport to rail network

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

Five years ago the Scottish Government scrapped plans for the so-called Glasgow Airport Rail Link due to the high costs involved but the plans could now be back on the table if a report in The Scotsman is anything to go by with Tram-Trains now being suggested. This would see just a one mile stretch of new line built between the national rail line and the Airport with the vehicles then taking advantage of elements of the scheme which survived the axe back in 2009.

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Posted in General | 3 Comments

RAIB report released into Tramlink vehicle operating with doors open incident

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) have released their latest report into an incident on one of the UK’s light rail systems with the publication of a report into when a London Tramlink vehicle managed to operate in service with doors open back on 13th April 2013.

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Changes to Blackpool concessionary arrangements confirmed

Posted on Friday 7 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

As predicted, Blackpool Council are to withdraw the provision of free tram travel in Blackpool for non-Blackpool residents eligible for the English National Travel Concession Scheme, with effect from 1st April. Despite hopes that Lancashire County Council would step in to fund this provision, a decision has now been taken that this will not go ahead, so within a few short weeks only people who live in Blackpool will be able to use their concessionary travel passes on the tramway.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 42 Comments

Liverpool 245 revealed in all her glory!

Posted on Thursday 6 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The amazing work being done at Birkenhead to restore Liverpool ‘Baby Grand’ car 245 to a pristine and operational condition is continuing, with the tram now nearing completion. Final painting is actively underway and another major milestone occured on 6th March, when car 245 made its first tentative moves under power since it arrived at Birkenhead.

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Posted in Birkenhead Heritage Tramway | 20 Comments

Revised timetable for Nottingham Express Transit from 10th March

Posted on Wednesday 5 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

A temporarily revised timetable is to be introduced on Nottingham Express Transit from Monday 10th March to “maintain reliability during essential works on both trams and track ahead of the introduction of increased services later in the year”. The revised service will see Monday-Saturday daytime frequencies of every 12 minutes between both Station Street and Hucknall and from Station Street to Phoenix Park, combining to give a frequency of every 6 minutes between Station Street and Highbury Vale.

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New book launched to celebrate Metrolink’s iconic T68 and T68A fleet

Posted on Wednesday 5 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

For those of you who are still reeling from the withdrawal of the last of the once 26 strong T68 fleet on Manchester Metrolink at the start of February you will be interested to learn that a new book charting the rise and fall of the light rail vehicles has now been published. Written by Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd Controller Andy Coward and retired local transport enthusiast John E Henderson the book tells the story about the vehicles from their delivery, through to their withdrawal, and is illustrated by a large number of high quality photographs, including a number of behind the scenes images.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 8 Comments

New App helps you get tram times on the move

Posted on Wednesday 5 March 2014 by Gareth Prior

A new application available for all Android devices is now available to help you find out the latest tram times when you are on the move in Blackpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and the Tyne and Wear Metro.

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752 makes history at Heaton Park again!

Posted on Tuesday 4 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Another small movement by a tramcar represented a giant leap forward for the Heaton Park Tramway on Tuesday 4th March, when the resident works car Blackpool 752 became the first tram to use the newly installed second track within the Lakeside Depot. Readers may remember that 752 has also been the first tram in the fleet to negotiate most of the trackwork laid in and around the new building, and previously became the first car to be stabled inside.

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Trevor Roberts leaves Blackpool Transport

Posted on Monday 3 March 2014 by Andrew Waddington

It has been announced that Blackpool Transport’s Managing Director Trevor Roberts has stepped down from his position with the company. Mr Roberts had been in charge of the firm since 2009 when he replaced Steve Burd, and although he has served in the post for a relatively short period of time compared with his predecessors, he has overseen one of the most exciting periods in the tramway’s history.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, People | 13 Comments