Sunderland 16 gets ‘Binned’

Posted on Thursday 23 January 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Sunderland 16 has become the latest member of the Beamish tram fleet to receive external advertisements for Binns, featuring the famous ‘Shop at Binns’ slogan on the upper deck end panels. This famous advertisement was once carried by the entire Sunderland tram fleet, and so its application to preserved car 16 is highly appropriate.

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Posted in Beamish Tramway | 5 Comments

Blackpool & Fleetwood 40 – at home and away

Posted on Thursday 23 January 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The overhaul of Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘Box’ car 40 has now got underway, with the body of the tramcar being lifted on tram jacks in Blackpool Transport’s Body Shop, and the bogies being dispatched to Crich. The car will now be treated to its most extensive workshop attention in around three decades, in a joint project between Blackpool Transport Services Ltd. and the car’s owners, the Tramway Museum Society.

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NEETT’s tram depot is almost complete!

Posted on Wednesday 22 January 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The construction of a new depot in which the tram collection of the North Eastern Electrical Traction Trust will be housed is now virtually complete, with just some final ground works remaining to be finished. This represents a massive turning point for this progressive preservation group, and will allow the various trams housed in Sunderland to move under cover in the very near future.

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Tram restorations progress in the North

Posted on Wednesday 22 January 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Projects to return two historic trams to fully operational condition in different working museums in the north are currently making good progress, with Sheffield 264 and Glasgow 1245 in the early stages of being rebuilt at Beamish and Summerlee respectively. This report aims to provide an update on both of these exciting projects.

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Another two T68s withdrawn

Posted on Tuesday 21 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

There are now just three Manchester Metrolink T68s available for passenger service following the official withdrawal today of 1017 and 1023. This leaves just 1007, 1016 and 1022 in the serviceable fleet alongside the two remaining T68As – 2001 and 2003 – to give a bit of variety to the now ubiquitous M5000 LRVs.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 6 Comments

In Pictures: Testing continues in Edinburgh

Posted on Tuesday 21 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

Regular testing is now underway between Edinburgh Airport and Edinburgh Park with the section from there to York Place only seeing the odd night-time journey although it is hoped this part will be handed over to the Council soon to allow testing to really step up a further gear. John Hampton made a visit to see the tram testing on Monday 20th January with at least four different vehicles in operation. The line remains on target to open to the public in May.

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Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Testing of Rochdale town centre Metrolink extension

Posted on Tuesday 21 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

As well as using the week’s closure of the Metrolink line between Central Park and Rochdale Railway Station to commission and test the new Oldham town centre extension the chance is being taken to undertake some significant testing on the Rochdale town centre extension. 3006, 3047 and 3071 have been in use running singly with 3075 and 3076 operating as a pair. Testing has not yet commenced on the Oldham town centre line although it has been suggested it may start tomorrow.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 3 Comments

In Pictures: Nottingham Express Transit Citadis 222 arrives

Posted on Monday 20 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

The weekend was a busy time for the delivery of new trams to the UK’s light rail systems because as well as another delivery to Manchester the seventh Alstom Citadis arrived in Nottingham. Breaking from the recent pattern of a midweek delivery 222 arrived at Wilkinson Street Depot at 0300 on Sunday 19th January but was not unloaded until 1230 after the drivers had a well earned break.

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In Pictures: Manchester Metrolink M5000 3078 delivered to Queens Road

Posted on Monday 20 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

Deliveries of the M5000 LRVs for Manchester Metrolink have resumed following a break over the Christmas and New Year period with the arrival of 3078 on Saturday 18th January. As with all previous deliveries the vehicle was delivered to Queens Road Depot, arriving shortly before midday before being swiftly unloaded. It will now undergo initial commissioning and mileage accumulation before entering service.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

Last remaining Dundee horse tram moved back home

Posted on Monday 20 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

Dundee horse tram 24 – believed to be the last remaining Dundee horse tram – has been returned to its home city after nearly a century of use as a summer house in Perth. The tram body was moved to the Dundee Museum of Transport – which itself is due to open the public on 26th April – over the weekend after several months of careful planning and although the tram will initially be displayed in “as found” condition it is hoped in the long-term – subject to funding – that it will undergo a full restoration.

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In Pictures: Stagecoach Supertram Meadowhall closure

Posted on Sunday 19 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

As reported before Christmas Stagecoach Supertram services on the Yellow and Purple route are being terminated at Meadowhall South/Tinsley between 13th and 26th January to allow work to take place on the Bus Rapid Transit Scheme. As a result of the closure between Tinsley and Meadowhall Interchange there are some interesting operational changes currently being seen.

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This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Saturday 18 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

Our first Photo Galleries of 2014 are the highlight of our main site update this week:

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A new home for Blackpool Brush Railcoach 634

Posted on Friday 17 January 2014 by Andrew Waddington

Tram enthusiast Andy Ashton and the North Eastern Electrical Traction Trust are pleased to announce that Blackpool Brush car 634 will be joining the superb collection of trams that is being gathered at the site of the North East Land Sea and Air Museums near Sunderland. Discussions between the owner of 634 (Andy Ashton) and NEETT have been ongoing for sometime, and now that the superb new shed nears completion and is about to receive its first inhabitants, it has become time to make an announcement.

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Posted in North Eastern Electrical Transport Trust | 1 Comment

Changes afoot for Douglas Horse Tramway?

Posted on Friday 17 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

A planning application for phase two of the Douglas Promenade reconstruction project has been submitted which if improved will see changes for the Horse Tramway this year ahead of more substantial changes if the proposed phase three is approved at a later date.

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Final phase of NET Phase Two works to start in Clifton

Posted on Friday 17 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

The final sections of construction work to extend Nottingham Express Transit to Clifton via Wilford are expected to start on Sunday 2nd February. The works will start on Southchurch Drive and Farnborough Road and are expected to take six months to complete.

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London Tramlink Engineering Works: Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th January 2014

Posted on Friday 17 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink services on the New Addington line will terminate at King Henry’s Drive from 2200 on both Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th January to allow the completion of track replacement and improvement work. No replacement bus services will be operated but Tramlink tickets will be valid on any reasonable bus route.

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Cyclists to be allowed on board Docklands Light Railway off-peak

Posted on Friday 17 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

After a successful trial it has been announced that non folding bicycles will be allowed on off-peak Docklands Light Railway services on a permanent basis. The trial started in July 2013 and saw more than 5,000 cyclists travelling on the DLR with no major problems reported.

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Blackpool 167 is bound for Beamish!

Posted on Friday 17 January 2014 by Andrew Waddington

An exciting announcement has been released confirming that Blackpool ‘Pantograph’ car 167 is set to visit Beamish Museum. The popular single-deck tramcar, which is owned and operated by the Tramway Museum Society and based at Crich, is set for an extended holiday in the North East starting later this month, which will enable Beamish to operate a very credible four Blackpool trams together!

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Posted in Beamish Tramway, National Tramway Museum | 5 Comments

Blackpool 671 set for a new home

Posted on Thursday 16 January 2014 by Andrew Waddington

The fate of another tram from the collection of the Lancastrian Transport Trust can now be revealed, as this organisation continues its drive to dispose of all of its preserved trams. Blackpool 671 (ex-281) is the latest car to find salvation, and is set to travel to the North East following acquisition by the North Eastern Electrical Traction Trust. Details of the sale are currently being finalised by the relevant parties, and then 671 can be rescued from outside storage at a bus yard in Marton, where it has languished for the past two years.

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Posted in Fylde Transport Trust, North Eastern Electrical Transport Trust | 4 Comments

Work starts to install ticket machines on NET

Posted on Thursday 16 January 2014 by Gareth Prior

Since Nottingham Express Transit opened the majority of tickets have been available to purchase on board the trams from the conductor but all that is about to change with work now starting to install ticket machines at all stops across the network. This work will see both machines and ticket validators introduced in a few months time – after a period of intensive testing.

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Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 9 Comments