Heritage Trams for the rest of the year…

Posted on Friday 8 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

For the final time in 2013 we bring you a summary of when and where you can ride on heritage trams around the UK. With Crich, the Manx Electric Railway and Snaefell Mountain Railway now having run their final journeys of the year, Blackpool’s llumination Tours stopping this weekend, Heaton Park packing up for the winter later this month and the Seaton Tramway only operating in the run-up to Christmas and in the Christmas period there won’t be a huge amount of action but listed here are just when and where you can enjoy tram rides for the next few years. As always please let us know through the usual channels if you notice any errors.

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Posted in Support our Heritage Tramways | 3 Comments

In Pictures: Blackpool 167 at Starlight Halloween, Crich

Posted on Friday 8 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

As reported last week the Starlight Halloween event at the Crich Tramway Village featured Blackpool 167 in operation, although not with passengers. The tram had been specially decorated for Halloween and the decorations were so extensive there was very little space left for passengers! Thanks to Geoff Quarmby for the photos.

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Midland Metro to extend to Coventry?

Posted on Friday 8 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

Plans are being put together for another Midland Metro route which would link Birmingham city centre to Coventry as part of the development likely in the region as a result of HS2. The plans have been revealed by Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham city council, at a transport and economy scrutiny committee meeting.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 3 Comments

In Pictures: Aberdeen horse tram 1

Posted on Friday 8 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

The Grampian Transport Museum in Alford, 25 miles from Aberdeen, is home to two tramcars including Aberdeen District Tramways 1, a horse car dating from 1896. With the Museum now closed for a reorganisation over the winter there have been some vehicle movements – including a Leyland Atlantean bus which has not moved in a number of years – which has opened up rare photographic opportunities of the horse car, and with thanks to Mike Cooper we are able to bring you a view of the tram.

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New Addington line to close for improvement work

Posted on Friday 8 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink services to New Addington will be suspended from 2200 on Wednesday 4th December until the end of service on Thursday 12th December to allow major improvement works to take place. The work will be undertaken in two phases with no trams running from Sandilands to New Addington until Sunday 8th December and then from Addington Village to New Addington between Monday 9th and Thursday 12th December.

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In Pictures: Supertram 104 receives new air conditioning system

Posted on Friday 8 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram 104 has returned to service after attention in the workshops at the depot with a new air conditioning system fitted alongside an improved system of eight interior cameras, replacing the previous six. It is planned that one tram a month will be treated to these improvements.

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Tiger tram 622 escapes threat of extinction!

Posted on Thursday 7 November 2013 by Andrew Waddington

In a shock development, Blackpool Brush Railcoach 622 was transported back to Rigby Road depot on Thursday 7th November, having been forced out of its former home at the Lancastrian Transport Trust’s base at Brinwell Road. Although 622 is not expected to rejoin Blackpool’s resident tram fleet, temporary sanctuary for the tram was needed before it moves to a more permanent home at Anchorsholme Primary School, after being evicted from the LTT premises.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 42 Comments

MER 3 rises from the dead!

Posted on Thursday 7 November 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Just a few days after Halloween, a long-lost electric tramcar made a return to prominence. The vehicle in question was Manx Electric Railway 3, a tram which was tragically lost in the depot fire some decades ago. So, how did a tram that no longer exists come to play a starring role at an enthusiast event on Saturday 2nd November? Well, the reality wasn’t so much of a trick, but it was definitely a treat for those who saw it! Continue reading →

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Glasgow 488 restoration makes progress

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Since being repatriated following five decades spent in Paris, work has commenced on a major restoration of Glasgow ‘Standard’ car 488. Since being moved inside the Boston Lodge railway works at the Ffestinog Railway at the end of the summer, the lower saloon of the tram – which is destined to operate at the East Anglia Transport Museum once completed – has been stripped to a shell for a full assessment of the required work.

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An eventful end to 2013 at Birkenhead

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Recently the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society have released details of two special events taking place on the Birkenhead heritage tramway, featuring their historic tram collection. At a time of year when most museum lines are winding down for the winter, it is quite surprising that Birkenhead are hosting two separate events so late in the year, but both are coinciding with date-specific occasions.

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Confusion over new Blackpool winter timetable

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Andrew Waddington

As the Blackpool tramway prepares for the onslaught of winter, Blackpool Transport have already released information regarding the new timetables which will be introduced on Monday 11th November; after the final night of the 2013 illuminations season. This will see a less frequent service offered on the tramway, as is to be expected as the peak time of year comes to an end.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 3 Comments

T68 1021 latest to be withdrawn

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

1021 has become the nineteenth T68/T68A to be withdrawn from service after suffering a traction fault whilst operating solo on the Altrincham-Bury direct service on Tuesday 5th November. The tram was returned to Queens Road Depot where the decision was taken not to make the repairs necessary to return it to service and it was officially withdrawn overnight.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Another Alstom Citadis arrives in Nottingham

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

The third of the 22 strong fleet of Alstom Citadis trams for Nottingham Express Transit has now arrived at the Wilkinson Street Depot. The tram – believed to be 218 although once again it currently has no external number visible – was first spotted at the depot on Wednesday 6th November, although it is not known for sure when it was actually delivered to Nottingham (any confirmation of this would be most appreciated!)

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Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 3 Comments

First tracks laid on Birmingham city centre extension

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

A major milestone in the construction of the Birmingham city centre extension of Midland Metro has been reached following the laying of the first rails as part of the £127 million project. The rail was laid at Colmore Gate in Bull Street with much fanfare.

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Oldham Rochdale line celebrates 150th anniversary

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

The Oldham Rochdale line – now operated as part of the Manchester Metrolink network – reached its 150th anniversary on Saturday 2nd November having been originally opened to the public in 1863 with a commemorative plaque unveiled to mark the occasion. New figures released have shown that since the line was converted to light rail passenger numbers have increased dramatically with over 2,500,000 journeys between October 2012 and October 2013 in comparison with 1,236,534 journeys on the old heavy rail line its last year of operation up to October 2009.

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Manchester Metrolink service alteration: Sunday 10th November

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

As the nation pauses to remember on Remembrance Sunday – 10th November – Manchester Metrolink services will be unable to travel through St Peter’s Square between 1000 and 1200 with replacement buses in operation instead. Buses will operate between Exchange Quay and Piccadilly and from Trafford Bar to Piccadilly. As there are no planned Improvement works on this day normal services will run either side of the closure at St Peter’s Square.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 3 Comments

Sunderland 16 gets lifted

Posted on Wednesday 6 November 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The fortunes of the Beamish tram fleet seem to be improving, following a spate of bad luck recently. Grimsby & Immingham 26 re-entered service in late October following repairs to a motor defect, and this in turn has allowed staff and volunteers within the transport sector at the museum to focus their efforts on Sunderland 16, a tram which has sat idle with worn tyres for a considerable length of time.

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They’re back! Full services resume on Stagecoach Supertram

Posted on Tuesday 5 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

After 127 days of disruption services on Stagecoach Supertram have returned to normal following the completion of the first phase of major track replacement work on Park Grange Road. The first through passenger trams between the city centre and Halfway recommenced from the start of service on Monday 4th November bringing to an end the closure between Sheffield Station and Spring Lane and at the same time the resumption of the Purple route which hadn’t run since Saturday 29th June before the closure.

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More woes for Metrolink after cold temperatures & Cornbrook points causes problems

Posted on Tuesday 5 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

It is becoming rather tiresome to report but Monday 4th November was another day to forget for Manchester Metrolink after delays were experienced on all lines because of ice on the overhead and then after that problem had been solved the troublesome points at Cornbrook failed again. The morning delays were due to severe frost on the overhead wires and because of extensive improvement works over the weekend Metrolink bosses had been unable to run their usual ice breaker trams to help clear the wires – if the frost had been forecast before the weekend they say they would have cancelled the works to enable them to run these trams.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 14 Comments

Tests start on Rochdale town centre extension

Posted on Tuesday 5 November 2013 by Gareth Prior

After the successful first tests on the Oldham town centre Manchester Metrolink extension attention has now been turned to the extension in Rochdale town centre with the first overnight tests on this section of track due to have taken place on Saturday 2nd November. This is the start of three weeks of overnight testing on the line which will be undertaken under police escort and will require some road junctions to be closed temporarily whilst the testing is taking place.

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