Metrolink Park and Ride facilities to be increased

Posted on Thursday 22 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

The car parks at Radcliffe and Whitefield Metrolink stops are to be enlarged following the approval of planning applications by Bury Council. Both car parks will have an extra deck added with work expected to start in 2014.

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Blackpool ‘Boat’ 233 to set sail for the USA

Posted on Thursday 22 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

It has come to light that the Lancastrian Transport Trust’s preserved Blackpool ‘Boat’ car 233 is shortly set to leave the UK for a new home in San Francisco, after being sold to a new owner overseas. The tram is currently based at Beamish Museum, where it has been operating since April 2012, with sponsorship from British Trams Online.

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Posted in Beamish Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 9 Comments

Blackpool 762 runs at Crich!

Posted on Wednesday 21 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

After a very long wait, history was made on Wednesday 21st August, when Blackpool Jubilee car 762 operated on the main line at Crich Tramway Village for the very first time. Following extensive electrical work undertaken by a small number of people since the tram arrived at Crich, the car was finally able to make its first tentative moves under its own power in its new home after the museum had closed.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 2 Comments

Four more Variotrams for London Tramlink

Posted on Wednesday 21 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

It has been announced that London Tramlink are to receive an extra four Variotrams to help further increase capacity on the network. To be constructed by Stadler at their Berlin factory it is expected that the trams will be delivered to London to enter service during 2015. These new trams will join the six which entered service during 2012 to make a total Variotram fleet size of 10 and a grand total of 34 trams available for service including the original Bombardier built vehicles.

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Posted in London Trams | 4 Comments

Original Stratford DLR route to get capacity enhancement works

Posted on Wednesday 21 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

Work to increase capacity on the original Docklands Light Railway route into Stratford from Canary Wharf has started which should see 1,100 more passenger journeys per hour carried. The main work will be undertaken around Pudding Mill Lane station with double track installed and a slightly resited station opened. The work is partly needed due to Crossrail which will be coming out of a tunnel in the vicinity to join up with the national rail network.

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Nottingham Express Transit Engineering Works: 2nd-6th September

Posted on Wednesday 21 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

Late night tram services to Hucknall will be replaced by buses from Monday 2nd to Friday 6th September to allow for engineering works in the Bulwell area. The last tram to Hucknall will be at 2100 on each day with the final departure from the town back towards the city centre being at 2124. Normal services will continue to operate to Phoenix Park and on the Hucknall route throughout the day, including early morning services. The work at Bulwell will see essential line maintenance and general upgrade works.

Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 1 Comment

Stagecoach Supertram Engineering Works: 24th-26th August

Posted on Wednesday 21 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

Further track replacement works will be taking place on the Stagecoach Supertram network from 2000 on Saturday 24th August with buses replacing trams between Castle Square and Gleadless Townend – this is in addition to the ongoing long term project on Park Grange Road. Trams will continue to operate from Malin Bridge to Sheffield Station, Meadowhall to Middlewood and Gleadless Townend to Halfway. Current normal services will resume from the start of service on Tuesday 27th August.

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Balloon cars visit Starr Gate

Posted on Tuesday 20 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The appearance of any of Blackpool’s traditional trams at the new Starr Gate depot, normally reserved solely for housing the Flexity2 class, always continues to create intrigue amongst enthusiasts. Recently, open top Balloon car ‘Princess Alice’ 706 spent a few days at this unfamiliar site, whilst refurbished Balloon 711 has also spent some time at the southern terminus during August.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Metrolink T68 1024 latest to be withdrawn

Posted on Tuesday 20 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

The fourteenth Manchester Metrolink T68 has been taken out of service following the withdrawal of 1024. The tram last operated on Friday 9 August when it was paired with 1021 on the Bury to Altrincham direct service.

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In Pictures: East Anglia Transport Museum Update

Posted on Tuesday 20 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

The East Anglia Transport Museum at Carlton Colville near Lowestoft, Suffolk continues to be open every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday until 28th August with its operating tramway, trolleybus route and railway. Images from the tramway don’t often feature on these pages but with thanks to Tim Major we can remedy that today! Taken on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th August we see some of the Museum’s tram fleet in action including Blackpool VAMBAC 11 which was in use for a special party, London Transport 1858 and Amsterdam 474. We also take a look at a rare move into daylight for current major restoration project Lowestoft 14 which shows just how far the work has now come on this tramcar.

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In Pictures: Stagecoach Supertram Infirmary Road trackworks

Posted on Tuesday 20 August 2013 by Gareth Prior

Over the weekend of Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th August further track replacement works took place on the Stagecoach Supertram network with attention turned to the inbound line at Infirmary Road. Photos of the work on the first day are provided by Stuart Cooke.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 1 Comment

Midland Metro look to the past with a special repaint

Posted on Monday 19 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The Midland Metro system has followed in the footsteps of Sheffield Supertram, by repainting one of its modern articulated trams in a special livery inspired by traditional trams. 2013 marks the sixtieth anniversary of the closure of Birmingham’s tramway, and to commemorate this anniversary, car 11 has been outshopped in a very stylish blue and cream livery, similar to that worn by the first generation trams of Birmingham.

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Posted in West Midlands Metro | 4 Comments

New role proposed for Northampton tram depot

Posted on Sunday 18 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

A former tram depot in Northampton is the subject of proposals by a local community group which could see the building, which dates from 1904, transformed into a new heritage exhibition and enterprise centre. The depot has been used as a bus garage since the closure of the local tram system, but has recently been put up for sale by its owners, the First bus group.

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Six in a row at Heaton Park

Posted on Saturday 17 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

On 13th August 2013, regular British Trams Online contributor Joe Savage managed to photograph six trams lined up on the main line at the Heaton Park Tramway during a depot shunt. Although only three trams currently make up their operating fleet, there are now a further three trams stored on site, awaiting completion of the new Lakeside Depot.

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Blackpool trams prepare for the illuminations

Posted on Friday 16 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

As the countdown towards the beginning of the illuminations season in Blackpool is on, work is now actively underway in preparing various trams for their role in the annual spectacle. Blackpool Transport are getting their trio of illuminated feature cars ready for use, whilst the two static trams placed on display last year are also receiving some attention.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Visiting trolleybus to join East Anglia’s trams

Posted on Friday 16 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The East Anglia Transport Museum’s upcoming ‘End of Season Gala’ event, taking place on Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th September, has been given a welcome boost following the announcement that the event will feature a special guest in the form of a visiting trolleybus. This event is an expansion of the very popular trolleybus weekends held in previous years, and should see the museum’s other vehicles play a more prominent role.

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Madness on Blackpool prom

Posted on Thursday 15 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

As feared, it has been confirmed that the Blackpool tramway is set to be heavily disrupted for the first two nights of the 2013 illuminations season. As well as the annual ‘switch-on’ event on Friday 30th August, a second event will also be taking place on Saturday 31st August. Whilst a concert by legendary pop band Madness would normally be fantastic news for the town, unfortunately the gig will have negative consequences for the tramway and its passengers.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 10 Comments

Heritage Trams this week…

Posted on Thursday 15 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

It’s that time of the week again… yes, it’s our regular look at when and where you can travel on heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man. All the information here is given in good faith but you are advised to check before travelling any significant distance with the organisations involved.

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NEETT gain approval for new tram depot

Posted on Wednesday 14 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Tuesday 13th August 2013 was a landmark day for the North East Electrical Traction Trust, as on this date, final approval was granted for work to proceed on the construction of a new storage depot on the premises of the North East Land, Sea & Air Museum in Sunderland. With work on the new depot at Heaton Park, Manchester also progressing well it looks increasingly likely that two British tram museums will be boosted by new depots before 2013 is over!

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In Pictures: Heaton Park depot gets its doors

Posted on Wednesday 14 August 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The incredible speed of progress on the construction of the new Lakeside Depot at the Heaton Park Tramway shows no sign of slowing down, with recent progress seeing new folding doors added to the front of the building. The laying of brickwork around the lower walls is also now at an advanced stage, having come on well since the unveiling of the initial special stone a week ago.

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Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 1 Comment