More Blackpool debuts set for August Bank Holiday

Posted on Saturday 22 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Posters promoting the proposals for heritage tram operation over the late August Bank Holiday weekend (24th – 26th August) have now begun to appear at the designated heritage tour stops in Blackpool. These prominently mention both Open Boat 602 and Centenary car 648, which are expected to make their debuts on the heritage service with fresh paintwork that weekend.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 5 Comments

Leeds 107 is decent!

Posted on Saturday 22 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Fantastic progress continues to be made on the restoration of Leeds 107, the Yorkshire city’s only surviving horse tram, currently residing at the Middleton Railway. Visibly, 107 is now looking much more like a tram with numerous small fixtures now being added, and the fitting of its first decency board was a major step forward in terms of moving this long-running project towards its completion.

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Road-rail vehicle derails at Queens Road causing major delays for Metrolink

Posted on Friday 21 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Services on Manchester Metrolink suffered severe delays during the morning rush hour on Friday 21 June after a road-rail vehicle derailed at the entrance to Queens Road depot preventing trams from leaving to form the days service. The incident happened at approximately 0500 and an immediate start was made on rerailing the vehicle. However this took 90 minutes and by 0715 only around 50% of the trams needed for service had managed to leave Queens Road depot. A service was operated on all lines although it was not possible to run at normal frequencies until later in the morning when all the trams had been able to get off the depot.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 23 Comments

Nottingham Express Transit refurbishments continue

Posted on Friday 21 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Seven of the Nottingham Express Transit Incentros have now received the refurbishment work with the latest to be stopped for the work to take place being 202. Recent vehicles to have been released back into traffic wearing the new Silver, Green and Black have been 203 and 212. So far none of the special liveried trams have been withdrawn for the work to take place but with only four other fleet liveried examples to be treated it won’t be too long.

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VolkerRail awarded Supertram renewal contract

Posted on Friday 21 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive have announced that VolkerRail have been awarded the £4 million contract on the joint rail replacement project between SYPTE and Stagecoach Supertram. The work involves the replacement of 5,540 metres of track and is due to commence at the end of this month.

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Heritage Trams this week…

Posted on Friday 21 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

It’s that time of the week again when we bring you a round-up of when and where you can travel on heritage trams across the UK. Once again if you know of any errors or omissions please let us know and we will make the change. 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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Metrolink construction work continues in Rochdale town centre

Posted on Friday 21 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Work is continuing to progress on the construction of the Manchester Metrolink extension in Rochdale town centre with some traffic diversions being put into place from Monday 24 June. Traffic islands are due to be constructed in Moore Street (near the junction with Drake Street) and as a result the road will be closed to traffic for approximately two weeks. School Lane will reopen to traffic on the same date. All traffic diversions will be clearly signposted.

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Totally Transport, trams and timetables

Posted on Friday 21 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Transport have released details of the planned heritage tram service for this Sunday, 23rd June. As expected, this will differ from the previous heritage tram operating days, as the vintage cars will be confined to the Pleasure Beach – North Pier area and operate to a timetable. It is hoped that both of the serviceable Boat cars will be used once again, although the Great British weather may well have other ideas!

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Heaton Park prepared for depot construction!

Posted on Thursday 20 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Now that the go-ahead has been given for work to proceed on the construction of a new tram depot at Heaton Park in Manchester, it is pleasing to report that visible progress is finally being made on this exciting project. Ground works are now taking place alongside the boathouse and café, which will soon be the site of the new Lakeside Depot.

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Posted in Heaton Park Tramway | 3 Comments

Two red (and white) Balloons go by

Posted on Thursday 20 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Following on from the news that the North East Electrical Traction Trust are to repaint Blackpool Balloon car 721 into red and white ‘Routemaster’ style livery, Blackpool Transport have now confirmed plans for a similar repaint of sister car 701. This tram recently returned to service as a member of Blackpool’s own heritage tram fleet, following use as a snowplough car during the winter months.

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Tram-train contracts signed

Posted on Thursday 20 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

A major milestone in the history of light rail in the UK has moved a step closer after the contracts for the Tram-Train project between Sheffield and Rotherham were signed. This will be the first official Tram-Train to operate in the UK – although you may well argue that Manchester Metrolink got there first 21 years ago! – and is due to start operating in early 2016. Transport Minister Norman Baker was on hand to sign the contracts on behalf of the government during a brief ceremony at Meadowhall South tramstop where the Tram-Train vehicles will leave the existing Supertram network to reach Rotherham.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 5 Comments

Manchester Metrolink Engineering works: Sunday 23 June

Posted on Thursday 20 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Another Sunday, another day of disruption for Metrolink services through Victoria. There will be no trams all day between Crumpsall and Piccadilly and from Central Park to Piccadilly with replacement buses running instead. In addition trams will not run between Altrincham and Timperley before 0830 and between Droylsden and Piccadilly before 1000.

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Light Rail journeys increase again

Posted on Wednesday 19 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

The rejuvenated Blackpool Tramway and the expansion of Manchester Metrolink have helped the number of light rail passenger journeys in England to increase yet again with a 9% overall increase shown in figures released by the Department for Transport. Just over 222 million passenger journeys were recorded on the eight light rail systems in England in 2012/13, up from 204 million in the previous 12 months.

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Heaton Park events round-up

Posted on Wednesday 19 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester has hosted a few low-key events recently which have previously gone by unrecorded here on British Trams Online. To set the record straight, we now catch up with what’s been happening at the park, which should confirm that life is never dull at this unique preserved tramway.

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‘Hovertram’ to be restored at Blackpool?

Posted on Tuesday 18 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Following the recent surprise announcement that the North East Electrical Traction Trust have been negotiating to acquire the illuminated Blackpool ‘Hovertram’ 735, another equally surprising yet pleasing piece of news has followed. The car’s new owners have now confirmed a provisional agreement which could see this unique tram return home, to be restored at Blackpool’s Lightworks.

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New smart ticketing system launched in Manchester

Posted on Tuesday 18 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Next year will see the introduction of “get me there”, the new smart ticketing system on public transport in Greater Manchester it has been confirmed. The new system will be introduced in stages from 2014 with Metrolink planned to be the first mode of transport to use it in the second half of the year.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 4 Comments

Manchester Metrolink service changes: 18, 19, 21 and 22 June

Posted on Tuesday 18 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

There will be changes to Manchester Metrolink services on Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19, Friday 21 and Saturday 22 June due to a Robbie Williams concert taking place at the Etihad Stadium. From 1400 on each day the MediaCityUK service will be stopped with all services to Eccles instead being diverted via MediaCityUK. Double units will also be in operation between Victoria and Etihad Campus on each day from approximately the same time. Gates open at the Etihad from 1700 each day.

Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 11 Comments

Private hires keep Blackpool trams busy

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Despite the Blackpool heritage tram fleet officially taking a break between the late May Bank Holiday weekend and Sunday 23rd June, no less than four of the town’s historic trams have been out and about during the past seven days. All four were used on private hires and although details on the actual journeys performed and the reasons behind them are sketchy, it is pleasing to see so many people are hiring a heritage tram for various purposes.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Blackpool’s heritage tours – what’s coming up?

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

With the addition of some extra running days for Blackpool’s heritage tram fleet, British Trams Online presents a basic guide to all of the planned days when historic tram will grace the tramway for the next few months. Outline plans, as far as are currently known, are also given below.

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Panto season finally ends in Blackpool!

Posted on Sunday 16 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

It is pleasing to report that the external advertisements for the Blackpool Grand Theatre’s 2012 Christmas pantomime carried by Blackpool Flexity 010 have finally been replaced by a more appropriate advert for Crown Carveries.

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