LTT trams handed over to Blackpool Transport!

Posted on Monday 10 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

In a shock development, the Lancastrian Transport Trust have agreed to transfer an incredible NINE vintage trams into Blackpool Transport’s care. Following a period of negotiation, the LTT and BTS have agreed to merge their collections, to create the ultimate fleet of historic Blackpool trams, to be made available for potential future operation on the Blackpool tramway! These will ultimately be cared for by a new charitable trust which will be managed by representatives of both organisations, and in the meantime BTS will act as the custodians of the LTT trams.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 30 Comments

This week on British Trams Online

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

It’s a much quieter week on British Trams Online this week with just the one Photo Gallery being uploaded:

Gallery 371: More Blackpool Balloonatic Weekend – http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/gallery371.html

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Tramlink 2534 receives new all over advert

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink CR4000 2534 has received a new all over advert for McMillan Williams – a Croydon based firm of solicitors. The advert sees a return to red and white on a tram in Croydon and also features significant interior advertising for the same firm. The tram has been running on Tramlink in this guise for the last couple of weeks and means there are now two all over adverted trams in operation (Variotram 2554 being the other).

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Posted in London Trams | 4 Comments

57th M5000 enters service

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

The UK’s largest fleet of trams has just got bigger with the introduction of M5000 3056 to the operational ranks of Manchester Metrolink. 3056 carried passengers for the first time on Saturday 8 June. Although 57 of the M5000s have now carried passengers only 56 of them are currently available for service as 3013 remains out of service following its altercation with a HGV at Weaste earlier this year.

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In Pictures: Crich’s Beside the Seaside Event

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Whilst many tram enthusiasts were having fun by the real sea in Blackpool over the late May Bank Holiday weekend the Crich Tramway Village were bringing the seaside to Derbyshire as they held their now annual “Beside the Seaside” event. As would be expected this event has a major Blackpool theme with most of the trams operating being from the resort. Steve Kemp provides us with a few photos from Crich.

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In Pictures: Old tram track revealed in Liverpool

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Some more old tram track has been revealed due to gas main works – over 55 years after it was last used. This time the location is Liverpool at the bottom of the Thomas Drive reservation at the junction with Thomas Lane. Trams last ran here on route 40 which closed on 14 September 1957 and like in so many other places across the UK rather than removing the track it was just tarmacced over. John Hewitt provides us with some photos.

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Posted in General | 5 Comments

Metrolink’s busiest ever weekend hit by taxi collision

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

It had to happen didn’t it? On the weekend that Manchester Metrolink had already said would be their busiest ever there were delays after a taxi was involved in a collision with T68 1016 (working as a double unit on the Bury-Altrincham service) on Mosley Street – the second major collision here in the past few weeks.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 11 Comments

In Pictures: Trams at the East Lancashire Railway

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

As has been reported extensively in the past on British Trams Online three of the trams of the Heaton Park Tramway are currently stored at the East Lancashire Railway: Balloons 702 and 708 and Railgrinder 752. A recent supervised visit to the railway by Mervyn Williams allowed him to gain these photos of the three vehicles which await movement to new accommodation in the future.

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Extra ticket checks to be introduced on NET

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Passengers attempting to travel on the Nottingham Express Transit network without a ticket from Monday 10 June could be in for a shock as extra ticket inspections are due to be introduced following passenger feedback. Unsurprisingly one of the things which irritates people the most is those passengers who think they don’t have to pay to travel on the tram and NET hope that their new strategy will seriously reduce the number of fare dodgers.

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In Pictures: Double M5000s on the Rochdale line

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Since the extension to East Didsbury opened last month during the morning peak there are two diagrams which see double M5000s operate through to Rochdale Railway Station. Harold Hull provides us some photos from the Rochdale line.

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In Pictures: Stagecoach Supertram

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

No special reason for these photos except it gives us an excuse to show some more photos! This time Steve Kemp has visits the Stagecoach Supertram system and we see various images including the special liveried 120 in action.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Nottingham Express Transit

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Thanks to Steve Kemp we bring you some photos from Nottingham Express Transit as the new livery starts to spread further across the Incentro fleet.

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Posted in Nottingham Express Transit | 1 Comment

In Pictures: Bank Holiday in Manchester

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

On a wet Bank Holiday Monday on Manchester Metrolink there were service alterations due to engineering works at Victoria. This saw the service from Droylsden running to Eccles via MediaCityUK instead of Bury. Ralph Oakes-Garnett was out and about and some views from the Eccles line of this day can be found by clicking below.

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Man stabbed at Church Street tramstop

Posted on Sunday 9 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

A man has been stabbed during a fight at Church Street tramstop in Croydon town centre. The victim suffered cuts to his head, face, ear and chest in the incident which took place on Monday 3 June at approximately 1430. It is believed that the man was with a group of two other friends who left the tram and were approached by a further group of three men who had followed the tram from George Street. The three men believed responsible for the stabbing are described as being in their late teens or early 20s with one mixed race, one black and the other either white or light skinned. The British Transport Police are looking for witnesses to the incident and have reassured passengers that they will be increasing patrols across the network. Anyone with any information is urged to contact the BTP on 0800 40 50 40 quoting incident reference B3/LS of 04/06/2013.

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Second time lucky for London 159?

Posted on Saturday 8 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

After a lengthy lay-off, London United Tramways 159 has been seen out and about on test at Crich Tramway Village this week. It may be remembered that the tram was launched into service in July 2012 following a major restoration – but the tram derailed on its launch day and has not operated since, whilst workshop team investigated how to try and prevent a repeat occurrence.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 1 Comment

Ride the lights with ‘HMS Blackpool’

Posted on Saturday 8 June 2013 by Andrew Waddington

On Tuesday 27th August, the Fylde Tramway Society will be hosting an illuminations tour with a difference, when it hires the illuminated Frigate 736 ‘HMS Blackpool’ for a private tour. This follows a three-day period of heritage tram operation in Blackpool over the summer Bank Holiday weekend (24th to 26th August inclusive), making this an ideal time to visit Blackpool and enjoy the delights of the traditional tram fleet.

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Metrolink gets ready for its busiest ever weekend

Posted on Friday 7 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

It looks like the weekend of 8 and 9 June could prove to be the busiest ever weekend on Manchester Metrolink with around 150,000 people expected to attend events in Manchester. On both days of the weekend the Parklife festival will take place in Heaton Park and Rod Stewart will be performing at the Manchester Arena whilst the Saturday will see Grillstock take place in Albert Square and Bon Jovi perform at the Ethihad Stadium.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 6 Comments

Heritage Trams this week…

Posted on Friday 7 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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Posted in Support our Heritage Tramways | 2 Comments

Blackpool Tramway to terminate at Fisherman’s Walk for Fleetwood Carnival

Posted on Friday 7 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Services on the Blackpool Tramway will start and terminate at Fisherman’s Walk for two hours on Saturday 15 June to allow the Fleetwood Carnival Parade to take place. The last tram from Fleetwood Ferry will depart at 1239 before the Carnival before services resume as normal from 1439.

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MetMan treks around Hebden Bridge parish boundary

Posted on Friday 7 June 2013 by Gareth Prior

Manchester Metrolink has been expanding rapidly over the past few years but you probably didn’t realise that a Metrolink tram has recently been spotted in Hebden Bridge – in Yorkshire! Obviously a Metrolink line hasn’t suddenly been built across the Pennines but the tram was in fact the “MetMan” costume which was being used for charity 21 mile hike in aid of Francis House hospice.

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