Supertram launch reduced price Child Megarider for limited period

Posted on Wednesday 22 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram have announced that from Monday 27 May to Tuesday 23 July a Child weekly Megarider will only cost £7. The ticket is able to be purchased from conductors on board the trams and it will be valid on all tram and replacement bus services only. It can also only be purchased or used in conjunction with a South Yorkshire Megatravel or South Yorkshire 16-18 student pass.

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Twin set added to Blackpool’s Spring Bank Holiday events

Posted on Tuesday 21 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

In a pleasing development, Blackpool Transport have confirmed that an additional heritage tram will be added to the proposed line-up of cars due to run over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, 25th – 27th May, in the shape of Twin set 272+T2. The popular pair are due to operate on Monday 27th May in place of ‘B Fleet’ car 724 which is now officially out of service, having suffered from a number of minor failures on its last day out. A number of other minor amendments have also been made to the planned events for the weekend which should provide an even more attractive package to enthusiasts.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 3 Comments

Centenary car delayed by failed Flexity2!

Posted on Tuesday 21 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The morning of Monday 20th May witnessed a surprise appearance on Blackpool promenade by Centenary car 642, operating under its own power for the first time in just over 18 months. Having spent more than a week being prepared for service at Starr Gate depot, 642 was driven to Bispham for a test run before heading back to Rigby Road, although this latter journey didn’t pass entirely without incident.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Extra running day for Blackpool’s heritage trams

Posted on Monday 20 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

As excitement for the next heritage tram running days in Blackpool grows, it is pleasing to report that Blackpool Transport have added an extra day to the list of occasions when the traditional tram fleet will be out on the promenade during 2013. It was previously expected that these cars would only be used on Bank Holiday weekends until the start of the illuminations, but they will now also be used on Sunday 23rd June, as well as at the annual Fleetwood Transport Festival as previously announced.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 7 Comments

Mosley Street closes

Posted on Saturday 18 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

At 0055 in the early hours of Saturday 18 May, 3018 became the last tram to stop at Mosley Street in Manchester city centre as it permanently closed to “improve journey times, reliability and capacity” on the Manchester Metrolink network. As reported last week the closure date was confirmed once the passenger information displays were switched on in the city centre following TMS taking over control of the lines in this area and is a long held aspiration of Transport for Greater Manchester.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 18 Comments

In Pictures: More Blackpool Heritage trams in operation

Posted on Saturday 18 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

As we have previously shown you on these pages the recent May Day Bank Holiday weekend was another successful period of heritage tram operation in Blackpool with the highlights being the return to service of Brush 631 in its new livery and Balloon 701 for the first time since 2010. But that weekend has not been the only occasion recently when heritage trams have escaped from Rigby Road with Frigate 736 noted running with a party of schoolchildren on Wednesday 8 May and Standard 147 running through to Fleetwood on Saturday 11 May on a private hire. Alan Taylor has kindly supplied us with photos of 701 in use over the Bank Holiday weekend and of 147 at Fleetwood Ferry.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Multi million pound investment on Supertram confirmed

Posted on Saturday 18 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

It has been confirmed that the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) and Stagecoach Supertram are to jointly fund the major programme of tram rail replacement works which are needed to protect the future of the Supertram network. The works are due to take place over the next five years at an estimated cost of £32 million with the first work due to commence this summer.

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 1 Comment

Sutton moves ahead of Crystal Palace for Tramlink extension?

Posted on Saturday 18 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

Sutton Council have claimed that they have moved ahead of Crystal Palace in the race to extend the London Tramlink system – although the situation remains that Transport for London are not committed to funding any extensions at the present time. The claim was made by Amanda Cherrington, the Council’s head of economic renewal and business environment, at a recent meeting of the Strategy and Resources Committee.

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In Pictures: More from the Southampton Tram Project

Posted on Saturday 18 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

During the opening day of the Southampton Maritime Festival the Southampton Tram Project received a special guest to look at their work when Prince Michael of Kent had a tour of their work when he opened the event. We can now show you a photo of his visit and also an image from inside 38 showing the makers details still visible after all these years.

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NET services to change for Milk Race

Posted on Saturday 18 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

Nottingham Express Transit services from Hucknall and Phoenix Park will terminate at the Royal Centre on Sunday 26 May because Nottingham city centre will be transformed into a race track for the return of the iconic cycling Milk Race. A replacement bus service  will be in operation between Royal Centre and Station Street until 2000 when trams will resume on the complete tramway.

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Heritage Trams for the next week…

Posted on Friday 17 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

As part of our feature “Support our Heritage Tramways” we will continue to bring you a weekly look at 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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Heritage Bank Holiday in Blackpool

Posted on Thursday 16 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Blackpool Transport are currently preparing for the second stint of heritage tram operation this month over the forthcoming Spring Bank Holiday weekend, 25th – 27th May. This will follow broadly the same pattern as the May Day weekend with two genuine heritage trams operating as ‘specials’ along with modified Balloon cars. British Trams Online will be on hand to provide extensive coverage of the weekend’s events this time around, and a summary of the planned schedule is provided below.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 5 Comments

Liverpool 762 makes rare nighttime appearance

Posted on Wednesday 15 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

On Wednesday 8 May former British Trams Online Tram of the Year Liverpool 762 made a rare appearance in service at night on the Birkenhead Heritage Tramway. Following swiftly on from the use of Birkenhead 20 for the BBC’s Great British Railway Journeys programme the BBC were back in town for more filming – this time in connection with a documentary relating to the W.H.Wallace murder case in Liverpool in 1931.

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In Pictures: Glasgow 488 top deck arrives in Wales

Posted on Wednesday 15 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

Not previously reported on these pages was the arrival of the top deck of Glasgow 488 at Minffordd on the Ffestiniog Railway joining the lower deck which had of course arrived in March. The top deck was delivered to Wales on Tuesday 23 April but its arrival wasn’t actually expected and so there was a quick scramble to find staff and a crane to unload it! Preparations are now in hand to move both halves of the tram down to the Boston Lodge workshops after which a start can be made on the restoration.

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Posted in East Anglia Transport Museum | 1 Comment

Stagecoach Supertram Engineering Works: Sunday 26 and Sunday 27 May

Posted on Wednesday 15 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

Track replacement works will once again be taking place over a Bank Holiday weekend on Stagecoach Supertram (bang goes any chance of nice weather then!) with the Blue route being forced to terminate at Crystal Peaks on Sunday 26 and Tuesday 27 May with a replacement bus service operating between Moss Way and Halfway.

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Dickson Road rails uncovered in Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 15 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Recent roadworks along Dickson Road in Blackpool has led to an old section of tram track being uncovered. Approximately 40 feet of rail was revealed near to the Funny Girls venue, although workmen on site stated that they would be removing it this week, potentially consigning another small piece of the town’s tramway history into the past.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 5 Comments

In Pictures: Metrolink Passenger Information Displays

Posted on Tuesday 14 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

As reported last week the Passenger Information Displays (PIDs) in Manchester city centre were switched on on Thursday 9 May, a major milestone in the installation and commissioning of the Tram Management System (TMS). The city centre and Piccadilly is now under the control of TMS following works over the previous two weekends.

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Metrolink services to East Didsbury to start on 23 May

Posted on Tuesday 14 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

The next part of the Manchester Metrolink jigsaw will be put into place on Thursday 23 May when the remainder of the South Manchester line to East Didsbury starts passenger services – and for a nice change it is several months ahead of schedule! The first tram will leave East Didsbury at 0549 heading to Rochdale Railway Station and trams will run every 12 minutes on weekdays and between 0900 and 1800 on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

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2005 withdrawn & 2003 to follow soon

Posted on Monday 13 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

The T68A fleet on Manchester Metrolink has been reduced to two examples following the withdrawal of 2005 from service and it is expected that within the next couple of weeks 2003 will also be withdrawn leaving just 2001 carrying the flag for the T68A fleet.

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In Pictures: Double T68s run to St Werburgh’s Road

Posted on Monday 13 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 12 May saw the rare sight of double T68 units running on the South Manchester line through to St Werburgh’s Road. As a result of the engineering work taking place at Victoria on this day all six double T68s were stabled at Trafford depot on Saturday and Sunday nights. The only way to access Trafford depot is via the Firswood gate (number 3) which means that the sets have to run to St Werburgh’s Road to get onto depot. Steve Kemp provides us with a photo of this rare sight.

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