Inspector’s kiosk promotes Blackpool tram tours

Posted on Monday 13 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The old inspector’s cabin located at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, adjacent to the tramway turning circle, has recently been redecorated to improve its appearance. The building has been enhanced by vinyls promoting the company’s heritage and illumination tours by tram, as well as directing passers-by to the nearby heritage tram stop.

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Taxi takes on tram in Manchester and loses!

Posted on Saturday 11 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

On Saturday 27 April a taxi stopped too close to the tram line on Mosley Street in Manchester city centre and ended up getting hit causing significant damage to the road vehicle with M5000 3028 also suffering some damage. According to eye witness reports the taxi had failed to stop behind the stop line when the tram passed by. Pictures from Philip Hart of the aftermath of the incident follow.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 6 Comments

Mosley Street closure date confirmed

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

Transport for Greater Manchester have confirmed that the single platform at Mosley Street in Manchester city centre is to close to passengers following services on Friday 17 May. It is now possible to close Mosley Street because new real time access displays have been installed at Shudehill, Market Street, Piccadilly Gardens, Piccadilly Gardens, Piccadilly station, St Peter’s Square and Deansgate-Castlefield stops enabling passengers to see where and when the next three departures are due to go.

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NET 205 returns to service after refurbishment

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

The third of Nottingham Express Transit’s Incentro trams to undergo the refurbishment work has returned to traffic. 205 re-entered service on 2 May following the work at the Wilkinson Street depot and its place has now been taken by 213 which will spend the next week to ten days receiving the work.

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In Pictures: Bank Holiday trams in Blackpool

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

As reported elsewhere on these pages the heritage trams of the “C” fleet were joined by the modified Balloons of the “B” fleet over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend in Blackpool. The highlight of the weekend was the return to service of Brush 631 after workshop attention over the winter which has seen it regain a coat of green and cream although the return to passenger service of Balloon 701 after an absence since 2010 was also welcome by enthusiasts. Photos from Ralph Oakes-Garnett and Mervyn Williams follow.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 2 Comments

Heritage Trams for the Next Week…

Posted on Friday 10 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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Metrolink Control Room moves to Trafford

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

A major step in the expansion of the Manchester Metrolink has been reached with the control room moving from Queen’s Road to a new facility at Trafford depot. This means that all the main operational functions of the network are now located in place including not only the Network Management Centre (or the control room to mere mortals!) but also the Customer Services team.

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Developers to continue contributing to Edinburgh tram line

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

When the original plans were thought of for the new tramway in Edinburgh part of the funding was due to come from developers who would benefit from trams running past their buildings and it now appears that these contributions will continue to be collected from firms on the currently abandoned line through to Newhaven. It had widely been thought that developers on the proposed line between the city centre and Newhaven would now not be required to give money but the City of Edinburgh Council now look set to continue on collecting to put it into a central pot for if and when the current one line is extended.

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Five arrested over Woodisde tram attack

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

Five men – aged between 17 and 21 – have been arrested following the attack on a tram at Woodside on London Tramlink on 25 April. As we reported at the time the men smashed four windows on the tram after an altercation with other passengers causing delays to the service and the tram having to be taken out of use. After the incident the British Transport Police started an investigation which has resulted in the arrest and the release of an image of another individual they wish to speak to.

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Swinging Sixties event at Laxey

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

On Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 May Isle of Man Railways are holding a Swinging Sixties event based around Laxey Station on the Manx Electric Railway. This year to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who the Doctor himself will be investigating reported Cybermen activity at Snaefell Summit and the hippy camp below will be making banners, fire juggling, face painting, story telling and playing live music.

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Manchester Metrolink Engineering Work: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 May

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

The planned engineering work on the Bury line of Manchester Metrolink on Saturday 11 May has now been cancelled with a normal service running across the network throughout on this day. The engineering works due to take place on Sunday 12 May will also be altered with trams now running between Bury and Crumpsall with a replacement bus running from there to Piccadilly all day. The previously advertised changes on the Rochdale line will remain in place with no trams between Central Park and Victoria all day and Rochdale Railway Station stop being closed until 1500, again replacement buses will operate.

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Centenary cars prepare for comeback weekend

Posted on Friday 10 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Whilst the Centenary cars may not have exactly been the most popular type of tram to ever operate in Blackpool, the saying ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ certainly applies to trams. Since being retired from regaular service in November 2011, the appeal of the class has certainly grown amongst enthusiasts, hence the decision to include car 648 in the heritage tram fleet. Work is now underway to prepare both 648 and sister car 642 for use over the forthcoming late May Bank Holiday weekend as the star attractions on the heritage tram service!

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Heaton Park 7 in derailment incident

Posted on Thursday 9 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Heaton Park 7, also known as Blackpool Replica Vanguard 619, was involved in an unfortunate incident at the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester on Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May during a routine shunting procedure. The tram left the rails at the Middleton Road end of the tramway, resulting in it partly blocking the nearby road.

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Chesterfield 8’s big day out

Posted on Thursday 9 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The expected homecoming of Chesterfield horse tramcar 8 for a single day, as part of the inaugural Chesterfield Arts Festival. The tram was loaded up at Crich Tramway Village late on Friday 3rd May, before travelling to its former home town early the next day where it was prominently displayed in the town square. A small tent was erected around the tram although this did not detract too much from its appearance.

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Blackpool Balloon car moves to aircraft museum

Posted on Tuesday 7 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Tuesday 6th May 2013 was a very exciting day for the North East Electrical Traction Trust, as the first of the group’s collection of historic trams was delivered to the North East Aircraft Museum in Sunderland. The chosen vehicle was Blackpool Balloon car 721, which had previously resided at a top secret location near Scotch Corner awaiting its move to Sunderland, where it will eventually be displayed.

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LCC 106 gets lifted

Posted on Tuesday 7 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Following the recent confirmation that London County Council 106 is to occupy the Crich workshop during 2013 for an overhaul, it is pleasing to report that the tram has now moved into the works and is currently being stripped in preperation for work to begin. As reported previously, this project will be financed by the London county Council Tramways Trust, who undertook the original restoration of 106 at their Bonwell Street workshop premises in London (since closed).

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Bank Holiday Boating & Ballooning at Blackpool

Posted on Monday 6 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The May Day Bank Holiday weekend has proven to be an incredible success for Blackpool’s heritage trams, with many enthusiasts flocking to the seaside town to sample a taste of the past, no doubt encouraged to do so by the great sunny weather. Following on from the return to service of Brush car 631 on Saturday 4th May, a further nine trams recorded their first passenger use of 2013 over the course of the three-day weekend, one of which had not carried passengers since November 2010.

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Special delivery at Heaton Park

Posted on Monday 6 May 2013 by Andrew Waddington

On Tuesday 30th April, some new track was delivered to the Heaton Park Tramway, Manchester to assist with the new Lakeside Depot project. The rails had been acquired from Welshpool a little while ago, and were transferred to the tramway on this day for continued storage in anticipation of work on the depot building itself commencing in the near future.

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Southampton Tram Project’s trams welcome the public

Posted on Sunday 5 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

The three trams of the Southampton Tram Project have gone on public display this weekend as part of the Southampton Maritime Festival. The three trams – Southampton cars 11 and 38 and Lisbon 715 – could be found in their workshop at Southampton Docks’ berth 49 which is shared by the Dunkirk Little Ships Association (with one of their restoration projects also to be found in the workshop).

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Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust – a clarification

Posted on Sunday 5 May 2013 by Gareth Prior

We have recently carried some stories on future plans of the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust taken from information supplied on their website (http://www.visitfleetwood.co.uk). Some of these stories have caused confusion amongst some of you and we have been contacted by the trustees of the FHLT asking us to clarify a few points of which we are happy to do.

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