In Pictures: Midland Metro in March

Posted on Thursday 21 March 2013 by Gareth Prior

Following on from our look at Midland Metro a couple of weeks ago we bring you another selection of photos from the line taken earlier this week by Mervyn Williams.

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Changes announced for Blackpool’s heritage tours

Posted on Thursday 21 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Detailed plans for the operation of historic trams on the Blackpool tramway during the 2013 season have at last been announced, with a number of changes to the service that was offered last summer. With poor passenger numbers during 2012, it was inevitable that some changes would be made – and as a result of experience gained last year, heritage trams will be running much less frequently this year. However, a more appealing package will be offered to customers, which will hopefully make up for any disapointments.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 38 Comments

Beamish depot road 4 goes live

Posted on Wednesday 20 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Much of the work to install overhead wiring over Road 4 in the tram/bus depot at Beamish Museum has at last been completed, more than a year after the rails were laid in the floor. The installation and energising of the live wire over Road 4 is sufficiently complete for trams to take power, as has been demonstrated so far this week by both Grimsby & Immingham 26 and Blackpool 31.

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Leeds 6 left stranded at Beamish

Posted on Wednesday 20 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

This weekend’s Spring Gala event at the Heaton Park Tramway seems to have suffered from more than its share of bad luck, with numerous changes to the billed events happening due to events beyond the organisers’ control. Unfortunately, there has been another blow – Leeds 6 will not be able to make the trip from Beamish to Manchester ahead of the event, and will therefore be unable to operate as planned.

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Dead seagull found underneath tram!

Posted on Monday 18 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Work on preparing Blackpool Jubilee car 762 for service at its new home, Crich Tramway Village, is continuing to progress, with an ever-increasing list of jobs being tackled to allow this unique tram to be demonstrated at the museum. This recently led to a rather macabre discovery, when the decaying remains of a seagull were discovered beneath the tram!

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Princess on the prom!

Posted on Monday 18 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Wednesday 13th March saw an unusual winter appearance by an open-top tram on the Blackpool system, when ‘Princess Alice’ 706 operated a private hire. The tram was spotted on the promenade early in the evening, with several passengers taking advantage of some unseasonable sunshine on its top deck.

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This week on British Trams Online…

Posted on Sunday 17 March 2013 by Gareth Prior

If you haven’t yet taken a peek at the main website after this week’s update here is a preview of what is waiting for you!

Gallery 347: A new look for Nottingham Express Transit (http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/gallery347.html) – photos showing the transformation of 215 at Wilkinson Street depot

Gallery 348: Liverpool 245 restoration update (http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/gallery348.html) – images from February and March as the restoration at Birkenhead continues

Plus the Manchester Metrolink Fleet List has been updated (http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/manchester.html)

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Stockport 5 relaunch planned for Heaton Park’s Spring Gala

Posted on Saturday 16 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Following the disapointing news that Stockport 5 will not be making the trip from Manchester to Beamish for the museum’s tramway anniversary celebrations, the Heaton Park Tramway has now confirmed that the tram will instead be relaunched at their own Spring Gala event on Sunday 24th March. This follows the workshop attention lavished upon the car over winter, which has included the application of authentic period style advertisements to its decency panels.

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Bumper season for Blackpool illuminations

Posted on Saturday 16 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

The Blackpool tramway has been given a welcome boost, thanks to a surprise announcement by Blackpool Council this week that the town’s famous illuminations will shine for an extra week in 2013. It is expected that the ‘lights’ season will be extended to run for a further week in November, thanks to financial support from Merlin Entertainment, who own several prominent Blackpool attractions.

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RIP Centenary car 646

Posted on Friday 15 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Last October, Centenary car 646 mysteriously disapeared from Blackpool after suffering from an act of vandalism. The tram had been purchased by furniture sales businessman Paul Gaunt and stored in the car park of his premises, pending eventual display as part of the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust collection. Ater vandals damaged it, the tram was sold again and removed from its resting place. It has now been confirmed that, very sadly, 646 has since been scrapped.

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NET to be split into two for trackworks

Posted on Friday 15 March 2013 by Gareth Prior

Services on Nottingham Express Transit are to be disrupted for two weeks from Friday 29th March until Sunday 14th April as work is undertaken on the Noel Street crossing to upgrade it in time for the increase in services once the phase two extensions open in 2014. As a result of this trackwork trams will only be able to run between Phoenix  Park/ Hucknall and Wilkinson Street and from The Forest to Station Street with replacement buses operating in between.

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In Pictures: Glasgow 488 in Paris

Posted on Friday 15 March 2013 by Gareth Prior

The past week or so has seen a lot of mention of Glasgow 488 following its surprise return to the UK at the Ffestiniog Railway’s workshops for a restoration to take place to enable it to operate at the East Anglia Transport Museum. We have featured several photos of the bottom deck of the tram arriving in Wales but we have now received an image of both decks of the tram together whilst 488 was on display at the Paris Transport Museum.

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In Pictures: Metrolink from Rochdale Railway Station

Posted on Friday 15 March 2013 by Gareth Prior

As has been reported very extensively on British Trams Online Manchester Metrolink services are now running to Rochdale Railway Station following the opening of that extension on the last day of February. Although the tram stop is Rochdale Railway Station it is actually situated outside of the station (unlike say Altrincham where the Metrolink platform is part of the station complex) but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a photo of a tram from the railway platform!

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In Pictures: Around Metrolink’s New Lines

Posted on Friday 15 March 2013 by Gareth Prior

Just in case you haven’t had quite enough photos of Manchester Metrolink we bring you another small selection of images from the camera of Harold Hull at various locations on the latest extensions to open.

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Variotram 2555 derails at Therapia Lane

Posted on Thursday 14 March 2013 by Gareth Prior

London Tramlink had a day to forget on Thursday 14th March after the derailment of Variotram 2555 at Therapia Lane caused a major service suspension on the Wimbledon line. Earlier in the day there had also been a track fault at Addington Village which had meant trams had been suspended between Lloyd Park and Addington Village for a time.

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Discounted dayrider on offer for Star Walk participants

Posted on Thursday 14 March 2013 by Gareth Prior

On Sunday 28th April a special walk will be taking place at Hillsborough Park in Sheffield raising money to build a Woman Of Steel statue in the city, commemorating all of the women who worked in the steel mills during the two world wars. Known as The Star Walk 2013 any participant in the event will be able to get a Sheffield Bus and Tram Dayrider for just £3 on board any Stagecoach tram or bus in the city. All you need do to take advantage of the offer is to wear your race number or show the driver or conductor the registration  documents to take place and you will receive the discounted ticket.

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Blackpool trams at Bury

Posted on Wednesday 13 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Three of the Manchester Transport Museum Society’s recently preserved Blackpool trams have been in open storage at a secure site in Bury for some time now, and rarely been depicted in their current home. However, on Sunday 10th March a small party of volunteers from the Heaton Park Tramway went to inspect these trams and carry out a basic examination of their condition. Thanks to this visit, we are now able to bring our readers some recent images of Blackpool cars 702, 708 and 752.

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Stockport 5 pulled out of Beamish celebrations

Posted on Tuesday 12 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

It is with great regret that we report the news that Stockport 5 will not be visiting Beamish for the events to mark their tramway’s 40th anniversary next month. The cancellation of this loan also means that Blackpool 31 will not be appearing at the Heaton Park Tramway this year either, giving enthusiasts who were looking forward to both tram loans a double blow.

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Sheffield 264 comes out

Posted on Tuesday 12 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Continuing work on installing the live overhead wire over track 4 within the tram shed at Beamish Museum, has recently allowed the elusive Sheffield 264 to enjoy a rare airing. This tram was withdrawn from service due to the poor condition of its bodywork around a decade ago and has only rarely ventured outside since, and on its latest appearance a light dusting of snow around the museum sight added further novelty value to this rare scene.

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Another two bite the dust at Crich

Posted on Monday 11 March 2013 by Andrew Waddington

Following on from last week’s shock news that Southampton 45 has been withdrawn from service, it has been confirmed that two more old favourites at Crich Tramway Village have now been sidelined and will not be operating in 2013. The latest two victims are Blackpool & Fleetwood 2 and Johanneburg 60 – neither of which is suffering from any known defects, but are now considered overdue for workshop attention.

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