DLR breaks passenger records during Olympics

Posted on Tuesday 14 August 2012 by Gareth Prior

Throughout the build-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games the Docklands Light Railway featured heavily on these pages as preparations were made to ensure it could be a useful and effective way for visitors to travel to some of the events. Now that the Olympics themselves are over things can start to return to normality but that is only after the DLR broke all passenger records over the 16 day period of the Games.

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Posted in Docklands Light Railway | 1 Comment

Repaints start and repaints approach an end at Beamish

Posted on Monday 13 August 2012 by Gareth Prior

Work has now started at Beamish on repainting Gateshead 10 into British Railways green with all efforts being made on completing the paint job by the start of the Power from the Past event between 30th August and 2nd September. Meanwhile work on Oporto 196 is nearing completion and it certainly looks as if this tram will be quite a start at the event in its new livery.

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Posted in Beamish Tramway | 1 Comment

Metrolink cross the Mersey…

Posted on Monday 13 August 2012 by Gareth Prior

One of the lines currently under construction as part of the plans for a major expansion of the Manchester Metrolink system is that to Manchester Airport. Due to open in 2016 and leaving the South Manchester line shortly after the St Werburgh’s Road stop work is progressing well with a new viaduct currently being constructed over the River Mersey and now starting to take shape.

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Posted in Manchester Metrolink | 4 Comments

More traffic management plans revealed for Edinburgh Tram construction work

Posted on Monday 13 August 2012 by Gareth Prior

Edinburgh Trams have announced the next stage of traffic management plans as construction work continues on York Place in the coming months. These latest plans have come about following discussions with both local residents and businesses.

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Posted in Edinburgh Trams | 1 Comment

Sunderland 16 temporarily withdrawn

Posted on Wednesday 8 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

One of the hard-working members of the operational tram fleet at Beamish Museum, Sunderland 16, has recently been withdrawn from service. For a while now, it has been planned to re-tyre 16 and now the car’s tyres have become a cause for concern, leading to a decision to being taken to sideline the tram until this work can be carried out.

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Blackpool’s vintage trams missing again

Posted on Wednesday 8 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Sadly, Blackpool Transport’s heritage tram tours have endured further disruption during the week commencing Monday 6th August. After operating a single tram instead of the usual two for the first three days of the week, the tours will not run at all on Thursday 9th or Friday 10th August.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 9 Comments

Cracks appear in Blackpol’s heritage tours

Posted on Saturday 4 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

As reported earlier this week on British Trams Online,  Blackpool Transport resumed operation of its heritage tram coastal tours on Wednesday 1st August, following a four-day absence due to defective points at Pleasure Beach. Unfortunately, since then the service operated has been very poor with numerous cancelled journeys which have done little to enhace the reputation of this business venture.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 16 Comments

Best plan for future of Birkenhead tramway

Posted on Thursday 2 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The ongoing saga of the future of the Birkenhead tramway continues to make the news despite no definite decisions being made. However, an interesting development occured during July, when staff and volunteers who work at Taylor Street museum were given a letter by Professor Lewis Lesley, on behalf of the BEST Group. This group had been formed to try and secure a future for the transport museum, including the collection of trams based there.

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Posted in Birkenhead Heritage Tramway | 4 Comments

Rocket tram shines for the cameras

Posted on Thursday 2 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The cosmetic restoration of Blackpool’s famous illuminated Rocket tram, 732, is making remarkably speedy progress with work on the external lights now almost complete. When the tram made its last appearance on the Blackpool tramway for a special farewell tour in 2002, it was only used on the condition that its illuminations were kept switched off, due to the delicate condition of the aged wiring.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 5 Comments

Western Train moved to Starr Gate

Posted on Thursday 2 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

On Monday 30th July, Blackpool’s most popular trams made a surprise appearance on the promenade. The illuminated Western Train 733+734 was driven to Starr Gate by engineering staff, and moved into the new depot complex. The same crews then returned to Rigby Road aboard modified Balloon cars 707 and 713, which were subsequently used in service later that week.

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Welcome return for Blackpool’s heritage trams

Posted on Wednesday 1 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

Following an enforced four-day absence due to defective points at the Pleasure Beach loop, it is pleasing to report that the heritage tram tours in Blackpool resumed on Wednesday 1st August, when Brush Railcoach 631 and Balloon 717 were in use. However, the previous few days had been anything but dull with some of the rebuilt double-deck cars making some rare appearances in ordinary service.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 4 Comments

Crich or Coplawhill?

Posted on Wednesday 1 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The Crich workshop is currently resembling a mini-Coplawhill, the legendary works of the extensive Glasgow Coroporation tramway system. As the Museum gears up to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the closure of Glasgow’s tramway, work is well in hand to prepare two Scottish trams for the event following a prolonged absence from the main line.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 6 Comments

Beamish 196 transformed

Posted on Wednesday 1 August 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The overhaul of Beamish 196 is fast approaching completion and the tram is now beginning to receive its new blue livery, in the style of the long-lost South Shields tram system. This replaces the Gateshead-inspired maroon and cream livery it has carried since debuting in passenger service at Beamish Museum back in 1992.

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Supertram 116 receives new advert livery

Posted on Tuesday 31 July 2012 by Gareth Prior

Stagecoach Supertram 116 has received a new all advert livery for Genting Club, which is to open in Sheffield at the end of September. The pleasing design features red ends with a mainly black body and as our correspondent says is probably the best advertising livery to have been carried by one of the Siemens built trams (and we tend to agree!).

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Posted in South Yorkshire Supertram | 3 Comments

The Diamond Jubilee Brush nears completion

Posted on Tuesday 31 July 2012 by Gareth Prior

Rapid progress continues to be made on the transformation of the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust’s Blackpool Brush 290 into a tram celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee at Kirkham Prison with the first of the student artwork recently been affixed to the windows.

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London 60 at Crich Tramway Village

Posted on Tuesday 31 July 2012 by Andrew Waddington

On 5th July 1952, the city of London bid a fond farewell to its extensive tramway network. Sixty years and three days later, a commemorative event took place at Crich Tramway Village, to showcase the superb fleet of preserved London trams in the National collection. This co-incided with the completion of the Museum’s latest restoration, London United Tramways 159, which provided the perfect excuse for a weekend-long feast of London trams. Andrew Waddington reports on the ‘London 60’ event held on Sunday 8th July.

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Prestigious award for Cardiff 131

Posted on Sunday 29 July 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The Tramway Museum Society are celebrating after winning an award from the Heritage Railway Association for the restoration of Cardiff water car 131. The prize was received in the category of ‘Self-Propelled Vehicle’ in a competion of wagons and carriages, with 131 being a most worthy winner following an excellent restoration to operating condition.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 2 Comments

Balloon cars save the day in Blackpool!

Posted on Saturday 28 July 2012 by Andrew Waddington

The morning of July 28th was an unexpectedly eventful one for the Blackpool tramway, due to an accident which occured on New South Promenade early in the morning. Full details are not known, but it is understood that a motorist lost control of their car whilst passing Harrow Place and swerved onto the tramway, hitting an overhead pole. Tragically, the car driver was pronounced dead on the scene.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 6 Comments

Heritage-free weekend in Blackpool

Posted on Saturday 28 July 2012 by Andrew Waddington

With regret, we report that the scheduled heritage tram tours in Blackpool have been cancelled this weekend, Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th July. This is due to the Pleasure Beach loop being temporarily out of action, and follows what has been a difficult few days for the heritage operation that Blackpool Transport will probably be keen to forget!

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 6 Comments

In Pictures: Diamond Jubilee Brush 290 Update

Posted on Saturday 28 July 2012 by Gareth Prior

Work to turn the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust’s Blackpool Brush 290 into a star for the 2012 Blackpool Illuminations is continuing with the special Diamond Jubilee livery approaching completion at Kirkham Prison.

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