And the winner is…Blackpool Marton VAMBAC 11

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2011 is Blackpool Marton VAMBAC 11 having beaten off competition from Stockport 5 and Manx Electric Railway 7 over the past month of voting. The 2010 contest may have been a surprise with Liverpool 762 taking the accolade but I think it would be fair to say that this year it has been anything but a surprise!

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Metrolink hit by delays twice in as many days after tram breakdowns

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Two broken down trams on consecutive evenings caused delays and service suspension on Manchester Metrolink this week. The first incident happened at Deansgate-Castlefield on Tuesday 10th January with the second break down occurring at Piccadilly Gardens the following evening. Both incidents caused problems for people during the evening rush hour with services either completely suspended or running with delays.

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Trams are back operating at Birkenhead!

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The ongoing will they, won’t they saga of whether trams would be returning to operation on the Birkenhead Heritage Tramway seems to have finally been resolved with the positive news that services resumed last weekend (6th/7th January 2012) following yet another u-turn from Wirral Borough Council.

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Workplace Parking Levy rises before implementation

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Despite not yet having been introduced it has been announced that the controversial Workplace Parking Levy – which will part fund Phase Two of Nottingham Express Transit – will increase before the first charges are made! It had been expected that £279 would be charged per parking space per year (although businesses with less than 10 spaces are exempt but have to have a licence) but a charge of £288 will now be made as a result of inflation.

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Metrolink Engineering Works: Piccadilly Station closed 22nd January until 1430

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

No Manchester Metrolink services will be running into Piccadilly Station from the start of service on Sunday 22nd January until 1430 as there are engineering works taking place. All trams from Altrincham, Bury and Eccles will be terminating at Piccadilly Gardens with a replacement bus service running from there (Stand R) to Piccadilly Station. Services on the South Manchester line will run as normal into Victoria. Normal services will resume
from 1430.

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Bulwell Forest level crossing work – limited access to tramstop

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

From 2130 on Saturday 14th January until 0900 the following morning Network Rail will be undertaking essential work on the Bulwell Forest level crossing which means it will be closed to traffic and pedestrians for this period. As a result access to the tramstop will be severely limited as a Network Rail escort will be needed at all times – and at some times, due to the nature of the work, it will be unavailable.

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Hidden treasures emerge from Rigby Road

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

A depot shunt at Rigby Road, Blackpool took place on Thursday 12th January, in order to release Twin car 673+683 from the back of the depot, in preparation for an expected move off-site in the very near future. This provided a rare opportunity to see two of the most popular trams in the Blackpool fleet out in daylight, neither of which had run in passenger service since the end of 2010.

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Centenary cars bid Blackpool farewell

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

It’s been an eventful week for the Centenary cars of Blackpool, none of which had ever left their native tramway until this year; however this situation has changed in quite spectacular fashion, with three of the class departing within a period of just three days! 644 was first to leave, and was soon followed by sister cars 641 and 643.

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First Centenary car leaves Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Blackpool Centenary car 644 has become the first of its class to ever leave the Blackpool tramway, after being sold to Farmer Parr’s Animal World, a local tourist attraction. The tram was loaded up on the afternoon of Tuesday 10th January, ahead of an expected early departure the following morning.

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Preserved Brush cars go live!

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Excitement for the many fans of Blackpool’s iconic Brush Railcoaches continues to grow, as two members of the class prepare to carry their first passengers away from the familiar surroundings of the Fylde Coast. Positive steps are being made in the commissioning of both cars 623 and 630, which have both regained their current collectors – a small but very significant step towards both trams re-entering service in the near future.

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Lancastrian Transport Trust request Lottery cash

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The ambitious plans made by the Lancastrian Transport Trust to develop a heritage transport attraction on the Fylde Coast to showcase its large collection of historic trams and buses could receive a much-needed injection of money from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Trust has announced.

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Seeing double at Bury

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

A taste of 1970s Blackpool has come to the East Lancashire Railway at Bury, near Manchester, with the surprise arrival of Blackpool Balloon car 708 on Monday 9th January. The tram has now joined similar-liveried sister car 702, as both trams await eventual transfer to the Heaton Park Tramway, giving the bizarre sight of two nearly identical Blackpool trams together at this preserved railway.

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Tramlink 2554 arrives in Croydon

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The first of six new trams for the London Tramlink system has arrived at the Therapia Lane Depot having travelled from Chemnitz in Germany where it had been undergoing initial tests. The Stadler built Variotram departed the German city at 1900 (GMT) on Wednesday 4th January and had been making its gradual way across Europe before arriving in Croydon in the very early hours of Monday 9th January.

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Seaton unveil special events for 2012

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The Seaton Tramway in Devon have revealed their special event plans for 2012 with the majority based around the Tramstop restaurant at Colyton. The one event appealing more to the enthusiast market takes place over the weekend of 23rd and 24th June 2012 when tram 8 will be launched in its new Bristol blue livery during an event entitled “Weekend
Extravaganza – Trains, Buses and Trams”. No further details of this day have yet been revealed.

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Tram works set to recommence in Edinburgh

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Preparation for the return of works to construct the tramway in Edinburgh city centre have started with a number of traffic diversions put in place from 0500 on Saturday 7th January. The first stage of closures have been concentrated around St Andrew Square with roads on the eastern side closed to all traffic with it diverted along the western side, this will enable the recommencement of the much delayed utility diversion work before further
construction work can then be undertaken. A closure to Shandwick Place will follow next weekend.

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More utility diversion works to start in Oldham

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Further utility diversion work is to start in Oldham town centre on Monday 9th January when part of Union Street – between Greaves Street and Clegg Street – will be closed for up to four weeks. This will allow new waste water shafts to be constructed before track laying can commence in the area. Traffic diversion routes will be clearly signposted and all pedestrian routes will remain open throughout the work. The Metrolink extension through Oldham town centre is currently scheduled to open sometime in 2014.

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Blackpool 623 – almost ready for action!

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The process of commissioning preserved Blackpool Brush Railcoach 623 for operation at the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester has made excellent progress, so much so that further details of the planned event to launch the tram on January 22nd have now been revealed. During the final weeks of 2011, the car was treated to vital  weatherproofing work and a thorough interior clean and polish. Already in 2012, a new trolley tower has been fitted and a further step has been taken to enhance 623‘s appearance, prior to its big day.

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Tramlink 2554 starts testing in Germany

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The first of the Stadler built Variotram vehicles destined for the London Tramlink system has been delivered to the Chemnitz system in Eastern Germany for initial testing to take place. The tram – already liveried in the distinctive lime green, white and blue Tramlink livery – was first spotted in Chemnitz just before Christmas and since then has been seen out on the network undergoing tests.

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Snaefell Mountain Railway track relay progressing well

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Work to relay track on the Snaefell Mountain Railway has been progressing well during the off season with all work due to be completed in time for the Railway to reopen on 4th April for the 2012 season. The work, which was started last winter, will see the track replaced along with the improvement of the drainage below the track.

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Trams get festive in East Anglia

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The East Anglia Transport Museum normally closes its gates to paying guests at the end of September each year, but in a bold move the site re-opened for a few winter weekends in 2011. The Museum held its first ever Christmas event under the branding of ‘Santa Trams’, and this pre-booked event seems to have been a great success.

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