Blackpool Boat 602 to sail again next year!

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Fans of Blackpool’s much-loved open ‘Boat’ cars have been given good reason to celebrate following the revelation that car 602 is set to return to active service in summer 2012, having been missing in action throughout 2011. As only one Boat car, prototype 600, is
currently fitted with transponder equipment it was the only one of this iconic class to operate this year and even it saw very little use for much of the summer. It had been feared that 600 would end up being the only Boat to be retained by Blackpool Transport and at least one publication reported on rumours that its four sisters had all been sold. Thankfully these rumours were unfounded and 602 has been given a secure future in
Blackpool.

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Heaton Park Depot gets the green light!

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The good news keeps coming for the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester, which has had plenty to celebrate this year with the opening of a new extension, Manchester 765‘s successful visit to Beamish Museum and the arrival of two ‘new’ trams on site (Stockport 5 and Blackpool 623) amongst the main highlights. However, the latest piece of news is probably the most significant yet for the tramway – planning permission has been granted for a new tram depot in the park!

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Tram Management System “challenges” lead to revised Metrolink Openings

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The ongoing challenges of the introduction of the Tram Management System – which is to be introduced across the Metrolink system – have led to Transport for Greater Manchester announcing revised opening dates for the forthcoming extensions of the system. This includes the next two lines to open – to Central Park and Oldham Mumps – which will now open as one phase as opposed to separately sometime in 2012.

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Edinburgh trams on target for 2014 opening

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The much delayed opening of Edinburgh Trams is still on schedule for summer 2014 according to Council officials. An update has just been released which gives details on when various milestones are scheduled to be completed and after the resumption of works earlier this year following the resolving of the issues with the contractor it is believed that everything is going according to the revised plan.

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Friends of Fleetwood Trams Copse Road plans dealt a blow

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The plans by the Friends of Fleetwood Trams for a museum in the old Copse Road depot in Fleetwood have been dealt a blow following the news that Wyre Borough Council have approved plans for a new waste and recycling depot right next to the historic Tramroad depot. However, despite this blow John Woodman from the Friends has pledged that the museum will still go-ahead.

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Blackpool trams reunited – in Manchester!

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Following the transfer of preserved Blackpool Brush Railcoach 623 from storage at Trafford Park to the Heaton Park Tramway recently, it was widely expected that Blackpool Balloon 702 would also be leaving its temporary home at Trafford soon afterwards, as both trams had been served with an eviction notice in light of upcoming development plans for the building they occupied. Sure enough, the day of 702‘s move
arrived on Friday 9th December, when the tram made a short journey by road to another temporary storage site – this time at the East Lancashire Railway at Bury. There it has been reunited with an old friend, Blackpool works car 752, which has been stored there since August.

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Flexity 2 x 3

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The third of Blackpool’s new trams arrived in the town on the morning of Friday 9th December, being unloaded on the headshunt at the new Starr Gate depot complex. The identity of this tram is not known for certain as the car is unbranded, but it is believed to be 005. The tram was swiftly unloaded and was then driven inside under its own power. It had actually been due to be delivered a day earlier, but its arrival was delayed by severe storms which prevented it from being docked at Hull until the weather had improved.

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More trams prepare to leave Blackpool

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Perhaps surprisingly, the past week has been a relatively quiet one on the Blackpool tramway with no further trams leaving Rigby Road. However, several cars have been prepared to leave suggesting that more moves could well be imminent.

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Christmas comeback for Birkenhead Trams

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

As previously announced here on British Trams Online and elsewhere, the Birkenhead tramway is set to re-open for one day only on Saturday 17th December for the pre-arranged Santa Specials. It is planned that two trams will be operating – one of which will be reserved for use as the special ‘Santa tram’ for pre-booked visitors, whilst the other will be in normal passenger service.

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Extra events for East Anglia for 2012

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The East Anglia Transport Museum have now released details of their special events programme for the 2012 season, and in a pleasing move there are more events planned than usual as the museum attempts to capitalise on a number of notable anniversaries.

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Brush Car 623 lights up!

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

It may not have been at the Heaton Park Tramway for long, but Blackpool Brush Railcoach 623 has already undergone some initial commissioning work in preparation for its much-anticipated entry into service in Manchester. Just a week after arriving at its new home, 623 had its lifeguard trays refitted, and some initial testing was undertaken within the tram depot. It is pleasing to report that the tram’s lights all worked perfectly which certainly bodes well for its return to service, as it has not operated for just over two years. The car has also received some weatherproofing work in an attempt to prevent it from leaking, although some further remedial work may be required.

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Blackpool trams get a Prison sentence!

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

In one of the most bizarre developments to date involving Blackpool’s redundant tram fleet, it has been announced that two of the ‘Friends of Fleetwood Trams’ collection are set to move to Kirkham Prison imminently where they will be worked on by some of inmates there!

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DLR extension would cost £1billion

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

A recent feasibility study undertaken for Greenwich Council into a possible extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Falconwood has shown that it would cost £1 billion to construct, including another tunnel under the River Thames.

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Docklands Light Railway Christmas & New Year service

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The planned services for London Tramlink across the Christmas and New Year period have now been announced. Similar to previous years all journeys across the Transport for London network will be free of charge between 2345 on Saturday 31st December 2011 and 0430 the following morning.

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London Tramlink Christmas & New Year service

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

The planned services for London Tramlink across the Christmas and New Year period have now been announced. Similar to previous years all journeys across the Transport for London network will be free of charge between 2345 on Saturday 31st December 2011 and 0430 the following morning.

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Crich receive Sandford Award for heritage education

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Crich Tramway Village have announced that they have received the Sandford Award for Heritage Education from the Heritage Education Trust. The award was presented by Professor Dame Rosemary Cramp in a ceremony at Durham Cathedral.

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Birkenhead 69 & 70 in miniature

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Popular model-makers Bachmann have revealed that they will release OO gauge models of the two purpose-built Hong Kong trams which are residents of the Birkenhead heritage tramway early next year. Models of both 69 and 70 in their current liveries (blue & cream and maroon & cream respectively), complete with appropriate advertisements, are
reportedly due for release around next March or April. These will be the first such models of any British trams to be released since Corgi’s Feltham casting from several years ago, excluding the various excellent kits that have been released to the enthusiast market.

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More residents whinge over Metrolink plans

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

Following on from last week’s story where residents in Wythenshawe complained about a Metrolink construction compound more local residents on a proposed route have now been up in arms, this time in Audenshaw. Local residents are complaining that they are being forced into have a track three inches above the ground which will cause access problems. As part of their complaint they undertook a protest by walking across a pedestrian crossing for an hour delaying traffic.

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Woman hit by tram in Manchester City Centre

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

A woman was hit by a tram in Manchester City Centre at around 1330 on Wednesday 7th December. The incident happened near to Victoria Station with the woman suffering minor injuries which required hospital treatment. On the same day delays were experienced on the Eccles line after a car struck a tram near to Langworthy.

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Permission given for four new trams for Sheffield

Posted on Wednesday 21 March 2012 by admin

A bit of good news was received in Sheffield this week when Chancellor George Osborne announced during his Autumn Statement that the plan for four extra trams for the Supertram network was progressing to the next stage. The bid for funding to allow the purchase of these vehicles has been on the table for a while but with budget cuts had been put on the back burner until now.

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