Crich50 – Official Day

Posted on Sunday 31 May 2009 by Andrew Waddington

The first of the events to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Tramway Museum Society’s site at Crich in Derbyshire, which was of course to become the National Tramway Museum, took place on Wednesday 20th May 2008. The main purpose of this day was to re-enact the arrival of the first tram at Crich, which incidentally is also the latest restoration project! Although this was advertised as a day for specially invited visitors, including one very special Royal guest, the general public were admitted as normal, and so regular British Trams Online contributor Andrew Waddington was there to report on all that happened.

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Crich50 – Crich Parish Residents Day

Posted on Sunday 31 May 2009 by Gareth Prior

The second of the events to celebrate Crich50 was held on Saturday 23rd May and was Crich Parish Residents’ Day. British Trams Online Webmaster Gareth Prior was present for part of the day and what follows now is a small taster of what happened.

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Crich50 – Tramway Museum Society Members’ Day

Posted on Sunday 31 May 2009 by Gareth Prior

The final – and the one everyone had been waiting for – event of the Crich50 celebrations was held on Sunday 24th May and was the Tramway Museum Society Members’ Day (although anyone could go to the Museum!) The publicity for this event promised a run of Sheffield 15 with GMJ, a cavalcade using all available trams and a capital cities line-up on the Depot Fan. British Trams Online Webmaster Gareth Prior reports. Continue reading →

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Crich50 – The Workshop View

Posted on Sunday 31 May 2009 by admin

As a bonus to the normal article on the events of the Sunday of the Crich50 celebrations we now present an article from Jack Gordon. Jack, as well as being the editor of Tramways Monthly, was volunteering in the Workshop on the day and provides his perspective on the day and also a short write-up of what happened on the final day of the Bank Holiday Weekend (when he was volunteering as a conductor – he certainly gets about!)

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Leeds Horse Tram 107

Posted on Sunday 31 May 2009 by admin

Since autumn 2005 a project has been running to restore the oldest surviving Leeds Tram to running order. This is not an electric car but the only survivor from the horse tram era. Project Manager Jamie Guest fills us in on the history of the tramcar and the progress made to its restoration.

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Crich Tramway Village 50th Anniversary Events Preview

Posted on Tuesday 19 May 2009 by Gareth Prior

2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the Crich Tramway Village or National Tramway as was. A short term lease was originally taken on in 1959 and since then the museum has gone from strength to strength. British Trams Online Webmaster Gareth Prior takes a brief look at the origins of the Crich site and then previews the events taking place to celebrate the anniversary.

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Blackpool Illuminated Western Train FTS Tour May 2009

Posted on Sunday 17 May 2009 by Andrew Waddington

Andrew Waddington reports from the Fylde Tramway Society’s tour using Illuminated Western Train 733+734 in Blackpool on Saturday 16th May – its first since restoration.

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Midland Metro: A Personal Farewell

Posted on Sunday 22 March 2009 by admin

Stephen Leigh looks at the Midland Metro system which links Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Stephen was a regular commuter on the system for a few years and looks at just why it has not been as succesful as would have been hoped for when it started services in 1999.

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Heaton Park Tramway: A Celebration of the British Works Car

Posted on Sunday 7 December 2008 by Andrew Waddington

To celebrate the recent acquisition of Blackpool Railgrinder 752, as well as the completion of overhaul work on Hull 96, the Heaton Park Tramway held ‘A Celebration of the British Works Car’ on Sunday 30th November. What follows is a review of what turned out to be a very interesting and eventful day for this excellent little tramway. Andrew Waddington reports.

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Seaton Tramway End of Season Gala 2008

Posted on Sunday 2 November 2008 by Gareth Prior

Seaton Tramway in East Devon held their End of Season Gala over the weekend of 25th and 26th October 2008 – a unique event in the UK tram world in that it stretches over two days. The weekend promised an extensive tram service, works cars in action and behind the scenes tours of the, normally closed to the public, Depot. British Trams Online Webmaster Gareth Prior attended Day One of the event – Saturday 25th October.

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Crich Enthusiasts Day 2008

Posted on Sunday 28 September 2008 by Gareth Prior

One of the premier tram events for tram enthusiasts in the UK is Enthusiasts Day at the Crich Tramway Village. The event publicity says that it is a “Dream Date for Enthusiasts”, but was it in 2008? Read on to find out what the event had in store for us. Report by British Trams Online Webmaster Gareth Prior.

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A Week in Blackpool: 30th August-6th September 2008

Posted on Sunday 21 September 2008 by Gareth Prior

It’s hard to believe that it is the seventh consecutive year that British Trams Online’s Webmaster Gareth Prior has visited Blackpool at the start of September. This year it was the first week of the Illuminations between 30th August and 6th September 2008 (a rarity that I get a holiday in August!). There is no doubt that the tramway is not as busy as it used to be, especially in 2008 with senior citizens now getting free travel on buses but not trams (another cracking transport policy from the government there), but just how was the tram output in this week? Read on for a day by day report on what happened (or didn’t) in the now familiar format, as well as a written report on the day we have lists of trams on service, specials and tours and a “Good and Bad” moments of the day section.

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Crich Tramway Village Edwardian Weekend 2008

Posted on Sunday 13 July 2008 by Andrew Waddington

The Edwardian Weekend has become a major part of the events calendar at the Crich Tramway Village – home of the National Tramway Museum – not only for the general public but also for the tram enthusiast with the only opportunity to ride behind a horse tram at the Museum. British Trams Online regular Andrew Waddington reports from the event…

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Event Review: Totally Transport 2008

Posted on Sunday 29 June 2008 by Andrew Waddington

British Trams Online regular contributor Andrew Waddington reports from the increasingly popular Totally Transport event held on New South Promendade in Blackpool every June.

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Event Review: Crich Tramway Village Tramathon 2008

Posted on Sunday 15 June 2008 by Gareth Prior

British Trams Online Webmaster Gareth Prior reports from the 2008 Tramathon at the Crich Tramway Village. In recent years the event has come in for a little criticism with some suggesting it is getting a little stale. What about 2008? Read on to find out…

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Event Review: Launch of Manchester Horse Tram L53 at Heaton Park

Posted on Sunday 6 April 2008 by Andrew Waddington

Andrew Waddington reports from the public launch of the Eades Reversible Horse Tramcar L53 on Sunday 30th March 2008. Also included is a visit to the Manchester Museum of Transport.

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Event Review: Crich Tramway Village 1940s Weekend 2008

Posted on Sunday 30 March 2008 by admin

The first major special event of 2008 was held at the Crich Tramway Village over the Easter weekend – 23rd and 24th March 2008. Jack Gordon reports from the second day of the event – Monday 24th March,

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Event Review: Seaton Tramway End of Season Gala 2007

Posted on Sunday 11 November 2007 by Gareth Prior

The Seaton Tramway in East Devon is unique in that it runs on a 2 foot 9 gauge. It also has the newest double deck trams in the UK, with three that were built back in 2002. Over the weekend of 27th and 28th October they held their annual End of Season Gala which promised behind the scenes tours, works cars in action, driver experience trams and an extensive public tram service. British Trams Online Webmaster Gareth Prior reports from the Saturday of the event.

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Event Review: Crich Tramway Village Enthusiasts Day 2007

Posted on Sunday 30 September 2007 by Gareth Prior

The annual Enthusiasts Day at the Crich Tramway Village – home of the National Tramway Museum – always brings up some surprises with rare trams seeing the light of the day. For the first time in 2007 British Trams Online Webmaster Gareth Prior attended the event. Find out what happened this year…

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The Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramway 2007

Posted on Sunday 16 September 2007 by Gareth Prior

It’s that time of year again when British Trams Online webmaster Gareth Prior takes a week’s visit to Blackpool. This annual report – now in its sixth year – tells you what trams were in service and any interesting movements during the first week of September 2007. Read on for the report from 2007…

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