In Pictures: Latest look at Blackpool 708 in its Lincolnshire home

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Of all the Blackpool trams which are still extant, only one can call Lincolnshire its home (indeed it’s the only Blackpool trams known to have resided in the county). That tram is Balloon 708 which was acquired by the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft and travelled east in November 2023. With the Trolleybus Museum opening for its new season for the first time on 5th April, it was a chance to catch-up with the double decker once again in its new home.

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Next Supertram engineering works announced

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

The next set of South Yorkshire Supertram engineering works have been announced with work due to take place at Gleadless Townend over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend which (and the good news is that there isn’t long to wait until its here!) is between Saturday 3rd and Monday 5th May 2025.

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What’s New on British Trams Online? 27th April 2025

Posted on Sunday 27 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

More photos this week as we head to London Trams for a selection taken earlier this month:

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In Pictures: Seeing double in Manchester as 3038 advertises Soccer Aid

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Its not that unusual for the same company/event to advertise on more than one tram, but usually the multiple ads come at around the same time, but not in the case of Soccer Aid and Manchester Metrolink they’re not! Some five weeks since 3031 received the first advert, 3038 has now received another wrap for the same event in an identical style.

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Around the World in Trams: Riga 32036

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Its time for one last photo from Latvia and the tram system in Riga as “Around the World in Trams” continues.

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In Pictures: Supertram promotes Snooker World Championships

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Advertising on tram networks comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s a full vinyl wrap or small panels on the trams, and sometimes it involves tramstops. With the Snooker World Championships once again taking place at the Crucible in Sheffield (as it has done since 1977), Supertram have been publishing the event with large adverts on the stop at Sheffield Station/Sheffield Hallam University. Stuart Cooke took a look for us.

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Coventry City Council sign-up as event partner for BCIMO Family Day

Posted on Saturday 26 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

We recently ran a report on the forthcoming Family Day set to take place at the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley on Saturday 17th May and now it has been confirmed that Coventry City Council will be a leading event partner. As previously reported this partnership will include the first passenger runs of the Coventry Very Light Rail vehicle, with trips being offered on site at the Dudley facility.

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In Pictures: Blackpool 236 makes it ten operational trams at Crich

Posted on Friday 25 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

The Crich Tramway Village has reached double figures of fully commissioned passenger services with Wednesday 23rd April seeing the return to action of Blackpool 236 for the first time in 2025.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 2 Comments

Funding sought for Blackpool’s heritage trams to run again

Posted on Friday 25 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Blackpool’s heritage trams need at least £150,000 of funding if they are to run again in 2025 according to reports in the media (including the BBC). Having been suspended since November 2024 following a full review of their operation by Blackpool Transport Managing Director, Jane Cole, it had been hoped that they may return to the rails this year, but there is currently no funding in place to allow this to happens with warnings that if it isn’t found soon they will miss the complete year from the Prom.

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Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 21 Comments

Picture in Time: Snaefell Mountain Railway 6 & 2

Posted on Friday 25 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

“Picture in Time” remains on the Isle of Man but we go up to the summit of Snaefell for this edition.

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Crich launch fundraiser for new Access Tram

Posted on Thursday 24 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

The project to create a new Access Tram for Crich has moved a step forward with the official launch of a fundraising which would allow the tram to be completed and in service by spring 2026. This important project would see Blackpool Centenary 645 used to become Access Tram II, as well as retaining capacity for seated passengers.

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Posted in National Tramway Museum | 11 Comments

New Metro train introduction paused

Posted on Thursday 24 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

It was all going so well… The phased introduction of the new trains being built by Stadler for the Tyne and Wear Metro had seen nine of the units enter passenger service between December 2024 and April 2025 but this has now been paused with all of the train taken temporarily out of use. In a statement the reason for their withdrawal has been an operational issue which is now being fully investigated before they can run again.

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Further Metrolink Improvement Works announced

Posted on Thursday 24 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

With a network the size of Manchester Metrolink there is always maintenance which is needed and the rolling programme of work is set to continue this May with more dates announced which will lead to service changes. These latest works are in addition to the previous works announced during the month on the Rochdale line (3rd to 5th May), Bury line (10th to 11th May and 25th May to 1st June).

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In Pictures: A first look at the East Anglia Transport Museum for 2025

Posted on Wednesday 23 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

The award-winning East Anglia Transport Museum (including a “coveted” double win at the British Trams Online Tram of the Year 2024 contest) re-opened for their 2025 season on Sunday 6th April and we now head east for our first selection of photos of the operating season. These images were taken by Bryan Grint on Easter Sunday, 20th April 2025.

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New footbridge and access first stage of Bury Interchange redevelopment

Posted on Wednesday 23 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Plans have been submitted for the first stage of a major redevelopment of Bury Interchange which will eventually deliver an integrated transport hub for tram, bus and active travel. These plans – which are actually a stand alone project – will see a new bridge and access to the tram platforms built, subject to final approval.

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New Metro train immortalised in puppet form!

Posted on Wednesday 23 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

They still be in the middle of their phased introduction but the new Tyne and Wear Metro train are already seeping into the consciousness of people across the region, so much so that one appeared at the recent Newcastle Puppetry Festival! Part of the Festival was the Toon Underground Community Parade, and this featured a 15 metre long puppet of one of the Stadler built trains.

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In Pictures: More Supertram Easter trackworks

Posted on Tuesday 22 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

This is the second part of our look at some of the work which took place on the South Yorkshire Supertram network over the Easter weekend. In our last look, we saw the start of a track relay adjacent to Hillsborough Interchange and the start of work at Hillsborough Corner and now we see the conclusion of the Corner work and the start of more renewal at Middlewood. Stuart Cooke with the photos.

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See behind the scenes at the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre this May

Posted on Tuesday 22 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

Dudley’s Very Light Rail Innovation Centre (VLRIC) is set to open its doors for the first time to the public on Saturday 17th May 2025. The Family Fun Day is billed as part of the national Railway 200 celebrations and will also have plenty to keep the enthusiast interested – including a chance to see old friend Midland Metro T69 16, now in use as a test bed for new technology.

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UKTram highlight how they’re planning to recruit and retain next generation of light rail workers

Posted on Tuesday 22 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

The recent Mainspring European Light Rail Congress in Malaga heard from UKTram about their ambitious proposals to bridge a growing skills gap in the UK light rail sector by highlighting the rewarding career options offered by tramways.

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555 015 makes it nine new Metro trains in service

Posted on Monday 21 April 2025 by Gareth Prior

The phased introduction of the new trains on the Tyne and Wear Metro is continuing to accelerate with Thursday 17th April 2025 seeing 555 015 become the ninth of the Stadler built units to be used in passenger service.

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