Saturday, December 24, 2011

Bah Humbug!


Best wishes for 2012 to all my readers.








I really do expect to be home in January and to shake the cobwebs from my camera.







Best wishes again - Ricard Lomas



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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Nottingham - go ahead for new consortium

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Green-light-start-work-new-Nottingham-tram-lines/story-14154951-detail/story.html
I still find it difficult to imagine trent barton as a tram operator although their head office is still on the site of the Notts & Derby depot at Langley Mill.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Hiroshima





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Kyoto

My sister in law took this picture in Kyoto, Japan.
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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Crich 1989

Dear Mr. Lomas,
although we havent met (as far as I have seen on my enclosed pictures) and I was till some weeks ago an anonymous reader of your blog, I like to send my best wishes for your recovery.I have shot this series of slides (rotting in my archive) at the end of the eighties on my short visit in Crich - some of them on my walk up from Whatstandwell station. I hope, those photos will appear cheery in your situation.best regards and good recovery
Martin Schoenherr







Saturday, December 10, 2011

Kath Lomas (and other friends)

I am still in hospital. Pancriatitis is nasty disease and I have been kept alive by machines but am beginning to feel stronger.
Older TMS members will remember my wife Kath - perhaps driving 812 wearing a tin hat one Extravaganza.
I would like to publically thank her for coming to see me every day for 6 weeks and all her help and support.
I would also like thank all the friends who have sent me cards and emails

Whenever I feel strong enough I will try to update this blog more often.

Best wishes to
Richard

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Still in hospital

I have taken two steps forward and one step backwards but am feeling better again today. Thanks for  all the good wishes I have received.
I will try to update the blog from time to time until I get home when a normal service will be resumed.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Centenary car update

The total sum pledged by the end of yesterday afternoon is GBP 4985. We are very close but not close enough yet. We have 8 days left to reach the target. Please support the appeal now!
Wim Beukenkamp

London (x2) and Glasgow



Geoff and Hazel Quarmby sent me these two Pictures.  Thankyou.

Graham Feakins reports:
Dear Richard,
This is a link to some views of the mockup tram now arrived at Crich:
http://paulbigland.pikfu.net/set1141952/
It is a scheme that is not defunct (Mayor Boris Johnson shamefully took it off his “to do” list) but just ‘resting’.Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Big Blue

These pictures were taken towards the end of Oct. They show a mock up of the end of a Citadis tram which, I think, was intened for the now forgotten north to south London cross river tramway.


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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Nice picture

Tony Stevenson sent me this picture of Blackpool 40 and Glasgow 812.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Message to Peter Levy

Hello Peter
Thanks for your comments.
Yes I do remember you from the early days at Crich. Please send me an email to RichardandKath@gmail.com and I will reply.
Best wishes
Richard

Friday, November 18, 2011

New and old in Blackpool

The Fylde Tramways Society has a feature - the fleet in pictures
http://www.freewebs.com/fyldetramwaysociety-blackpool/thefleetinpictures.htm

Of particular interest are a picture of 001 at Cabin and of 004 being delivered
http://www.freewebs.com/fyldetramwaysociety-blackpool/001.JPG
http://www.freewebs.com/fyldetramwaysociety-blackpool/004.jpg

The most interesting of all is this picture of Cardiff 131 at Pleasure Beach
http://www.freewebs.com/fyldetramwaysociety-blackpool/Cardiff%20131.JPG

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Blackpool Centenary car

I was disappointed that a Centenary car has not been chosen for Crich. Whilst I did not particularly like them they were a response to a desperate situation when the OMO cars were worn out. The bodies were built by the local bus manufacturer East Lancashire Coachbuilders using common parts such as seats and window frames. The bogies and control systems were 'different' from other trams in the fleet.
However all is not lost. Wim Beukenkamp is trying to raise the money to save one of these trams. So far the response has been good and one may be saved in the nick of time. Wim is looking for pledges of money and I have asked him for further details so that readers of this blog can help.


Urgent Blackpool Centenary Class tram appeal
In order to preserve a fair selection of more recent Blackpool trams, last year Crich launched the Blackpool Fund. Sadly not enough money was donated to the fubnd to obtain every tram as originally planned. Reluctantly the Board of the TMS had to decline offers to preserve amongst others the last build British double deck tram 762 and the last Blackpool designed and build Centenary class tram 648. Understandable though the Board decision was, many tram enthusiasts and friends of Crich were very unhappy about this. Could Crich claim to be the National Tramway Museum and not preserve these two type of trams? Initiatives to try to reverse these decisions and create funds to support these schemes were started through internet and other social media. As a result, 762 has now been preserved at Crich after all. At present a last minute fund raising scheme has been set up through the TMS Yahoo group. The initiative is directed by Dutch TMS member Wim Beukenkamp and works as follows. Friends of Blackpool trams interested in preserving a Centenary Class tram for Crich are requested to contact Wim by email and state what amount of contribtion they are willing to pledge. Wim is collecting all the pledges and will offer them by the end of this month to the Board of the TMS. The pledges are for one purpose only, which is to preserve a Centenary class tram for Crich. If  the Board declines the offer, no money will actually be donated (no win no pay). Only after the Board has formally accepted the offer Wim will contact the contribuants and ask them to make their formal donation to the TMS Blackpool Fund.The target is to raise GBP 6400 by the end of November, which equates to GBP 8000 including gift aid, and as much as possible afterwards. Time is running out because Blackpool Transport has announced that all preserved cars must leave Blackpool by the end of this month. Those not taken away can be sold for scrap. Crich can really use a Centenary class tram, because such a tram will relieve the pressure on the sometimes overworked existing fleet, on the traffic department (because it’s an OMO) and on the overloaded Workshop. Those of you interested, please contact Wim Beukenkamp: wim.beukenkamp@hetnet.nl.After only a couple of days already more than GBP 3000 has been pledged, which is encouraging. But it’s still a couple of thousand pounds short of the target. Every pound counts, every pledge is welcome. Help save a Centenary tram for Crich and the national collection. Give the Centenary Appeal its final push!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Not good news

My diagnosis has been changed to Severe Acute Pancriatitis so I will be in hospital for many more days for tests and observations.
The longer term prognosis is still quite good and I expect to be able to take pictures at Crich and of the construction work in Nottingham which should start next year. I don't think I will be able to work as a tram conductor again.
At the moment I have limited access to the internet and it is too flaky to handle pictures but I can publish text.

I remain very concerned at the lack of a Treasurer at the Tramway Museum Society. Strong financial control has been the cornerstone of the Museum's success. Geoff Hyde ensured that money was spent wisely in the early days. Winstan Bond introduced more formal budgetary controls. (I overspent my Journal Editor's budget once and was quickly taken to task and never did it again.) Peter Moore continued Winstan's good work. A strong and independent Treasurer is vital to the future of the Museum.
TMS members should not stand idly by and let the present dysfunctional Board stitch something up. The Treasurer is elected by the members and not appointed by the Board. Is there anybody there?

Monday, November 14, 2011

Still in hospital

I spent my 70th birthday in hospital and am still in hospital because of an infection which is proving very difficult to clear.
Thank you to all my readers who have continued to look at the blog for news. As soon as I am allowed home I will resume blogging.
The news from Crich is that Blackpool 762 has arrived and Cardiff 131 is on loan to Blackpool for possible use as a track cleaner during the winter. It is now stored in the new depot. How wonderful! Will it perhaps run to Fleetwood? Berlin 3006's repaint into the former DDR cream livery has started.

Best wishes to all
Richard

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Wot no Treasurer?

The good ship Tramway Museum Society is now sailing towards the rocks called Financial Disaster. Peter Moore finally resigned as Treasurer on 31st October having given at least 6 months notice.
It is now down to all TMS members to demand action perhaps by collecting enough signatures to call an EGM.
Richard Lomas

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Hospital update

I am now recovering well in hospital.
All being well I will be able to go home on Friday 11th.
If this happens, I will restart this blog on Saturday.
Best wishes
Richard

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Still in hospital

I will be in hospital for several more days so this blog won't be updated until I get home as it is just too much hassle here.
Thanks agian for all your good wishes.
Richard

Friday, October 28, 2011

Hello World

I am still in hospital and will be for a few more days.
Thanks to all who have sent me messages of sympathy. Blog posts will return soon including a few recent pictures from Japan

Richard

Friday, October 21, 2011

RICHARD UPDATE

Friday 1900 hours  update.
Richard has spent the day and tonight in the ICU due to very low oxygen levels.   He has been diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and will be in hospital for a few days while they stabilise him and try to find out the underlying cause.  You will know when his is back home as the blog will suddenly spring to life.  Maybe I've got to go out with my camera as substitute, between hospital visits!!

RICHARD IN HOSPITAL

Hello blog fans.

Unfortunately there won't be any new blog posts for a while as Richard was taken into hospital last night with severe stomach pains and sickness. I left him at the hospital at 0200 about to have an XRay. Not sure what the problem is yet, but hope to find out in the morning (it's 0300 as I write this). 
Richard says he hopes whatever it is, it will be mended as quickly as the overhead at Heaton Park! Kath

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Horse tram Sunday

From Wim Beukenkamp
"Perhaps you can down load this picture for your blog.
The event was quite unique, because it shows a working horse tram running through The Hague last Sunday in the midst of normal tram traffic (look at the articulated car in the background).
This is the first time a horse tram operated in The Haguesince 1905. And apparently it is possible to run such antiques on a modern tram systems."
The tram in is not from The Hague but from the interurban horse tramway that operated between Utrecht and Zeist.
It is owned by the Railway Museumin in Utrecht and was restored in The Hague by a small team including Wim and his wife Josina.

http://www.htmfoto.nl/algemeen/tonen2.php?pagina=1318876622

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Heaton Park Tramway Update

"All overhead has now been replaced and now just awaits final testing on Sunday.
Thank you for all the messages of support and offers of help that have been received.
Also a major thank you to Peter Price our overhead line engineer and the rest of our volunteers that got stuck in."
Martin Bryan





Pictures by Joe Savage.

Sevilla (2)

Leaving AdI

Turn back at SB

Depot access between SB and PdSS


A little bit of history. Remnant of metre gauge system in Sevilla with one track in situ and a rosette above.

Metre guage track outside Granada station which is due to be swept away in the next couple of years for a new high speed establishment.
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Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Sevilla (1)

Martin Miller has been to Seville recently:
"Sevilla has a fairly short system running from Plazza Nueva through Archivo de Indias, Puerta de Jezez, Prado de San Sebastian to San Bernardo. The section from San Sebastion to San Bernardo opened a few months ago and provides a useful link to the RENFE station there. The section from Plazza Nueva to Archivo de Indias is unwired and battery operated and incorporates interlaced tracks past the cathedral."

Plazza Nueva

Between PN and AdI

Leaving interlaced

On interlaced approaching AdI



To be continued...

Monday, October 17, 2011

Bad News from Heaton Park

From Martin Bryan:
"Heaton Park Tramway is currently closed until further notice due to a theft of the overhead that happened some time between staff leaving yesterday evening and this morning. At the moment no further information is available but will be publicised once it is."

A quick update
"Approximately 40-50 metres of overhead cable has been stolen from the two reserved sections of the tramway.
An overhead specialist has been called in and a cherry picker hired in order for the damage to be thoroughly checked.
The tramway is not expected to reopen anytime soon."

Birmingham

"Hi Richard
Oxford Diecast have bought out their second N gauge tram - this one is in Birmingham livery - tram 61 going to Lodge Street.
And ironically today was the last open day at Aston Manor Transport Museum - The former Witton Tram Shed
best wishes
Ken Jones"

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Accident in Belgium

I have been sent this link about an accident on the Belgian coastal tramway on Friday. http://www.focus-wtv.be/nieuws/algemeen/verschillende-gewonden-na-ongeval-met-kusttram-in-nieuwpoort/article-1195117704053.htm

Here is a Google translation of the text:

Several injured after tram accident in Newport
Friday, October 14, 2011 at 10:03

Newport - UPDATE + VIDEO - In Newport is around 9:30 am Friday morning tram derailed. While two were seriously injured and 29 slightly injured. No one is in danger.
The accident happened at the height of the King Albert I monument at the locks. The tram, which ran from Ostend towards De Panne, derailed in a curve and came with his nose pressed to find a pole. There were about 100 passengers in the vehicle, especially older people who were on their way to market.

victims 
Two seriously injured and dozens of minor injuries were taken to hospitals in Ostend and Furnes charged. A number of other minor injuries could be provided on site. The passengers were unharmed, buses were brought to a shelter. There were 15 ambulances on site, and the MUG helicopter was deployed. The contingency plan was as effective, but that was quickly canceled.

tram Traffic 
By the accident, there was no tram traffic between Nieuwpoort-Bad-Calculus and Westende. The Line is the damage to the tracks and the overhead and repaired as quickly as possible since Saturday afternoon around 15.30 hours, there was another tram traffic at the scene of the accident. That was usually the weekend after the case.

cause 
About the cause of the accident, there is no clarity. The tram is at the entrance of Newport flown off the road. According to witnesses the tram drove very fast, but that does not confirm the line. The public prosecutor has appointed an expert.

Leeds 345 update

Leeds 345 is still in the workshop.


Recently the white lower saloon ceiling panels have been replaced and also some of the ornate wooden ventilator strips highlighted in the middle picture.
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Saturday, October 15, 2011