MANCHESTER METROLINK ON 10 MARCH 2023 - Keith Chadbourne

 We have not had much snow here in Chorlton unlike scenes on the TV News of Buxton and stranded cars on the M62 in Greater Manchester. Crich has not opened today because of snow. I went out yesterday looking for Metrolink and snow picture on the Rochdale line. I went as far as Shaw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MANCHESTER METROLINK NOVEMBER 2022 - Keith Chadbourne

 

Piccadilly Gardens track repairs

Piccadilly Gardens track repairs

3096 departs Sale park and ride

NEWCASTLE 102 AT CRICH IN 1972 - Frank Bagshaw

A picture of yours truly driving 102 in 1972 - those were the days!

 

MANCHESTER METROLINK ROCHDALE ON 25 OCTOBER 2022 - Frank Bagshaw

 I went out on the Rochdale line today. Some pictures attached. It has been mostly a lovely sunny day apart from part of the return run when it was fine but cloudy.

Approaching Shaw

Leaving Rochdale Terminus

Leaving Newbold

25 October at Newbold

 

CRICH TRAM DAY ON 17 SEPTEMBER 2022 - Frank Bagshaw

 

Newcastle 102 on display

Trams on display on the depot yard: Glasgow 1282 and London Transport 1622.

 

Sheffield 74 failed in service at Glory Mine

Line up of trams known to be operating during the year that the late Queen Elizabeth was born.

Photo taken just prior to  one minute silence was held and before more trams came into service.

BIRMINGHAM EXTENSIONS ON 31 AUGUST 2022 - Frank Bagshaw

Frank Bagshaw rode the new extension to Edgbaston Village and reports how well the trams fit into their new surrounding. the route from Grand Central is a mixture of battery and overhead line.

Tram 38 takes advantage of the short section of overhead at Edgbaston Village terminus

Tram 38 on battery power leaves the Five ways underpass - which is also shared with buses.

 

Tram 41 arrives at Brindley Place on Broad Street where the pantograph will be lowered before proceeding via Library to Grand Central.

Tram 18 traverses the new delta junction which has been installed at the junction of Bull Street and Corporation Street ready for the eastside extension to the HS2 station at Curzon Street and beyond.

CRICH TRAMWAY VILLAGE on 29 AUGUST 2022 - Frank Bagshaw

 

Frank Bagshaw and Nigel Lemons crewed LTPB 1622 on it’s first day back in service.

The tram rides really well and the passengers were most impressed.

ISLE OF MAN 27-31 JULY 2022

Engine no 4 'Loch' arriving at Port Erin

Car no 1 about to depart Laxey for Douglas

Snaefell car 5 arriving at Summit. The last journey before the overhead came down at Bungalow.

Toastrack 32 towing the postal wagons at Derby Castle

Cars 9 and 57 at Ramsey terminus

Interior of one of the saloon trailers

Horse tram 36 towed by Torrin at Villa Marina terminus

Terminus at Villa Marina showing end of rails

Horse tram passing Empress Hotel

Horse tram speeding along on last run of the day

 

SHEFFIELD ON 22 JUNE 2022 - Frank Bagshaw

 

Good to see trams running to Halfway again after the line from Beighton had been closed for engineering work.

Tram  122 at Halfway. At the other terminus is  tram 101 at Malin Bridge.

 

 

CRICH - JUNE 21ST, WORK TO SORT OUT THE OVERHEAD, from Frank Bagshaw.

 

CRICH - JUNE 21ST, WORK TO SORT OUT THE OVERHEAD,  from Frank Bagshaw. 

Contractors Pro Trak arrived to remove poles from the depot fan and sort out other wiring issues we needed help with in the street.

Next job is for the Pro Trak Civils team to prepare the depot fan ground for the NET donated poles and concrete bases to be installed. re-wiring the depot fan should follow next week.    

At the same time another contractor started work on the Metropolitan police box (a listed building), blast cleaning then to be repainted. 

Cleaning the Tardis

Extra help at the Museum

Removing a pole

MANCHESTER METROLINK, NET AND HEATON PARK MAY 2022 - Frank Bagshaw

 Out and about with Frank. Saturday: a visit to Heaton Park, Manchester. Stockport 5 in service where trainee conductor was Derek Shepherd's daughter.

Blackpool railcoach at Heaton Park

Have Metrolink produced a purple tram for the Platinum Jubilee, no it’s USDAW promoting advert.

 

Friday afternoon in Nottingham: NET 228 at Highbury Vale waiting for a Clifton South tram to exit the single track from Phoenix Park.

SUMMERLEE ON 13 MAY 2022 - Frank Bagshaw

 Frank visited Summerlee on May 13th to review progress on Glasgow Coronation 1245.

Here is an external view of it's current status.

     

Along with a representative of the STTS, a visit was made to Summerlee in Coatbridge to review progress of work on Glasgow Coronation 1245. Restoration to enable it to run on the short museum track and give visitors the experience of riding a Glasgow tram.The volunteers working on the tram - who are not tram enthusiasts - just a group of retired guys with engineering skills whose aim is to get the tram operating again with finance from the local Council. 

Lanarkshire 53

BLACKPOOL 7 MAY 2022- Frank Bagshaw and Brent Higham

Flexity 001 on the Promenade

Flexity 006 in Fleetwood

Railcoach 631 returning to depot after being on a Private Hire.

Flexity 012 at Starr Gate

Balloon 717 waiting at Tower to operate a tour.

Bolton 66 at North Pier. Hands up those who remember Alan Ralphs and Derek Shepard who masterminded the restoration of this car! 

CRICH TRAMWAY VILLAGE ON 22 APRIL 2022 - Frank Bagshaw

 LCC 1 made a surprise outing from the workshop, only a few yards under power and was soon back in again. 

 

SEATON TRAMWAY EASTER 2022 - Keith Chadbourne

  It was a glorious Easter. I spent 4 days down at Seaton over Easter. Here are  a few pictures. Neither of the new stops are open yet whilst Riverside looks ready there is still quite a bit of work needed at the new Wetlands Stop ( Swan’s Nest ). The new timetable has been introduced so we are sort of “Ghost running”. That is we stop at the new stops for 2 minutes whilst we explain what is going to be the position when the stops are open. So it has been a case of forget all the old times and passing places. We now pass at Riverside, Wetlands and Cownhayne. How popular the new stops will be we will have to wait and see and whether 2 minutes will be long enough for the numbers who wish to get off/board. From experience at Crich and Seaton people take longer to get off / board than they used to.

 

14th April Riverside Stopo

16th April no 10 arriving at Seaton

No 8 at the stilll to be finished Wetlands Stop

Driver's view at Wetlands Stop looking towards Seaton

16th April looking towards Riverside and the depot

17th April no 12 at Colyton waiting to depart

17th April no 2 heading off towards Colyton from Riverside stop