LISBON ROUTE 24 HOT OFF THE PRESS! 28 MAY 2015

Essentially, the two cork-clad trams, 722 and 745 (ex-Christmas trams) inaugurated the new 

tourist service, Camões - P. Real. The actual inauguration, with the cars pretty full of VIPs 

and invited guests, ran from P. Real to Camões and back. The cars then returned to Camões 

and picked up the first loads of members of the public, and they ran back and  forth for the 

rest of the day until about 16h00. Rides today were free for all comers so a number of us 

took advantage, but so did quite a number of regular tourists. In general, a ticket, valid for 

24 hrs, will be 6 Euro. However, in any 24 hour period, the service will only be running for 

about 5 hours (11h00 - 16h00) and I understand it will be worked by just one car. It all went 

off very well without any real hold-ups although there seemed to be some fairly surprised 

motor vehicle drivers. 

Attached: No 722 on the crossover at P. Real as it leaves with VIPs, thereby inaugurating 

the new service at 10h53 this morning.

HONG KONG MAY 2015 - Frank Bagshaw

More Hong Kong from Frank before he departs for China.

Leaving Kennedy Town

All carry some form of advertising

Box-like trams!

HONG KONG MAY 2015 - Frank Bagshaw

Frank Bagshaw is in Hong Kong, riding the 3'6" gauge tramway on its double deckers riding upstairs with front window open taking photos. Here is a shot of three trams waiting at Happy Valley terminus waiting for their return journey either West of East.

 

NAPOLI MAY 2015 - Martin Miller

A couple of pics from Napoli with most services being operated by Sirio trams. Heavily modified Peter Witt cars appear on Route 2 which seems to have a frequency of every 36 minutes!

 

Napoli is basically a two route system comrising 1 and 4 and is "T" shaped. The 4 runs the lengh of the top of the "T" and the 1 from the base of the "T" to the right hand side of the top. The very occasional 2 runs from the left hand side of the top of the "T" to half way down the "tail". All services affected by very bad traffic congestion and it took all day to complete the system with lots of waiting about. Beverley is very tolerant! Napoli is the noisiest City I have ever visited.

 

Video shows the intermediate turn back used by the 2 and service 1 short working to try and get back on schedule. https://youtu.be/C8z5pIdxuNA

JOHN SHAWCROSS FUNERAL DONATIONS

From Christine Shawcross

Re John's Funeral 3rd June

Dear All,

The Donations in lieu of flowers for John I would like to go to The Derbyshire Rutland and Leicester Air Ambulance who helped John.

To be collected on departure from the Crematorium by our National Tramway Museum Treasurer
Mike Ballinger.

Cheques to be made payable to "DLRAA"

Postal Address is:

Air Ambulance Service
Hazel House
Burnt Hurst Lane
Princethorpe
Warwickshire
CV23 9QA

FIRENZE MAY 2015 - Martin Miller

A couple of pics from the northern terminus of Firenza's only tram line T1. No activity seen on the proposed T2 and T3 lines which seem to be a long way into the future.

Video of the northern terminus with a very British departure leaving behind a potential passenger! https://youtube/qsrttwO6i40

LISBON MAY 2015 - Food for Thought

It is thought that Camões - P Real is temporary, maybe to see how it goes. There is talk of going to Carmo, but that will require points so that a car going up Rua da Misericordia can turn right and then go down to Carmo. 

There was an idea of something like São Tomé - P. Real, while extending it on past P. Real has also been talked about. Either to Campolide, or across to Estrela on the old 25/26 route. It has been reported that when Rua Ferreira Borges was resurfaced recently, the rails were purposely not buried, but there is no overhead there. This 

latter might not be too bad if the poles are still in place. 

LISBON PRINCIPE REAL ROUTE 24 - BREAKING NEWS ON THURSDAY 21 MAY 2015

During Thursday night, finally, a works car went to P. Real.  No idea who took the photos, but someone must 

have been out and about in the early hours of this morning. 

Works car 389, the water car/rail scrubber, has both pantograph and trolley and by the look of it the 

trolley is  reversible (unlike the situation of the trolley on the remodelados which is not reversible). 

 

Further news update -

A source says that zorra 398 went up to P Real last Monday. On Thurrday it was 389, the rail scrubber. There should be a 700 going up on Monday or Tuesday, while the tourist service is meant to start on Thursday:

6 Euros for a 24 hour ticket Camões - P. Real. We'll see

 

 

ROMA MAY 2015 - Martin Miller

A Stanga Tram at Roma Termini

One of the Roma Laziali - Giardinetti "trains"

JOHN SHAWCROSS FUNERAL DETAILS

John's funeral will take place at Amber Valley Memorial Park and Crematorium Derby Road, Swanwick, Alfreton Derbyshire. DE55 1BH tel 01773 252010. E.info@ambervalleymemorial.co.uk

On Wednesday 3rd June at 1pm.

His wake afterwards will be at his life long place of "Love and Passion". The Tramway Museum.

Donations in lieu of flowers I will advise you later.

JOHN SHAWCROSS - 20 MAY 2015

I am sorry to announce that John Shawcross died this morning at the Tramway Museum. His widow Christine has asked me to tell you all that 'He died doing what he loved and his passion'.

I will let you all know when funeral arrangements have been made.

CRICH HORSE TRAM ON WEDNESDAY 13 MAY AND TUESDAY 19 MAY 2015 - Hazel Quarmby

Joseph the horse pulling the Sheffield Horse Tram.  It was running with full loads all day on Wednesday 13th.

A different story on Tuesday with the poor weather

ROMA MAY 2015 - Martin Miller

 We have returned from 2 weeks in Roma and managed to visit Napoli and Firenza. Here are three photos of a gathering of trams used for dining, jazz and other charters. Not in the best of condition but seem mechanically sound. They are all shown stabled at Porta Maggiore await their evening duties.

Video also of the action at Porta Maggiore https://youtu.be/pGovgffIKcQ 

Stanga from the late 1940s

2035 MRS

2047 MRS

 

DUBLIN SOUTHBOUND TRAMWAY MAY 2015 - Frank Bagshaw

Frank Bagshaw was recently in Dublin. Here is a photo of the new bridge built over the River Liffey to take the new southbound tramway that will join the Red and Green routes.

Here we can see the southbound track over the new bridge waiting for the rest of the track to be connected.

PORTO IN THE SUN 9-11 MAY 2015

The weather greatly improved for the last few days of our visit - enough for a picnic on the beach at Pavoa da Varzim!

1 on the way from Infante to Passeio Alegre

Cars on routes 22 and 18 waiting to depart at Carmo

Passing the new hotel Da Vinccinear the depot  (the building used to be a salted cod storehouse!) -
spot the tram on the Coca Cola advert

Metro trains line up at Pavoa da Varzim in the evening

SINTRA 8 MAY 2015

No 3 in the depot at Sintra

Depot

No1 a work in progress

Ancient  tower wagon

Trolley turning Praia da Macas

Passing No 4 at Galamares

LISBON 3 TO 6 MAY 2015

Our stay in Lisbon started off cool and showery, but gradually improved.

28 at Largo Portas do Sol

28 entering Estrela turning circle

Waiting to enter Estrela turning circle

Estrela

elas

Tour car leaving Sto Amaro

One of the new tram tour 700 cars leaving Sto Amaro

Sto Amaro Museum showing 'Providence' lifeguard deployed

Post war car 741 and blinds showing long gone routes

Tram driving simulator

A Pragal bound tram

Awaiting departure at Cacilhas

PORTO IN THE RAIN 1 AND 2 MAY 2015

The annual visit to Porto and Lisbon proved to be somewhat different from 2014 due to heavy rain and cold winds in the first few days.

Metro at Mercado stop in Matosinhos

Waiting to board at then end of  the line

Steamy view of the depot

Carla turning the trolley in the rain at Passeio Alegre

Depot in the rain