BELARUS TOUR APRIL 2013 - MINSK

The Longworth Tour to Belarus began with two flights to Minsk via Frankfurt on 23 April, arriving at midnight, so nothing more to do than go to the hotel and sleep.  On 24 and 25  April there was free time in Minsk with  2 metro lines, 68km of tramway and 499 km of trolleybus routes to see.  Firstly we had to get to grips with the money causing much amusement as there are 13500 BRU to the £, hence many Monopoly type comments.  The fares in the main throughout being BRU1400 (about 11p) per journey.

On 24th we journeyed to the tramway depot and after a short look around took tram no 180, a PCC type, for a tour.

Minsk Transport Coat of Arms - very appropriate

One of the newer style tramcars built locally

Tram 122 of the standard type of Minsk tram

Gas driven?

Tram 180 on the turning circle with service car

Tram 180

METROLINK IN THE SNOW - from Keith Chadbourne

Before we all get too enthused about the arrival of Spring/Summer, I thought these photos of Metrolink from Keith are a good reminder of this last long winter!

Presume this one has a small snow plough fitted!

MORE SUNNY LISBON ON SUNDAY from Luis Vieira

 

Sunday at Lisbon with marvellous sunshine

Around the Cathedral after a superb organ concert

Before the football derby Benfica - Sporting (the flag on the top of the building on third photo) 

 

SPRING ARRI VES IN LISBON from Luis Vieira

Some Lisbon trams under the Spring sunshine, last Sunday.

GREAT ORME ON FRIDAY 12 APRIL 2013

I went to a conference in Llandudno on Thursday 11-Sunday 14 April and managed to get time out to ride and walk the lower half of the Great Orme Tramway.  It was a rather murky and cold day which was a shame, but all seemed to be running well.  I stayed at a very nice B&B only 200 yards from the Tram Station on Church Walks - Lynton House - which I would highly recommend, only down side is there is no lift.

No 6 on start of  journey down to middle station

No 6 and 7 about to pass

You can see the poor visibility with the faded out cable car in the background

No 5 just rounding the corner on the way up

No 5 on the way up to the lower crossing point

No 4 coming down after crossing with No 5

Walking the lower half of the route is very steep and  interesting, but hard on the knees!

VICINAL VIEWS DVD - Views from 1986 and 1992

Here is the first production from the Richard Lomas Archive of DVD's.  The footage is taken from two visits to the Vicinal in 1986 and 1992 with a short amount of footage of the Grottes de Haan Autorail, using Richard's video films.  The DVD is 1 hour 17 minutes duration with the natural sounds and no overlaid musical effects.

If you would like to purchase a copy of this DVD the price is £12.99 inc P&P in the UK,  and postage to other countries can be quoted on request.  Payment via Paypal would  be preferred or cheques.  Please contact RichardandKath@gmail.com if you would like to order a DVD, in the first instance.

This is the first production from the archive and more will follow in due course. The next one will be Soviet Scenes taken in 1990, showing the tramway and trolleybus systems of the former USSR as it was in the process of breaking into separate countries. (now Ukraine (Lviv), Belarus (Minsk), Latvia (Riga), Lithuania(Vilnius), Estonia (Tallinn) and Russia (Leningrad)

SEMANA SANTA (Holy Week) IN SEVILLE from Luis Viera

Luis visited Seville  in Holy Week and took these photos and said 'Sevilla is very typical, but dresses a specially beautiful look on Semana Santa'.

Three Sevilla trams Urbos 3 - CAF, along the line shortcut by Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations.

MANCHESTER ON A WINTRY WEEKEND MARCH 2013

I went up to Manchester on Sunday to see an exhibition at the Lowry and then stayed overnight to be able to ride the new tram line extensions on Monday.  The weather was alternately bright and sunny or a blizzard, and the wind chill was unbelievable.  On Sunday morning there was no service to Oldham or Rochdale due to 'trouble' - official Metrolink explanation - and buses were running instead.  The service by tram recommended in the afternoon and I still don't know what the 'trouble' was.

A few sets of the original trams were out on Monday, but have to say they are now looking very dated and shabby.

Arriving at Droylsden terminus - nice to see some road running

Sunday - Media City stop - tram having reversed to go to Eccles

Between blizzards

St Peter's Square

About to enter the double track after leaving Rochdale

Single track working towards Rochdale

On our from Rochdale across the end of Piccadilly Gardens, the points needed changing in the middle of a blizzard! Driver not too thrilled.

COMING SOON!!!!!

A selection of  DVD's from the Richard Lomas Archive

WATCH THIS SPACE

(If you would be interested in any DVD's of tramways visited by Richard and Kath  over the past 25 years, please let us know the subject matter/place and we will try to find the right video for you.  We can be contacted on  RichardandKath@gmail.com)