BELARUS TOUR APRIL 2013 - VIA NOVOPOLOTSK TO VITEBSK

On Friday we drove from Minsk to Polotsk, arriving in time for lunch and then on to Novopolotsk, where we had permission to photograph the Zavod (chemical plant) end of the line. The service in the afternoon was on a 10-15 minute frequency.

Timetable at the bus station (Autovoksal) stop

KTM approaching the Autovoksal stop

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KTM at the Zavod (chemical plant) end of the line

Emerging from the turning circle at the housing end of the line

A few trams have a 'low floor' section

BELARUS TOUR APRIL 2013 - MINSK DAY 2

25th April was a free day and with judicious use of the metro, it was possible to get to the ends of tramway routes.  Minsk was a pleasant surprise, very clean and tidy, old buildings renovated, new buildings going up everywhere and pavements and steps which were safe to walk on - a lot of work has been done on the infrastructure of the country.

All doors working - a change from yesteryear

Standard type of trolleybus locally made

Older type of trolleybus still in use

Tram and trollerybus interchange

Leaving  Minsk station

On the approach to Minsk station

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.