In this week’s news from the light rail sector – Networks get into the festive spirit with carols on trams in Sheffield and Nottingham and a Christmas fundraiser by staff at Edinburgh Trams. Elsewhere, the first new train for Tyne & Wear Metro enters service, a hydrogen tram working group is established at the BCIMO and a special festive message from the UKTram team.
Sheffield Supertram
Last weekend, passengers were treated to a heartwarming spectacle as the choir 'Glee Bah Gum' took to the tracks for a special fundraising event.
Made possible with the help of Supertram conductor and choir member David Pering, they brought festive joy and community spirit to the 14:19 service from the Middlewood Park and Ride stop.
Choir members serenaded passengers with a delightful mix of classic and modern Christmas carols, accompanied by David's skilled guitar playing! This unique event not only entertained passengers but also raised funds for the Weston Park Cancer Charity, and you can read more here.
Edinburgh Trams
Before the countdown to the big day is over, Edinburgh Tram employees have been helping bring hope to children by supporting the biggest Christmas gift appeal in the UK.
Since the start of the month, they’ve been on a mission to collect toys for Cash for Kids to ensure that no child has to worry that Santa won’t come this Christmas.
The team has also donated £500, which will go towards helping the little ones and teens in the community it serves to enjoy the festivities, and the full story can be found here.
NET
Nottingham's tram network is getting taken over by tuneful travellers the week as part of its countdown to Christmas.
Reverend Jacob Tyers and some of the congregation from St Wilfrid’s Church in Wilford brought plenty of festive cheer to the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) network, singing carols as they rode around the city – with plenty of extra carol song sheets available for those who wanted to join in.
It marked another way NET is celebrating the Christmas season after the roll out of a new festive timetable, and you can read more here.
Manchester Metrolink
People in Greater Manchester are being encouraged to plan their festive journeys in advance, whether they’re meeting up with loved ones or heading into the city centre.
Whilst buses and trams will keep moving around the city region, some service changes are planned between Christmas and New Year.
Specific measures are also being put in place to help manage busier days in Manchester city centre and further details can be found here.
Tyne & Wear Metro
The Metro drivers who brought the first new train into customer service on Wednesday have spoken of their pride in playing a key role on a historic day for local public transport.
Long-serving drivers Jon Doughty and Chris Mongan are the Metro train crew who drove the new train with the first customers on board.
They had the honour of taking the new train into service when it set off from Pelaw at 11.04am on Wednesday, December 18. Both are elated to have played their part in marking the start of a new era for the Tyne and Wear Metro.
It was the culmination of more than five years of hard work for Jon and Chris, who are part of a team of drivers embedded in the new Metro fleet programme and you can click here for the full story.
Heritage
It has been confirmed that the tramway at Beamish Museum will be closed throughout January, February and March 2025 to allow some essential maintenance to take place.
British Trams online reports here that this follows from the temporary shortening of the route since the start of December, with trams only running Entrance-Foulbridge/Home Farm-Town.
Significant work will occur both on the tramway infrastructure and the tramcars themselves during the winter. As much of this would impact the ability to operate a service, it has been decided to suspend the tramway for the first three months of the year.
BCIMO
As the imperative for cleaner and, thus, greener transport continues apace, the exploration of potential solutions becomes ever more important, including a range of options for propulsion to ensure the sustainability of both source and supply.
The discussion opened this week on the role of clean hydrogen, encompassed in an ‘as-a-Service’ model for very light rail, with a new working group at BCIMO.
The session began with a welcome from Naomi Arblaster, Head of SME Development at BCIMO and project lead for the Clean Futures Accelerator programme, and you can read more here.
A Festive Message from the UKTram Team
Merry Christmas from everyone at UKTram!
We want to thank everybody in the sector, including our members, partners, and colleagues, for their incredible support and dedication to the light rail industry this year.
Wishing you a joyful and peaceful festive season with your loved ones, filled with celebration and connection.
Want to be featured in the first round-up of 2025? Please send your press releases to info@uktram.org.
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