68027+68003 at Bo'ness68027+68003 seen stabled at Bo'ness, the first time class 68's have visited the line 12.8.17 12th August saw 68027 and 68003 reach Bo'ness to become the first of the class to visit the heritage line.    They were stabled here for the day as they are required for the Northern Belle, however today 37602 and 37609 took the tour to Oban and back so both locos had an off day!   Both locos were seen stabled in the yard at Bo'ness.

60085 at Camelon60085 approaches Camelon with 6S36 Dalston - Grangemouth tanks 12.8.17 170396 arrives at Camelon with 2P37 Edinburgh Waverley - Dunblane

170478 departs Camelon with 2P38 Dunblane - Edinburgh Waverley

60085 approaches Camelon with 6S36 Dalston - Grangemouth tanks

66429 approaches Camelon with 4A13 Grangemouth - Aberdeen containers 12.8.17

66432 tnt 66430 at Carstairs66432 top and tailed with 66430 wait in the down goods loop at Carstairs with 6Z18 Carlisle Yard - Mossend engineering working 11.8.17 66432 top and tailed with 66430 were seen this afternoon waiting in the down goods loop at Carstairs with 6Z18 Carlisle Yard - Mossend engineering working

I had a quick visit to Bo'ness this afternoon and saw a line up of class 37's in the Diesel Yard!

One of Bo'ness' resident 37's 37261 was parked outside of the Diesel shed with DRS 37's 37602+37609, which are up to work the Northern Belle from Edinburgh - Oban tomorrow and West Coast's 37685.

Also seen was 27005, which was stabled in the display shed in between restoration work being carried out on it.

37261, 37602, 37609 and 37685 at Bo'ness37261, 37602, 37609 and 37685 seen stabled in the yard at Bo'ness 11.8.17	27005 at Bo'ness27005 is seen stabled in the display shed at Bo'ness in between restoration work 11.8.17
37261, 37602, 37609 and 37685 at Bo'ness	27005 in the display shed at Bo'ness in a lul in work to its restoration

158727 and 37602+37609 at Camelon158727 with 2J69 Falkirk Grahamston - Glasgow Queen Street passes 37602+37609 at Camelon on Carlisle Kingmoor - Bo'ness loco and support coach move 10.8.17 On Saturday the Northern Belle is visiting Oban.   Due to Route Availability, traction that can be used on the Oban line is limited so a pair of 37s are required.   In connection with this working, 37602 and 37609 complete with a support coach, worked as 5Z37 from Carlisle Kingmoor to Bo'ness.  

37602+37609 were seen today approaching Camelon on 5Z37 Carlisle Kingmoor - Bo'ness

266 at Gyle CentreCAF Urbos 266 in its new advert livery for CR Smith arrives at Gyle Centre with an Edinburgh Airport - York Place service 10.8.17 I decided to pop back to Edinburgh and try and get a photo of Edinburgh CAF Urbos 3 tram 266 in its new advert livery, having missed it yesterday and I wasn't disappointed!

266's advert for CR Smith features a CR Smith van on one of the wheel sections with a Musselburgh Racehorse and Falkirk Kelpie on the other wheel section.  

The advert looks stunning and is very well designed.  

Trams 259 and 266 are the first of 18 trams that will carry CR Smith adverts and it is expected that the 3rd advert liveried tram, which will feature the Orange and White striped lighthouse at Peterhead and Glasgow's Duke of Wellington statue complete with traffic cone and is expected out soon.  

When the 18 trams are complete, there will be 20 trams in advertising livery, with 251 wearing the #tramspotting advert and 261 wearing the Edinburgh Festival advert, although this will probably be changed for another in house advert once the Festival is over at the end of the month.

Some of the detail of 266's advert

266 at Gyle Centresome of the detail of 266's new advert 10.8.17	266 at Gyle Centresome of the detail of 266's new advert 10.8.17
Kelpie and Racehorse on one of the Wheel Sections	CRSmith Van on the other wheel section

A closer look at 261's advert

261 at Gyle CentreCAF Urbos 3 number 261 in its Edinburgh Festival advert livery pauses at Gyle Centre with an Edinburgh Airport - York Place service 10.8.17	261 at Gyle CentreSome of the detail of 261's Edinburgh Festival Advert 10.8.17	261 at Gyle CentreSome of the detail of 261's Edinburgh Festival Advert 10.8.17
261's Edinburgh Festival Advert	All Night Trams every Saturday during August panel	70th Anniversary pane

259 at Gyle CentreHaving just been launched in it's new advert branding for CR Smith a couple of hours earlier, CAF Urbos 259 approaches Gyle Centre with an Edinburgh Airport - York Place service 9.8.17 Following on from the Edinburgh Festival advert tram a further 2 trams have appeared in advert liveries, both being launched today.   Edinburgh Tram and CR Smith have signed a 2 year deal for CR Smith to advertise on an incredible 18 out of the 27 strong fleet!

On 9th August, the first 2 adverts were unveiled featuring stunning artwork pairing iconic Scottish locations or images that reflects not only the geographical spread of CR Smith’s customer base, but also celebrates Scotland’s soul and personality.

The first designs revealed include:

• a Musselburgh racehorse racing alongside a Falkirk Kelpie (carried by 266)
• the oldest stone bridge in the highlands at Carrbridge, arching over the Forth Rail Bridge (carried by 259, see photo on right)
• Glasgow’s cone crowned Duke of Wellington with the white and orange striped lighthouse at Peterhead (still to be unveiled).

It should be an interesting time for the Edinburgh Tramway with as many new advert liveries appearing in the next few weeks, talk of a 3 minute service during morning and afternoon peaks and with thoughts also turning to extending the tramway to Newhaven.  

Detail of 259's new advert livery 259 at Gyle CentreSome of the detail on the new advert livery for CR Smith on tram 259, on the left hand panel, Carrbridge and the Forth Bridge features and the right hand panel features the CR Smith van. 9.8.17

251 in Tramspotting livery at Gogar Depot 251 at Gogar DepotCAF Urbos 3 251 in Tramspotting livery is seen stabled at Gogar Depot 9.8.17

Detail on 251's Tramspotting Livery   251 at Gogar Depotsome of the detail of 251's all over advert #tramspotting 9.8.17

Hong Kong (Birkenhead) 70 and Lisbon 730 at WoodsideHong Kong (Birkenhead) 70 and Lisbon 730 seen stabled Woodside prior to their next working to Wirral Transport Museum 4.8.17 I spent an enjoyable couple of hours on the Birkenhead Tramway on Friday 4th August.   It was my first visit to the line and I was very impressed.   After getting off the ferry at Woodside, Lisbon 730 and Hong Kong 70 were waiting at the terminus.   Lisbon 730 was the service car, whilst Hong Kong 70 was out on Driver Training and was running just in front of the service car.

Hong Kong (Birkenhead) 70 was built in Hong Kong (to the same style as the famous Hong Kong double deckers) in 1992 along with sister car 69, which was in Taylor Street depot.   Both trams were delivered to and used occasionally on the Blackpool tramway until 1994 until the Birkenhead line was ready for testing.

Lisbon 730 was built in 1930 and spent many years operating on its native system before it was acquired for further use at the Seaton Tramway.   However this didn't happen and eventually after a period in store, 730 ended up at Birkenhead in 2004,  where it was restored (and reguaged from 2ft 11 7/16 inches to standard gauge), returning to service in 2006.     

After a short 5 minute journey to the Wirral Transport Museum, both trams waited before heading back to Woodside.

Inside the museum were 4 tramcars, these were:

Warrington 28: A 4-wheel G F Milnes car. This was originally car 2, which was withdrawn in the 1930s, and was used as a shelter on a bowling green at Cuddington until 1977.    It was based at St Helen's Bus Garage till 2004.   Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society began to procure parts to help with it's preservation.   The preservation will include a covered top deck with open balconies.   Number 2 did not run in this form but number 8 did so the tram will be numbered 28 when complete.

Liverpool Baby Grand 245: 245 moved to Birkenhead in 2006 and restoration started in 2010.   After 4 years of Hard work, 245 was completed and ready to grace the rails once more.

Liverpool Corporation Tramways 'English Electric' fully enclosed 8-wheel bogie car No.762. After withdrawal in 1956, the lower saloon was used as a clubhouse for the Newsham Park bowling green. The remains were rescued by the MTPS in 1977, and it was restored intermittently, arriving on the tramway on 6 February 2000. It entered public service in 2001.

Wallasey Corporation Tramways 'Bellamy' Brush 4-wheel car No.78. This tram was built in 1920, although it was old-fashioned in its design, having a covered central section of the upper deck, but open balconies at each end. On closure of the Wallasey system in 1933, it was used for storage on a farm in North Wales. The farmer gave it to the MTPS in 1986, and some initial restoration work was carried out in 1987. In 1997, the society obtained some Heritage Lottery Funding to allow them to complete the restoration, and the tram entered service in August 2002.

The museum also featured many photographs and displays from all the local and now closed tramways as well as some buses, cars and motorbikes from the local area.   There was also a model railway.

After visiting the museum, it was time to catch Lisbon 730 back to Woodside.   Once again, Hong Kong 70 followed behind and the pair were once again stabled at the terminus.