© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2011 I can remember - just - travelling on "old" trams in the UK - in Leeds, just before the end of that city's tram operation. A year or two later, nearby Sheffield was the last English system to go (with the exception, of course, of the coastal part of Blackpool's system). A little over thirty years later, trams returned to that city... Sheffield - a selection A sequence of short clips recorded near the centre of the city, and a ride up the tramway to Spring Lane I should mention that the "running commentary" occasionally heard is not from one of our party... On this trip, we paid a visit to Sheffield’s new tramway, and rode the system as far as we could - parking the car at Meadowhall, we travelled into the temporary city terminus at Fitzallen Square, then rode up the section to Spring Lane. At this time, the rest of the system was still under construction (must go back and have another look). The fine modern articulated cars made for a comfortable and swift journey in each case, complete with onboard announcements and little of the rumble and grind of the "old" trams. Manchester A selection of clips recorded at Hagside Having "done" the system, we then headed across the Pennines to Manchester, where we drove on up towards Bury. In the days of the 1200V Bury electrics, I had visited Hagside level crossing - we would return to the same spot and see how it looked. The answer? - apart from the overhead wires, little change. We moved on to the East Lancs. Railway - only to find it wasn't operating on this last Friday of the summer holiday period. So we moved on again, to Winwick Junction on the west coast main line a few miles further west, before finally spending a few minutes at Slindon, much nearer home. Winwick and Slindon Diesel and electric on the west coast main line Links: • Stagecoach Supertram - official site for the Sheffield trams • Metrolink - ditto, Manchester