As most seaside resorts see their custom decrease, Blackpool steps up a gear for the annual illuminations. After the preview event a few days earlier, this year’s ‘lights’ were officially switched on by Dame Barbara Windsor on Friday 2nd September, signalling the start of one of the most busy and interesting periods of the year for the town’s tramway.
Unfortunately as is now traditional, switch-on night itself was a poor evening for the tramway. With part of the promenade opposite the Tower blocked off for the ceremony to take place there, a split service operated on the tramway, yet again inconveniencing the travelling public and confining the illuminated feature cars to depot. Meanwhile, crowds watched performances from music acts including DJ Fresh, The Vamps and Fatman Scoop at an event sponsored by Nickelodeon (and most of those acts make your writer feel old, even though I’m only 31!)
Thankfully normal service was restored the next day, and therefore the first illumination tours of 2016 ran on Saturday 3rd September. As one would expect, these featured both Western Train 733+734 and Frigate 736 – but for enthusiasts the most noteworthy event of the night was the first ever use of a B Fleet Balloon car on lights tours, with 700 doing the honours. All-white 718 also worked illumination tours on the first weekend, and was joined on the Sunday night by the more traditional Balloon 723.
Further novelty came on Monday 5th September when Balloon cars 700 and 711 were both used in ordinary passenger service. The duo ran as unadvertised specials, utilising crews who then took them back to Rigby Road to collect the illuminated trams for evening tours once darkness fell. This same practice was tried last year to make better use of crews who, in years past, would have sat around waiting for the lights to come on. The following day saw just one special out, this being car 711. Seemingly these trams will now become a more common sight, particularly in the first few weeks of the illuminations season when the opportunity for tours is fairly limited; however as the nights grow darker progressively earlier, this specials may in turn disappear – so anyone fancying a ride on one of these cars is advised to do so as soon as possible.
The use of the B Fleet remains a source of much dissatisfaction for many followers of the Blackpool tramway. In fairness, 700 in particular is a great car for illuminations tours; door modifications aside, its top deck interior retains a traditional, yet smart appearance thanks to its sympathetic refurbishment undertaken in the mid-1990s, and its roof windows offer an improved view from upstairs. Certainly to the average member of the public, it is probably a nicer tram to sit inside than say, 715 or 723 – however using the same tram on lights tours and normal stage carriage work within three days could lead to some confusion. Despite its less than attractive external appearance, 718‘s use on tours seems to have been well received so far, although this tram has at least been confined to heritage duties so far since its reactivation in July. Presumably it is the purple paint that dictates which trams are to be favoured for use in normal service, and indeed in hindsight it is unfortunate that the traditional-looking 700 is one of the three to carry the new purple and white fleet livery.
The coming weeks will certainly be an interesting time for the Blackpool tramway, and the B Fleet in particular. Perhaps autumn 2016 will give some indication as to the likely future role for these trams, but for the moment, their situation seems as confusing as ever – but at least some of them are running!
The Frigate and Western Train stand side by side at dusk on the loops at Pleasure Beach, in what will doubtless become a very familiar sight over the next few months. (Photo by Rob Bray)
Why will using the B fleet lead to confusion? Surely the destination Tour of illuminations would give people a clue! In the past the normal fleet always did tour work.
As the guard on 700 on Saturday – yes – I did have to explain to one family why we could not let them alight at the stop by their North Prom hotel despite they having got off a “purple double decker” there the previous weekend…
Which begs the question could a fatty on lights tours not use the platforms? Or do lights tours come under the same regulation as the Heritage tours?
Exactly. BT need to make their mind up – use them in normal service, or have them operating on Heritage Tours. They wouldn’t put a Flexity on a tour, so why put a fat balloon on? It simply creates too much confusion.
In the old days Trams did both service and tours – the same fleet! As long as the Guards make it clear before customers board or the tour sets off that its an illuminations tour then there are no problems. The enthusiasts say they want them out, then when Heritage use them you all whinge. Maybe you should make your mind up what you want? They are ideal for tours. Easy access, comfortable and warm when it gets cold.
As Paul said though its confusing when somebody gets on and off a purple Balloon car at the LRT stops one day and isn’t allowed to the next. In the ‘old days’ I often used to get off an illumination tour at the stop nearest to my hotel, so to not be able to do so on a tram that can be used in normal service is bound to create some issues.
I do agree that 700 in particular is a great car for lights tours, although the ‘easy access’ statement is a bit odd – its a step onto the tram and another step into the saloon, just like any other Balloon?
My views on the B Fleet have changed considerably since their inception. The expansion of the heritage operation & successful deployment of fully accessible modern fleet really has left the role at best limited. I was one of the B Fleets biggest supporters when Heritage was in its infancy but now believe in the medium term they will be no longer be suitable for front line stage carriage work. The various restraints & limitations the cars have mean they would better serve the heritage fleet. One thing nobody really took into account of was loading times on B Fleet would get progressively worse. Passengers spread along a LRT Platform expecting multiple doors. The more accustomed they are to loading & unloading on LRTs the greater the spread of passengers right along platform. Same time experienced tramway staff both drivers & guards are moving on to pastures new or out of practise and the skill (and is a skill) of quickly loading a balloon is lost. These two factors alone increasingly undermine the modified fleet in front line role. They have failed to secure meaningful role assisting the core service for various reasons and the only sensible progression in my eyes is the A Fleet expanding to 20 & the C Fleet benefiting from the B Fleet in whole whose of ways. Some of them are obvious candidates for restoration (e.g 700), some look like useful workhorses for the lights (Flat Fronts) Some look like useful parts (720).
Already this year usage levels of B Fleet in front line service down on last year. The LRTs for North Station were confirmed by Bombardier as due to be delivered towards end of next year. These additional LRTs can and will be deployed prior to North Station extension opening offering even greater fully accessible capacity.
If they are to transition to heritage as many hope and expect in the coming years was always going to be transition period where they dual role which might not be ideal but far better for the cars than simply sitting in depot gathering dust.
In fact on the first night, a total of 6 trams worked a total of 10 illuminations tours.
In order: 733/734, 736, 723, 700, 718, 715, 733/734, 736, 723, 718.
It’s not difficult to understand how the Job is being run In that the crews for the Tours com on duty for a full shift but lIghts tors cannot start until Switch On time. So the crews sign on at Rigby Road and do a bit on a B fleet car as a normal special using the LRT stops as B fleet cars can, they do as many trips as the shortening days dictate and go in for a break and bring out the Illuminateds and depending on numbers of crews other B fleet or Heritage cars for Tours AFTER DARK. Now as switch on time get earlier each week you can’t post timetable etc. for those special journeys. Just imagine the amount of paper and people needed to do that! Indeed even giving the crews a time card for those early trips would be an unjustifiable and excessive workload on some senior person rewritten weekly! And of course when the clocks go back the problem solves itself for the last weeks, The Actual Tours Run ONLY from the Heritage Stop at Pleasure Beach Loop and under the Derogation for the Heritage and Illuminated Cars As the Illumiated and Heritage casr can only stop at the Heriatge stops any tour car can legally only unload there to even if it a B fleet car as the Tours are a separate derogated operation from the Fully Accessible service which is all that can call at the Fully Accessible stops. It should also be remembered that some heritage and tour cars especially the Train actually cannot open their doors in a LRT stop the platform stops it swinging open! Surely anyone can realise you can’t have one tour car unloading at different stops to another on the same Tour. Non of this is rocket science or internal information it merely is simple OBSERAVATION. Now isn’t that what enthusiasts are supposed to be
doing all the time?
I can’t really see what the confusion is here. Wether a tram stops (or not) at a particular stop is determined by the SERVICE it is operating! It does not matter if it is a flexity or double decker, purple or green, etc. etc. If the tram is operating the normal Promenade service, it will observe all stops. If it is operating a HeritageTour, Illuminations Tour, Fish and Chip Tour etc. it will only stop at the published designated stops. All trams operating limited stop tours also display “Limited Stop Service” sign on the windscreens. The situation is no different from that found in many cities where bus companies operate both limited stop/express and ordinary services using the same pool of vehicles.
I think the confusion arises because unlike most operators a big percentage of Blackpool Transport’s customers are tourists – particularly in the illuminations season – so are already struggling a bit to understand the various operating quirks of the tramway and where everything is. The fact that a guard on the heritage trams has already said that there has been confusion on 700 shows that this is an issue, but hopefully not a major one.
What pleases me is that although many of our readers disagree with my views, we are clearly all very passionate about the tramway, and the heritage operation in particular. The desire to find a role for the modified Balloon cars is pleasing, albeit controversial, and shows how many people care about the future of these trams. Its when there are no comments because nobody cares that its time to worry!
You are all forgetting something. BTS and BHTT have a limited number of vehicles. They are, in the transport world, small operators. Its quite common for buses to operate as coaches and vice versa but you aren’t all whinging about that. My local bus changes at 6pm and I can’t get on or off where I could an hour before – its no different. It’s just because its Trams (and specifically Blackpool) that you all think you have a right to an opinion. BTS/BHTT are doing the best they can with what they have and if that occasionally causes confusion then as long as the Guards explain things properly (the Guard commenting on here clearly hadn’t made this clear to his customers before the tour) there is no problem. Wind your necks in and let them get on with it for goodness sake.
I’d say the widened balloons are easier access. Certainly the platforms are nice and wide with handy handrails and balloon stairs are fairly easy anyway. Don’t forget the new lighting makes the latforms very bright so easy to see your footing.
Absolutely particularly the modified fleet members which treated to more extensive attention (713,720 & Flat Fronted Variants) really are much easier to navigate & access. Quite powerful LED Platform Lights illuminate entrance. Bright coloured grab rails & none slip surfaces & step treads fitted to the stairs. The Low Voltage system for once offers real practical advantage as well been able to have some greater control of lighting ideal for lights tours.