On Saturday 24th September shortly before midday Blackpool Twin Car 272+T2 suffered a fire whilst operating a heritage tour from Pleasure Beach to Little Bispham. The fire broke out as the tram was on the climb between Gynn Square and Cliffs Hotel with all passengers from both the motor and trailer being evacuated promptly before the Fire Service attended the scene.
The Twin Car was running trailer first with the fire breaking out at the cab end of the motor (at the rear of the tram as operating on this journey). The tram crew quickly evacuated all passengers from both motor and trailer and there were no injuries as a result of the fire. Before the Fire Service arrived on the scene a well meaning member of public attempted to extinguish the fire using a water based fire extinguisher. Two fire engines arrived at the scene very quickly after the evacuation had been completed and the fire was soon extinguished.
All tram services were suspended past the incident whilst the fire was brought under control but southbound trams were able to resume at slow speed past the stricken tram within 25 minutes. Unimog 939 arrived at the scene and less than an hour after the incident had begun T2+272 was being towed to Bispham where the Unimog ran round the tram before towing them back to Rigby Road.
The RAIB are now conducting an investigation into the fire (although there is no mention of this incident on their website as yet). As for the tram it is back at Rigby Road but at this stage it is too early to say how long it will be out of action for.
Although we were on the scene (your Editor having been on the horse tram in Douglas when Torrin tripped up in August was also on the trailer when the fire broke out) we will not be publishing any photos of the actual incident whilst the investigation is ongoing. We have also closed comments on this story so as to avoid speculation as to the possible causes whilst the investigation is completed by the RAIB.