As we have reported extensively over the past couple of weeks the Blackpool Heritage Tramway operation for 2013 commenced over the long Easter weekend and will operate again on the two Bank Holidays in May and then at the end of August before daily operation during the Illuminations. Unfortunately the local newspaper for Blackpool, The Gazette, have only just published a story about the heritage tram operation for this year – over a week after it started! But the story they have published does contain an interesting snippet – there is to be a special heritage tram week announced later this summer.
No details are currently known when this week will be or whether it will be true heritage operations as per the Easter bank holiday weekend just gone or more in keeping with the use of the Modified Balloons in October 2012. Either way it is good to see that Blackpool Transport are still looking at extra heritage tram operations this year and hopefully this week would be as well supported as the Easter weekend seemingly was.
The article also gives details of how many passengers have been carried on the main tramway since it opened last Easter with 3.7million passenger journeys recorded in 12 months. The last official figures released by the Department for Transport on an admittedly reduced tramway and operating season showed 1.1million passenger journeys showing how much more popular the Flexity2 trams seem to have made the Blackpool Tramway.
I stayed in Blackpool over Easter and the TramwaY operated faultlessly. In true BTS style, there was a different – and enhanced – Flexity service operating to the one advertised, and this has continued as the new timetable since Easter. It offers a 12 minute service from 8am from Starr Gate, 9am from Fleetwood Mon – Sat, and a 15 min service on Sundays 9am-6pm. Also on Mon-Sat, the 20 min early evening interval now operates until 20.15 from Starr Gate, 21.15 from Fleetwood. Well done BTS for recognising that the Easter holiday means more passengers. The Heritage service was also commendable, so many thanks, Bryan L. In spite of the modernisation, there is much enjoyment to be gained from a visit to the Blackpool TramwaY: in true tradition the Flexities have two guards on board, all of whom were offering exemplary customer service over Easter.