Blackpool to host Vintage Weekend in February

The weekend of Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th February will give enthusiasts and the general public alike another chance to enjoy hop-on, hop-off heritage tram tours in Blackpool with the first special event weekend of 2022 now confirmed. As well as the hop-on, hop-off tours (using 6 trams on each day) there will be the popular depot tours, bus tours and three evening tours using the Western Train. There may be plenty to keep you occupied over the weekend but to enjoy it its going to cost you with another not insignificant price increase put in place.

For those in Blackpool the day before the main events of the weekend you can enjoy an Evening Tour from North Pier to Little Bispham and back using the Western Train on Friday 19th February. The Western Train will then be back out the following evening for a repeat tour before on Sunday 21st February it runs a special evening tour from North Pier to Little Bispham and then down to Starr Gate before terminating back at North Pier.

Of course what will entice most to the event weekend is the hop-on, hop-off tours taking place between roughly 1000 and 1730 on both Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th February. Six trams will be allocated to run these tours which according to the timetable published online will run various journeys between Pleasure Beach and Fisherman’s Walk, Fleetwood (or Ash Street as the timetable says despite the fact the stop hasn’t been called that for many years!). If the timetable is correct its not clear why heritage tours aren’t running to Fleetwood Ferry.

The timetable includes pre-bookable Coastal and Promenade Tours as well as other trips whilst if buses are your thing you can enjoy a bus tour to Fleetwood on both days of the weekend at 1100. There are also tours of Rigby Road Depot at 1100 and 1300 on both days.

There is lots to do over the weekend but the days of ultra cheap tickets now seem to be a thing of the past with significant increases to the prices. Having only been increased to £15 last September, the all day hop-on, hop-off ticket (which doesn’t seem to be called a Travelcard anymore in the latest publicity) will now set back you £18 for adults (£9 for children). It still provides unlimited travel on daytime heritage tours plus the modern trams and buses of Blackpool Transport but for a ticket which was only £10 a few years ago this represents another pretty big hike. There’s no denying the £10 ticket was probably too cheap but are the steep increases in being able to travel on Heritage Tram Tours going to lead to some being unable to afford to ride on the trams?

There are some positive developments in ticketing as a special Event Pass is now available. Costing £30 a 1 Day Event Pass costs £30 and includes a hop-on, hop-off ticket, 1 evening tour, 1 depot tour and 1 bus tour. And if you’re making a weekend of it you can buy a Weekend Event Pass for £50 which includes a hop-on, hop-off ticket, 3 evening tours, 1 depot tour and 2 bus tours.

All these tickets are available for pre-purchase through the Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours website at https://blackpoolheritage.com/tours/a-heritage-date-for-your-diary/ along with information on how to redeem your ticket on the Blackpool Transport app.

Main programme of events:

Friday 18th February

1900 – Evening Tram Tour with the Western Train

Saturday 19th February

1000-1730 – Hop-on, hop-off tours

1100 – Rigby Road Depot Tour

1100 – Fleetwood Bus Tour

1110 – Promenade Tour

1300 – Rigby Road Depot Tour

1355 – Promenade Tour

1440 – Coastal Tour

1900 – Evening Tram Tour with the Western Train

Sunday 20th February

1000-1730 – Hop-on, hop-off tours

1100 – Rigby Road Depot Tour

1100 – Fleetwood Bus Tour

1110 – Promenade Tour

1300 – Rigby Road Depot Tour

1355 – Promenade Tour

1440 – Coastal Tour

1700 – Evening Tram Tour with the Western Train (includes a trip down to Starr Gate and through the depot)

Further event weekends are planned for 30th April to 2nd May, 30th to 31st July and 24th to 25th September.

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