Having now firmly established itself in the annual special event calendar the Blackpool Anniversary Weekend returns on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th September. The weekend will see another hop-on, hop-off timetable in operation with seven trams running on each day whilst there are also depot tours, a mini system tour plus the usual pre-bookable themed, Coastal and Promenade Tours.
As previously advised the weekend will provide the final opportunity for public tours on board Balloon 715 which is due to be withdrawn from service as it requires workshop attention having not seen any significant work for several decades. The tram is scheduled to run on both days. Railcoach 680 and Brush 621 are also allocated to the timetable. But as we always say it’s all subject to the usual caveats!
Hop-on, hop-off tours
The timetable due to run on both days has been published on the Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours Facebook page. This will see seven trams running timetabled journeys across the complete length of the tramway – including to and from Starr Gate, a rare opportunity for a heritage tram to Starr Gate in 2022. The first tram will depart from North Pier and Tower at 0955 (for Little Bispham) with the last tram back at the same stop at 1753 (1715 ex-Fleetwood). An addition to the usual hop-on, hop-off timetable is a seventh tram with “Tram G” to leave depot shortly after 1400 on each day.
The planned allocations for each day are as follows:
Saturday 24th September
A – Bolton 66
B – Centenary 648
C – Balloon 715
D – Boat 227
E – Balloon 700
F – Brush 621
G – Balloon 717
Sunday 25th September
A – Boat 600
B – Balloon 700
C – Railcoach 680
D – Balloon 715
E – Brush 631
F – Balloon 723
G – Rebuilt Balloon 707
Rebuilt Balloon 718 will also be out as the Shop Tram at North Pier in both days.
What else is going on?
As previously announced there will also be various other tours taking place over the weekend
Saturday 24th September
Real Ale Tour – 1500
Tramtown Tours – 1030, 1245
Ghost Tram – 1915
Promenade Tours – 1310, 1440
Coastal Tours – 1340
Illumination Tours from 1930
Sunday 25th September
Mini System Tour – 0930
Starr Gate Depot Tour – 1200
Promenade Tours – 1310, 1440
Coastal Tour – 1340
Illumination Tours – 2000, 2120
The Mini System Tour is a new initiative for this year and will see a tram leaving the depot at 0930 for a tour using various crossovers and loops not normally served by heritage service trams.
Tickets
A special Two Day Event pass is available for £50 (adults). This includes two day tickets (worth £18 per day), a depot tour, the Mini System Tour, an Illumination Tour and the Ghost Tram or Real Ale Tour. Individual tickets are also available. More details at https://blackpoolheritage.com/tours/september-anniversary-weekend/.
- Keep an eye on the Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BlackpoolHeritageTramTours for all the latest news on the event.