For the first time in a number of years the Blackpool Tramway will be running a service on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. This news comes as Blackpool Transport announce their Christmas and New Year period services on their tram and bus network.
Whilst it won’t be a full service – it will see trams running between Starr Gate and Thornton Gate at a 30 minute frequency from 0900 and 1700 – this has to be seen as a positive development. It has long been a bone of contention that the tramway has not offered any form of service on this day’s with anyone wishing to travel around the area being directed towards the buses but 2023/2024 will see trams running once more.
We’ll bring you our usual round-up of services on tramways across the British Isles over the festive period just before Christmas but in the meantime here is a summary of what will be running in Blackpool:
Sunday 24th December – Sunday service with final departure from Starr Gate to Fleetwood at 1900
Monday 25th December – No service
Tuesday 26th December – Special service with a 30 minute frequency to Thornton Gate, starting at 0900 and ending at 1700
Wednesday 27th to Saturday 30th December – Saturday service
Sunday 31st December – Sunday service with final departure from Starr Gate to Fleetwood at 1900
Monday 1st January 2024 – Special service with a 30 minute frequency to Thornton Gate, starting at 0900 and ending at 1700
Tuesday 2nd to Saturday 6th January 2024 – Saturday service
What happened to Fleetwood?
Understand Wyre Council declined to fund?
Although it’s over the border, presumably, TG works better for scheduling/crew rosters than CLV or LB.
What on earth does the final part of your last sentence mean?
Internal shorthand for the stops:
TG= Thornton Gate
LB= Little Bispham
CLV = Cleveleys
The area just to the north of Cleveleys is fairly well populated; so it’s likely that many passengers from that area would board at Thornton Gate and West Drive to head for the sales. Therefore the services on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day should prove both useful and lucrative.
While it’s a pity that Wyre Council wouldn’t support the service running through to Fleetwood, at least as far as Cleveleys there should hopefully be more than one bus route in operation to carry passengers from the Fleetwood area and if required connect with the tram.
Why should the council have to support a commercial service? Take away BT’s funding and they might actually try a bit harder to get some bums on seats for a change!
All that money they were given for the “upgrade” and the lalzy so-and-sos can’t even be bothered to run a tram, which will genetrate income, unless someone gives them another cash handout in advance!
Perhaps this would be a good chance for the heritage volunteers to get a couple of balloons out into service and show how it should be done?