We’ve been writing articles on the construction (or lack of construction at times) of the short extension of the Blackpool Tramway up Talbot Road and to a new terminus outside Blackpool North Railway Station for what seems like an age. In many of those articles we’ve had photos where the amount of progress has been minimal but over the past few days there have been significant changes and although its not a tram on the extension it does hopefully mean that more testing/commissioning won’t be far off.
The first significant change for the overall project – which also includes the construction of a new Holiday Inn hotel and a Marco Pierre restaurant along with a subway which links the site with the railway station – is that High Street has reopened. This is the road which runs to the railway station side of the site and has been closed during construction works. But this was reopened once more on Wednesday 6th March.
Also over the past few days has been the removal of much of the machinery and equipment used in the construction which means that it is now possible to see much more of the tramstop from outside the site (which once housed a Wilkinson’s store of course).
On the site the hotel car park is still be laid out and for the tramway overhead needs to be reinstalled from the scissors crossover to the terminus (this was removed to allow more construction of the hotel). The hotel is planned to open this spring and hopefully the tramway won’t be far behind, although we have no date for when this will definitely be.
And before anyone asks, no we don’t yet know what timetable may run on the tramway when the extension opens. Details of this will follow closer to the date services commence.
This is the view of the island platform at the tram terminus. Entrance to the hotel is on the right and the subway which leads to the railway station on the left. (Photograph by Peter Dockerty, 7th March 2024)
From the entrance to the site (the doors of Wilko’s if you like!) we look towards the hotel and tram terminus here. The overhead needs sorting again but apart from that most of the tramway work has been completed.
A view across towards the tramstop. Signage is in place for “North Station” and a two sided shelter is also provided. (Photographs x2 by Michael Morton, 7th March 2024)
By the time this extension finally opens the track will be due for relaying.
Steve – you only relay track after its been used!!!! BUT I do wonder about the life left in the points at North pier as they’ve been in use in one direction for 13 years.
9 days on from the photos in this article being taken, the site looks absolutely the same ……nothing done it seems in the intervening period.