Blackpool Transport and Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours have announced a series of special activities and packages available for people to travel on the North Station extension in the days leading up to its opening on Sunday 16th June. In the three days immediately before the opening of the extension there will the chance to travel on either a modern or heritage tram across the entire tramway, including the extension, as well as to see behind the scenes at Starr Gate Depot.
There are three separate packages available – which are said to cater to all preferences and budgets – and will allow anyone who wants a chance to experience the extension before the general public a unique experience. They will run on Thursday 13th, Friday 14th and Saturday 15th June and come the day after the “official” first tram on Wednesday 12th and the day before the official opening on Sunday 16th June.
The three packages available are as follows:
The Simulator Package (16+) priced at £50 per person and including:
- A 30 minute simulator experience
- A 40 minute in depth tour of Starr Gate Depot
- A tram ride which will cover the whole system including extension (Starr Gate-North Station-Fleetwood-Starr Gate)
The Depot Tour Package, priced at £20 per adult and £10 per child and including:
- A 40 minute tour of Starr Gate Depot
- A tram ride covering the whole system including extension (Starr Gate-North Station-Fleetwood-Starr Gate)
The Tram Ride, priced at £10 per adult and £5 per child and including:
- A tram ride covering the whole system and the line extension
Spaces are limited for each day and so anyone interested is advised to get booking as soon as possible!
A Flexity2 will be used on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th June with a heritage tram in use on Saturday 15th June.
To book visit the Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours website at https://blackpoolheritage.com/ and then scroll towards the very bottom of the page.
The sluggish ticket sales illustrate the huge challenge (largely self inflicted) they now face. It would have been inconceivable that such a large number of tickets would remain available days after the release in the past. Presumably BTS/BHTT would have been expecting that this would have deliver a signficant injection of cash. I would anticipate that will be uptic in ticket sales as the event gets closer largely driven by heavy rail enthusiasts.
I am set to be in the vicinity but I have to say am struggling to justify purchasing a ticket as it just feels like supporting them at this point provides validation for role-holders actions and not sure how that sits with my conscience.
I think the inability to advertise a long way in advance (which was inevitable given timescales and requirements and isn’t a criticism) hasn’t helped the uptake as a lot of enthusiasts have full calendars.
The offering is a bit old school as well – personally I would have had a couple of Heritage Trams running Beach to Cabin via North station and back for an afternoon at £10 a hop on and off ticket. The days of dragging everyone to Fleetwood are so pre upgrade. I’m surprised there isn’t a trip to North Euston built in!
The chance of a private tour Flex must be tempting for the small yet dedicated band of diehards (I think its the first time a paid private tour open to everyone has run with a flex?)
I think its a wake up call that Blackpool heritage is not as popular as it was, not helped by the severely limited availability and the same old same old pattern.