The final stint of daytime operation for the Blackpool tramway’s heritage fleet occurs over the three-day August Bank Holiday weekend, with an action packed schedule planned as usual to entertain enthusiasts and other passengers alike. With many of the English Electric fleet celebrating their 80th anniversary year in 2014, the emphasis is once again being placed on the streamliners with two red trams set to steal the limelight!
Three crews will be provided to man the heritage cars on all three days, but a slightly different operating pattern is being tried out for this event. Four trams will be used on each day with crews swapping between trams, with one tram presumably being left at the Pleasure Beach, instead of the previous method of sending trams back to the depot to be changed over. Otherwise it is business as usual, with the first tour of the day departing from North Pier at 1036 and heading straight for Fleetwood, with a return to Pleasure Beach for 1215 to provide a connection with the other cars operating that day. The later Fleetwood tour will leave Pleasure Beach at 1725 and terminate at North Pier on the return leg at approximately 1901.
The list of trams expected to operate over the weekend and when they will run is provided below, although please note that this may change due to the weather and other unforeseen circumstances. There has also been mention of a surprise on the Bank Holiday Monday, with the final Fleetwood tour of the weekend being worked by a tram which is still to be confirmed. Read on for more details!
Saturday 23rd August
AM Fleetwood tour: Boats 227 & 230
PM Fleetwood tour: ‘Princess Alice’ 706 (note that this tour will continue to Rigby Road depot to provide a connection with the evening tour mentioned below)
Also in service: Boat 600
Extra evening tour: An evening, premium price ‘farewell tour’ for visiting Pantograph car 167 with tickets priced at £20 each and available on the day from the Pleasure Beach heritage hut on a first come first served basis from 1215 onwards. This special tour will depart from Hopton Road at 1930 and is due back at the depot for 2310, after operating as follows: Hopton Road-Fleetwood-Thornton Gate-Fleetwood-Starr Gate-Bispham-Hopton Road.
Sunday 24th August
AM Fleetwood tour: Balloon 701 & ‘Princess Alice’ 706
PM Fleetwood tour: Balloon 701
Also in service: Balloons 700 & 717
Monday 25th August
AM Fleetwood tour: Boat 227 & Brush car 631
PM Fleetwood tour: To be confirmed
Also in service: Balloon 701
Fans of the 1930s streamlined fleet should certainly enjoy the weekend’s output, with the debut of 701 in its red and white ‘Routemaster’ livery and the welcome return to use of Boat 227 likely to stand out as particular highlights. Saturday’s evening tour will be the last chance to ride on car 167 before it returns to Crich and this will also be its only appearance over the weekend, with money raised from the tickets sold being used to help offset the costs of bringing this tram to Blackpool for the summer season.
Hopefully the weekend ahead will be another triumph for the Blackpool heritage tram tours and further help to cement a secure operating future for these cars on their native tramway.
A sneak preview of what to expect this weekend, with a glimpse of Balloon 701 part way through its repaint into the red and white livery it last carried more than twenty years ago. (Photo courtesy of the Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours Facebook page)