Category Archives: Blackpool Tramway

Heritage trams return to the rails in Blackpool

Posted on Thursday 3 September 2020 by Gareth Prior

As planned the August Bank Holiday weekend saw the return of Blackpool’s heritage trams to the tracks with three days of special tours taking place using three different trams each day. A combination of “Promenade Tours” and “Coastal Tours” ran … Continue reading →

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Engineering Car 753

Posted on Monday 31 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

The year is 1986, the month October as we head down to Rigby Road Depot for a view of Engineering Car 753 in today’s edition of “Picture in Time”.

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Picture in Time | 3 Comments

A tale of two Coronations

Posted on Saturday 29 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

There is no denying that Blackpool’s Coronation Cars remain popular with enthusiasts even though (or maybe because!) there hasn’t been an operational example on the Promenade tramway for several years. The road to return for two of the three survivors … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 5 Comments

Covid-19 service update – operating systems

Posted on Wednesday 26 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

It’s been around two months since we last brought you a summary of the service being run on the tram and light rail systems of the British Isles – so its about time we gave a handy update all in … Continue reading →

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Yet another increase in services on the Blackpool Tramway

Posted on Tuesday 25 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

A new timetable will be introduced on the Blackpool Tramway from Sunday 30th August to allow more trams to run during illumination evenings with services running up to every 10 minutes. Blackpool Transport will also be introducing “Tram Full” messages … Continue reading →

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Covid-19 update – heritage systems and museums

Posted on Tuesday 25 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Its been a while since we last had a summary of which heritage lines are operating following the continued easing of lockdown restrictions so here we go again! This summary only gives details of those museums/heritage lines which have reopened. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beamish Tramway, Blackpool Tramway, Burton & Ashby 14, East Anglia Transport Museum, Manx Electric Railway, National Tramway Museum, North Eastern Electrical Transport Trust, Seaton Tramway, Summerlee Museum Tramway, Volk's Electric Railway | Comments Off on Covid-19 update – heritage systems and museums

Picture in Time: New South Wales Steam Locomotive – “John Bull”

Posted on Monday 24 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Of the trams which took part in the 1985 Blackpool Tramway Centenary without doubt the most unusual visitor was the former New South Wales locomotive, known as “John Bull”, and that is what features in this edition of “Picture in … Continue reading →

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Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Trawler 737

Posted on Thursday 20 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

And so we reach the end of this series as we take a look at the last of the trams which ran in passenger service over the final weekend of the traditional Blackpool Tramway. That tram is the illuminated Trawler.

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Work continues on returning Blackpool trams to the rails

Posted on Wednesday 19 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

While engineering staff are now back at Rigby Road in Blackpool preparing the trams for a return to the tracks at the August Bank Holiday weekend as well as continuing the work on the overhauls of the illuminated feature cars … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Fylde Transport Trust | 4 Comments

Picture in Time: Blackpool Dreadnought 59 & Manchester 765

Posted on Monday 17 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Today we have another image from the 1985 Blackpool Tramway Centenary showing two very special trams – including one which, incredibly, we haven’t previously featured in the Blackpool edition of “Picture in Time”.

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September Illumination Tours booking open

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

You can now book for an Illumination Tour in Blackpool during September, with confirmation that throughout the month all tours will be in the hands of Balloon Cars with the Illuminated feature cars set not to be ready until later … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackpool Tramway | 1 Comment

Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Frigate 736

Posted on Thursday 13 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this penultimate instalment of this edition of “Whatever Happened To?” we take at the second of the illuminated feature cars to run during the final weekend of traditional tram operation, the illuminated Frigate.

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Engineering Car 753

Posted on Monday 10 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

We move forward to Centenary year on the Blackpool Tramway for this week’s Blackpool “Picture in Time” image as we take a look at Engineering Car 753.

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More funding confirmed for light rail in England

Posted on Saturday 8 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Five tram and light rail systems in England outside of London (both the Docklands Light Railway and London Tramlink are covered by the Transport for London funding package) are to receive funding of up to £37.4 million over the next … Continue reading →

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More frequent Blackpool Tramway service announced

Posted on Friday 7 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Blackpool Transport have announced that as from Sunday 16th August a more frequent timetable will be introduced on the Blackpool Tramway with trams continuing to run later into the evening as well. Since the tramway resumed operation last month the … Continue reading →

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New fares for Blackpool

Posted on Thursday 6 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Sunday 9th August will see the introduction of a new simplified fare structure by Blackpool Transport which for the tramway will see a flat single fare of £2.10 – regardless of length of journey. So, whether you travel from North … Continue reading →

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Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Western Train 733+734

Posted on Thursday 6 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

Having now seen all the normal trams which ran in passenger service over the course of the final weekend of traditional tram operation in Blackpool, the last three editions now concentrate on the illuminated feature cars, starting with the Western … Continue reading →

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Western Train to miss start of illuminations

Posted on Wednesday 5 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

When the Illuminated Western Train was withdrawn from service and moved into the Workshops at Blackpool Transport’s Rigby Road Depot following its use in the lead up to Christmas last year few could have imagined that its overhaul work would … Continue reading →

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Picture in Time: Blackpool Centenary 641

Posted on Monday 3 August 2020 by Gareth Prior

In this edition of “Picture in Time” we are heading back to August 1984 for a view of a then new, Centenary 641.

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Whatever Happened To? Blackpool Jubilee 762

Posted on Friday 31 July 2020 by Gareth Prior

As we continue our look at those trams which ran during the final weekend of traditional tramway operation in Blackpool we reach the second of the Jubilee Cars – 762.

Posted in Blackpool Tramway, Whatever Happened To? | 3 Comments