Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th August 2026 saw the annual Blackpool Airshow take place, and with large crowds expected on the Promenade it was publicised that a split service would be running with no trams between Manchester Square and North Pier. All plans look good on paper but alas on the first day of the service things didn’t quite go according to that plan.
To maintain the service on the southbound section – Manchester Square to Starr Gate – three trams were needed and 8th August saw 003, 007 and 018 allocated to operate this service. They ran Starr Gate to Manchester Square and then moved forward out of service to use the crossover at Foxhall before resuming their service back south.
On the northern section there were ten trams being used: 002, 004, 006, 009, 011, 013, 014, 015 and 016. Trams on this section were running between Fisherman’s Walk and North Station (with some part route services also operating).
Unfortunately, the northern service in particular fell apart during the afternoon and at one stage eight of the ten trams were all to be found on Talbot Road causing even more congestion. Some of the problems were caused by trams being held from going up to North Station whilst 006 also suffered a fault causing further delays.
The full story of what happened can be seen on YouTube from Podbaba Transport at https://youtu.be/68uye0borTA?si=4DWyWDNQBTQDLyTn
The good news is that second day of the Airshow saw a much more successful tramway operation!
On the southern section of the tramway Foxhall crossover was within a fenced off compound (presumably for safety reasons). Here we see 018 about to use the crossover to return south.
While the trams were quiet on the southern section the same could not be said of the Promenade! Looking towards Manchester Square here.
Up at North Station away from the chaos of the Prom we see 016 departing.
009 comes across the closed Promenade road with a northbound service at North Pier.
A look across to the Promenade route with 011 and another tram seen.
It’s a packed platform at North Pier as we see 006 waiting on the right. (All Photographs by Michael Morton, 8th August 2026)