New route branding for Transpora North West's Service 24

Transpora Volvo Evora BD74FKE on Meadows Avenue in Thornton on 7th August

Transpora North West are introducing a new livery and route branding for their service 24, in partnership with Lancashire County Council & Blackpool Council. The first bus to carry the new colour scheme is Volvo B8R MCV Evora BD74FKE, which is seen here on 7th August on its first day in service in the new blue livery.

Evora BD74FKE on Westbourne Road in Cleveleys on service 24

Evora BD74FKE in its new blue livery on Bold Street in Fleetwood

Evora BD74FKE at Fleetwood, with BTS Enviro 445 on route 14 and Flexity 008

Electric Dump Trucks in Blackpool

A Fox Brothers Volvo FMX Electric 8x4 Tridem leaving the demolition site on Friday 11th March

No, not a tram but still electric. Spotted in Blackpool today at the demolition site of the old Bonny Street Police Station were some full size 100% battery electric dump trucks, owned by local company Fox Brothers. Fox purchased three of these Volvo FMX Electric 8x4 Tridem tippers last year, they are also equipped with rear axle steering (see photos). It was quite novel seeing a large dump truck whining its way down the road instead or roaring away.

A Volvo FMX Electric 8x4 Tridem turning onto Chapel Street with a load of crushed concrete

A Volvo FMX Electric 8x4 Tridem heading east on Chapel Street

One of the Volvo FMX Electric 8x4 Tridem dump trucks waiting to be loaded

Blackpool Zoo Tram

Flexity 001 rounding the curve from North Albert Street into Lord Street in Fleetwood on 20th June

Flexity 001 has received new advertising vinyls for Blackpool Zoo, replacing the long expired advert for The Sands Venue which was applied way back in 2012. Not only was the old advert time expired, but the Sands Venue was located in the former Palace nightclub building near to the Tower, which itself has been demolished for several years. Unfortunately they've just stuck the new advert on the now extremely faded purple tram, which hardly creates a great backdrop for the colourful new advert.

Flexity 001 heading along North Albert Street towards the Fleetwood terminus in Bold Street

Flexity 001 showing the old Sands Venue advert at North Station in April 2024

Flexity 001 at Cleveleys with its newly applied Sands Venue advert in September 2012

Cleveleys Model Tramway Show

The excellent Rainy City layout, representing Manchester in the 1920s.

The Blackpool Model Tramway Exhibition had a new venue for 2025, the one day show being held at Cleveleys Park Methodist Church, conveniently situated adjacent to the West Drive tram stop on the Blackpool to Fleetwood tramway. The event was well supported by exhibitors, sales stands and visitors, and was a resounding success thanks to the hard work put in by the organisers. All the layouts are to 4mm scale unless identified otherwise. Apologies to exhibitors if the photo captions aren't quite correct.

A large scale operating Lego tramway, featuring a Blackpool Dreadnought and other trams

An Edinburgh tramway street scene

A Scottish micro layout

Yellowthreads Treat a Hong Kong bus and tram layout

An HO German layout featuring trams, buses and trolleybuses

The tiny Upson Down Tram Museum in 3mm scale

An N gauge layout running a Hong Kong and articulated tram

The N gauge Blackpool's Golden Mile with some very nice 3D printed trams

Electric Avenue based on the Sunderland system

The Pavilion layout with a nice steam tram and trailer in 4mm scale

An Austrian Tirol mini layout in HO

Burychester Trams in N scale, sadly with no trams in the photo

The model tram display on the TLRS stand

Sightseeing Manchester Scania Omnicity on Beach Bus 26

LX58CEV leaving New Bonny Street at 1545 on Thursday 8th May

Former Stagecoach London Scania Omnicity LX58CEV has been in use on the Beach Bus service 26 to Marton Mere in Blackpool this week. The open-top Scania is normally to be found operating the T1 Sightseeing Tour in Manchester, in fact this route was still being displayed in the nearside destination box while the bus was running in Blackpool. LX58CEV ran two round trips from Marton Mere holiday village on both Wednesday and Thursday afternoon this week.

LX58CEV passing the Sea Life Centre on the 1445 departure from New Bonny Street

LX58CEV at Bispham in April 2024 before its conversion to partial open top

Retro Ribble Livery on Stagecoach Bus

Stagecoach 10030 next to Booths supermarket in Poulton-le-Fylde on its way to Lancaster

Stagecoach Cumbria & North Lancashire ADL Enviro 400 10030 (PX12 DNU) has recently been repainted in a retro colour scheme to represent the 1960s era Ribble crimson livery. The bus has been operating on various routes between Morecambe, Lancaster, Preston and Blackpool this week. The photos shown here are while 10030 was operating service 42 between Lancaster and Blackpool on 1st May.

Stagecoach 10030 passing through Layton on route 42 to Blackpool on Thursday 1st May

Beach Bus 26 Open Topper

LK08DXP approaching the Pleasure Beach on a return trip to Marton Mere on 10th April

During the recent sunny weather, Transpora North West have been using an open-top bus on their Beach Bus 26 service to Marton Mere Holiday Village. On 10th April ADL Enviro 400 LK08 DXP was in use on the 26, the bus being new to Metroline of London in 2008 in closed top condition. Service 26 is usually busy in the mornings bringing tourists from the holiday park at Marton Mere into Blackpool, with return trips being mostly empty on the early runs of the day.

LK08DXP on Clifton Drive, passing The Big One roller coaster at the Pleasure Beach

LK08DXP passing the wooden roller coasters along Bond Street at the rear of the Pleasure Beach

LK08DXP on New Bonny Street near the Tower in Blackpool town centre

LK08DXP heading west along New Bonny Street towards the Promenade

LK08DXP inbound along Preston New Road with a full load from the holiday park at Marton Mere

LK08DXP passing 'The Velvet Coaster' Wetherspoons pub near the Pleasure Beach