Trains return to Blackpool North

156469 at Poulton-le-Fylde on the 1245 service to Manchester Airport 

Monday 16th April saw a limited train service resume on the Preston to Blackpool North line, after being closed for several months due to upgrade and electrification work. An hourly service is currently being operated between Blackpool North and Manchester Airport, with rail replacement buses still running to supplement the trains. Driver training trains were noted running in between the hourly passenger service.

156472 passing at speed through Layton towards Blackpool North

156491 at Blackpool North, note that platform 1 is still a fenced off work area

150220 leaving Blackpool North on driver training

40s at 60 event on the ELR

Visiting locos 40012 "Aureol" and D213 "Andania" at Bury Bolton Street Station

To mark the 60th anniversary of the English Electric Type 4 (Class 40) entering service with British Railways, the East Lancashire Railway held a special three day diesel event from 13th to 15th April. The 40s at 60 event saw five Class 40s in service, supported by a Deltic and Class 50 also. Resident 40s 40106, 40135 and 40145 took part plus 50015 "Valiant", along with visiting locos 40012 "Aureol", belonging to The Midland Railway Trust, D213 "Andania" from Barrow Hill and D9009 "Alycidon" courtesy of the Deltic Preservation Trust. Pioneer Class 40 D200 was on loan from the National Railway Museum at York, and was displayed at Bolton Street Station at Bury throughout the event.

D213 "Andania" departing from Bury on the 1616 service to Heywood

The noses of D213 "Andania" and D200 at Bolton Street Station, Bury

40135 and 40012 double heading the 1056 from Bury to Heywood

40012 and 40135 double heading the 1056 Bury to Heywood service

40106 "Atlantic Conveyor" at Bury on the rear of the 1315 train from Heywood

40135 waiting at Ramsbottom with 40145 arriving on the 1250 from Bury to Rawtenstall

D9009 "Alycidon" at Ramsbottom on the 1447 service to Heywood

50015 "Valiant" at Ramsbottom Station on the 1322 shuttle to Bury

D200 from the National Railway Museum on display at Bury

147 on midweek Heritage Tours

Balloon 715 and newly repainted Standard 147 passing each other near Manchester Square

Thursday 5th April dawned bright and sunny in Blackpool, and as newly repainted Standard 147 was rostered to be one of the two trams on the midweek Heritage Tours that day, the chance had finally arrived to get some some sunny shots of this tram in action.

147 at Gynn Square returning from the Cabin and heading for the Pleasure Beach

147 at Gynn Square on the first Cabin service of the day

Standard 147 southbound at Central Pier

147 heading south at Talbot Square past the junction for the new line to North Station

Standard 147 back in Heritage Tour service

Standard 147 gleaming in the sunshine during the midday crew break at the Pleasure Beach

Newly repainted Standard 147 re-entered Heritage Tram Tour service over the Easter weekend. As already detailed on the Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours website, 147 has had quite a lot of remedial work done to it since it returned from its period of loan at Beamish Museum. The tram now looks resplendent in the 1930s style of the Blackpool Standard green and cream livery, and is ready for many more years of Heritage Tour service.

A broadside view of 147 showing the Blackpool Corporation fleet name between the decks

The two oldest double deck trams in the heritage fleet, Bolton 66 and Standard 147

Rail Grinder visits Blackpool

The German rail grinder in use near the Lifeboat Station on Central Promenade

A Swiss made Meili VM8000 rail grinder belonging to Goldschmidt Thermit Railservice of Germany is in Blackpool this week. The vehicle was being used to grind the rails of the southbound track between the Tower and Central Pier on 20th March. When in use the VM8000 deploys four retractable rail wheels in order to run along the track, the road wheels being lifted clear of the ground. The grinding work was being done in between the normal Flexity tram service, with the vehicle raising its rail wheels and driving clear of the tram track on its road wheels to let each service car pass by.

Grinding the southbound rails opposite the Sealife Centre

The rail grinder in use near the Tower tram stop

A close up of the grinding mechanism and rail wheels

The rail grinder is operated via two remote control consoles

Blackpool's Newest Flexity

Flexity 018 at Anchorsholme Crossing

Flexity 018, which was newly delivered on 15th December last year, was noted in passenger service today. Here are a few views taken on the northern half of the tramway on Monday 19th March. The two new trams look quite smart in their factory fresh shiny finish, and they contrast quite markedly with the now faded purple cabs on the original sixteen Flexities.

Flexity 018 on Pharos Street in Fleetwood

Flexity 018 heading north along Lord Street in Fleetwood

Large Logo Class 37 at Preston

DRS 37402 about to depart from Preston Station on the 2C47 to Barrow-in-Furness

Direct Rail Services 37402, wearing the BR large logo heritage livery, was noted operating the 2C47 from Preston to Barrow-in-Furness on Monday 5th March.

DRS 37402 ready to leave Preston on the 1004 to Barrow