Brush 621 Pictorial

Brush Car 621 with its fresh paintwork gleaming in the sunshine at the Pleasure Beach

Recently refurbished and repainted Brush Car 621 made its public debut this weekend, as part of the 80th Anniversary of the Blackpool Brush Car celebrations. There was very little sunshine in evidence throughout the three day event, especially during "Brush Car Friday" and on the Saturday. Sunday 24th forecast more of the same, but fortunately their were a few lighter patches of cloud which let the sun filter through on the odd occasion during the day. The following shots of 621 were taken at the Pleasure Beach, when the sun made a very brief appearance around 9.30 am on the Sunday morning.
 

Brush Car 621 leading the line-up at the Pleasure Beach on Sunday morning

Brush Cars 621, 623, 630 & 631 lined up in numerical order at the Pleasure Beach

A broadside view of 621 in hazy sunshine on Sunday morning

Brush Car 621 Launch Day

Brush Car 621 being shunted around the depot prior to making its public debut

Brush Car 621 made its post restoration debut as part of the 80th Anniversary of the Blackpool Brush Car weekend, on Friday 22nd September. 621's entry into Heritage Tour use was as part of the Brush Car Friday specially timetable service, which saw four Brush cars operating on "Cleveleys Flyers" between the Pleasure Beach and Cleveleys. The trams used for this Brush Car only event were 621, 623, 630 and 631.

Brush Car 621 parked on Hopton Road

A line-up of Brush cars 621, 623, 630 and 631 on Hopton Road

A line-up of Brush cars 631, 630, 623 and 621 on Hopton Road

Brush Car 621 at Cleveleys on the first "Cleveleys Flyer" of the day

Brush 630 arrives for 80th Anniversary Event

The low loader of Scotts Heavy Haulage reversing from Lytham Road into Hopton Road

Brush Car 630 arrived in Blackpool during the early evening of 18th September, after making the journey from the National Tramway Museum at Crich on the low loader of Scotts Heavy Haulage. Brush 630 is on loan from the Tramway Museum Society in order that it can take part in the 80th Anniversary of the Blackpool Brush Car event that is taking place this coming weekend. 630 was unloaded during the hours of darkness and in rather wet weather.

 

Scotts low loader reversing into Blundell Street past Balloon 715 waiting to leave on a private hire

Scotts low loader reversing from Hopton Road into Blundell Street

Scotts low loader reversing along Blundell Street

Brush Car 630 being pulled off the low loader trailer by Unimog 939

Ribble Running Day at Lytham

1939 Ribble Leyland 2057 contrasts with a 2017 Blackpool ADL Enviro 400 in Lytham town centre

The fourth Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust annual running day and display at Lytham Hall was held on Monday 28th August. The event enables enthusiasts to photograph and ride a selection of preserved buses from various local operators, and a regular free bus service was operated from Lytham Hall around Lytham St Annes. In addition to buses from the Ribble Vehicle Preservation Trust's own collection, there were preserved vehicles from other local operators such as Lytham St Annes Corporation, Blackpool Corporation, Liverpool Corporation and Fishwick's of Leyland amongst others. Many of the buses on display around the hall were used during the running day, providing a colourful sight for the locals enjoying a quiet sunny afternoon in Lytham town centre.

1934 Lytham Leyland Lion LT5A No 24 on Clifton Street in the centre of Lytham

1962 Ribble Leyland PD3 1775 on Park Street in Lytham town centre

1976 Park Royal bodied Ribble Atlantean 1397 on Park Street in Lytham

1972 Ribble Bristol VR 1995 at the main entrance of Lytham Hall

1957 Liverpool Corporation AEC Regent A267 on Clifton Street in Lytham

Stagecoach Ribble Volvo Olympian 2234 negotiating the narrow entrance arch of Lytham Hall

Stagecoach Dennis Trident 17012 in its new White Lady livery arriving at the entrance to Lytham Hall

August Bank Holiday Sunday

Brush Car 623 running down Lord Street in Fleetwood on an afternoon Heritage Tour

The timetabled Heritage Tram Tour output on Bank Holiday Sunday was provided by Bolton 66, Brush 623, Centenary 648, Railcoach 680 and Balloons 715 & 718, with Boat 600 assigned to specials. The tram service was disrupted again in the afternoon due to the Livewire Festival that was taking place on the Tower Headland, and from 3.00pm the Heritage Tour service was restricted to running between the Tower and Starr Gate. The Flexity service was again split into two, with the northerly section operating between North Pier and Fleetwood Ferry, and the southern section working between the Tower and Starr Gate.

Boat 600 heading south near the Tower

Brush Car 623 passing Boat 600 at Central Pier

Balloon 715 on a Heritage Tour to Starr Gate, passing Flexity 012 at the LRT platforms

Balloon 715 and Bolton 66 passing at the temporary Heritage Tour stops opposite Coral Island amusements

Centenary 648 heading south along Lord Street in Fleetwood on Sunday afternoon

August Bank Holiday Saturday

Balloons 723 & 717 operating on Heritage Tram Tours near the Tower on Saturday afternoon

The first day of the 2017 August Bank Holiday heritage weekend in Blackpool started off bright and sunny. The timetabled heritage tram output on the Saturday was provided by Box 40, Railcoach 680 and Balloons 713, 717, 718 & 723, with illuminated Frigate 736 operating on specials. Due to the Livewire Festival that was taking place on the Tower Headland over the weekend, tram sevices were disrupted after 3.00pm, with the Heritage Tram Tour service being restricted to running between the Tower and Starr Gate. The Flexity service was split into two, with the northerly section operating between North Pier and Fleetwood Ferry, and the southern section working between the Tower and Starr Gate.

Balloons 718 and 713 passing at the temporary Heritage Tour stops opposite Coral Island amusements

Balloons 717 and 723 passing at the temporary Heritage Tour stops opposite Coral Island amusements

Balloon 718 at the temporary Heritage Tour unloading stop near the Tower

Railcoach 680 passing the Metropole Hotel, returning from a run to Fleetwood

Balloon 717 using the crossover at the Tower to return south to the Pleasure Beach

Box 40 working through the Livewire Festival area prior to it being closed to trams

Frigate 736 using the crossover at the Tower during the truncated heritage service on Saturday

Enviro 200 MMC Demonstrator

Enviro 200 MMC demonstrator YX17 NLF at The Gynn heading up Dickson Road

Blackpool Transport currently have an Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 MMC demonstrator on loan. YX17 NLF has been noted in passenger service on routes 3 & 4, running between Cleveleys and Mereside. The MMC variant is the third generation Enviro 200 to be produced by ADL.

Enviro 200 MMC demonstrator YX17 NLF turning from Warley Road into Dickson Road

A rear view of Enviro 200 MMC demonstrator YX17 NLF in Cleveleys