JD advert on Flexity 014

Flexity 014 southbound at Anchorsholme Crossing

Flexity 014 has entered service this week carrying an overall advert for JD Sports. The advert is on a black background with the "JD" logo in large white discs on the tram ends and sides, with contravision in use on three sections of the tram. Again similar to 003 & 016, the tram has entered service without any external fleet numbers.

Flexity 014 departing from Cleveleys tram station

Flexity 014 approaching the Broadwater stop in Fleetwood

Flexity 014 heading north at the Gynn

An end view of 014 at the Bold Street terminus in Fleetwood

September Spectacular

Centenary 642 leaving the Pleasure Beach on a heritage tour to Little Bispham and back

September 22nd & 23rd saw the annual September Spectacular event for the heritage trams being held in Blackpool. Of the two days Sunday saw the best of the weather, and here are some photos taken during a few hours spent around the Pleasure Beach on the Sunday.

Boat 600 and Box Car 40 head up two lines of trams at the Pleasure Beach

Railcoach 680 and Balloon 717 at the Pleasure Beach

Bolton 66 leaving the Pleasure Beach for a heritage tour to Bispham

A selection of tram front ends on the Pleasure Beach loop

Railcoach 680 and Boat 600 waiting for their turns of duty at the Pleasure Beach

Balloon 701 at North Pier as seen from Boat 600

Brush Car 621 at the temporary Heritage Tour stop just north of Manchester Square

Numberless no more

Flexity 003 at Cocker Square with its newly applied fleet numbers

Flexities 003 and 016, which have recently received pink vinyl wrap overall adverts for Prettylittlething.com, have been running around this week without any fleet numbers. Both trams have now received fleet numbering, and were noted in passenger service today with their newly applied numbers.

Flexity 016 northbound at the Tower with its new fleet numbers

Pretty Little Flexity 003

Flexity 003 turning short at the Cabin on a truncated tram service

After the emergence of Flexity 016 with its new overall advert for fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing on Saturday, Flexity 003 entered service in an identical advert this week. The fact that neither tram is carrying external fleet numbers makes cursory identification rather difficult, only on closer inspection are there very subtle differences between the two trams. Flexity 003 is seen at the Cabin operating on the southern portion of the split tram service on 29th August, due to a traffic accident at Cavendish Road which blocked the tramway for several hours.

Various shades of purple and pink on 003 and 009 at the Cabin

Flexity 003 terminating at the Cabin on Wednesday 29th August

Car accident at Cavendish Road causes major disruption.

The BMW car blocking the tram line at Cavendish Road

There was major disruption to the Flexity tram service in Blackpool this afternoon. A BMW saloon car swerved off the Promenade at the Cavendish Road tram stop, demolished a length of the concrete fencing, scattering broken concrete across both tracks, and came to rest on the southbound line. According to eye witness accounts, the BMW had been seen speeding and overtaking other traffic prior to the incident, near Cavendish Road it had to make a sudden swerve to the left to avoid another car. Due to the car and debris being spread across both tram tracks, the Flexity service had to be split into two halves, with trams to the north of the accident turning at Bispham and cars to the south reversing at Cabin. After a while it was decided to link the two halves of the tram service with replacement buses. The disruption to the tram service lasted for several hours, until the debris and damaged car were removed from the tracks.

Flexity 009 held up at Cavendish Rd due to the debris strewn across the tram tracks

Look both ways before crossing the tramway!

A close up of the damaged BMW at Cavendish Road

Flexity 016 in the Pink

Flexity 016 approaching the centre of Cleveleys

Flexity 016 has lost its longstanding attactive seagull advert for Freeport Fleetwood, this being replaced with a rather uninspiring overall advert for the fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing, which is basically just a plain pink background adorned with unicorns.

Flexity 016 on Pharos Street in Fleetwood

Flexity 016 on North Albert Street in Fleetwood

Flexity 016 in April 2015 wearing its then recently applied Freeport seagull advert

Centenary 642 Launch Tour

Centenary 642 exiting Pharos Street in Fleetwood as it heads south towards Starr Gate

Centenary 642 took part in a launch tour on the evening of Friday 24th August. 642 had already been used in passenger service earlier on in the week, when it operated on Heritage Tours on Sunday 19th August. The Friday evening tour saw rather brighter weather conditions, with the sun even putting in an appearance during much of the tour.

Centenary 642 at Fleetwood Ferry heading south for Starr Gate

642 rounding the curve between Lord Street and North Albert Street in Fleetwood