Thursday 24 July 2014

Dart 163 enters service in the Catch 22 livery

Ex Stagecoach London Dennis Dart V163 MVX turning right from Warren Drive into Ashfield Road on 24th July
Oakwood Travel's former Stagecoach London Dennis Dart V163 MVX has lost its yellow and blue Bispham High School advert livery, and entered service wearing the new turquoise and orange Catch 22 colour scheme. 163 had been out of service since September 2013, but after receiving attention the bus re-entered service this week wearing the new Catch 22 colours on 22nd July.

Monday 21 July 2014

Box 40 leaves for Crich

Box Car 40 being shunted from Hopton Road into Blundell Street by Unimog 938 on the morning of 21st July
Blackpool & Fleetwood Box Car 40 departed for a short period of loan to the National Tramway Museum at Crich on the morning of 21st July. After 40's brief return to service during Tram Sunday on 20th July, the tram has been transported to Crich where it is scheduled to take part in the Electric 50 event on the 13th and 14th of September. Scotts Heavy Haulage were tasked with moving Box 40, and after an uneventful loading on Monday morning, the low loader set off from Blundell Street with its precious load at 1135.

Unimog 938 pushing Box Car 40 up the rail ramp onto the back of Scotts low loader in Blundell Street
Box Car 40 being loaded onto Scotts trailer with the assistance of members of the National Tramway Museum
Scotts low loader manoeuvring from Blundell Street into Hopton Road via Home Bargains loading bay
Scotts low loader heading off down Lytham Road for Crich with Box Car 40 at 1135 on Monday 21st July

Sunday 20 July 2014

Tram Sunday

The highlight of the day was surely the newly refurbished Blackpool & Fleetwood Box Car 40, seen here at Ash Street
The annual Fleetwood Festival of Transport, commonly known as Tram Sunday, was held on 20th July. Blackpool Transport ran a half hourly Heritage Tour service from North Pier to Fisherman's Walk in Fleetwood for the duration of the Festival. The trams in use on the heritage service during the day were Pantograph Car 167, open top Balloon 706 Princess Alice, newly refurbished Box Car 40 and open Boat 230. Standard 147 and Balloon 717 were on static display next to the lighthouse in Pharos Street all day.

Pantograph Car 167 on the first heritage run, with the civic party onboard, pausing to load passengers at Cleveleys
Pantograph Car 167 unloading its passengers at the temporary heritage car stop at Fisherman's Walk
Flexity 012 has just reversed over the crossover at Ash Street while Pantograph Car 167 waits its turn to do the same
After unloading its passengers, Box Car 40 heads past the clock tower at Ash St ready to reverse over the crossover
Box Car 40 arriving at Fisherman's Walk, with Flexity 013 ready to depart for Starr Gate on the southbound platform
Balloon 706 Princess Alice departing Fisherman's Walk, with service Flexity 013 waiting at the northbound platform
Balloon 706 is seen heading south at Rossall School, with a load of passengers bound for North Pier
Boat 230 came out in place of Pantograph Car 167 during the afternoon, seen here loaded up at Fisherman's Walk
 Standard 147 and Balloon 717 seen on display in Pharos Street early on the Sunday morning
 Balloon 717 and Standard 147 seen on display in Pharos Street early on the Sunday morning

Friday 11 July 2014

Dart 512 in the new Catch 22 livery

Former Transdev London Dennis Dart X512 UAT in the new Catch 22 livery on Talbot Road on 11th July
Oakwood Travel's ex Transdev London Dennis Dart X512 UAT has lost its former red and grey colour scheme, and has now entered service wearing the new turquoise and orange Catch 22 livery. The vehicle made its debut into passenger service carrying the new colours on Thursday 10th July.

Former Transdev London Dennis Dart X512 UAT rounding the mini roundabout on Talbot Road on 11th July