Flexity 017 arrives in Blackpool

Universal Transport with Flexity 017 onboard heading south along the Golden Mile at 2050

One of the two additional trams that are being purchased for the North Station tramway extension arrived in Blackpool on the evening of Friday 1st December. Flexity 017 travelled via North Sea ferry to Hull, then followed the motorway network to the M55, leaving at junction 3 at Kirkham before continuing along the A585 towards Cleveleys, the transporter then headed south along the Promenade. Due to the ongoing roadworks at Talbot Square, the escorted convoy ran along the tram tracks from just north of the Metropole Hotel and then rejoined the Promenade south of the closed junction, arriving at Starr Gate shortly after 9pm. A rather long winded unloading process then took place, with the tram finally being driven into the depot confines under its own power just before 11pm. Between 2100 and 2300 some service trams were being turned back short at the Pleasure Beach loop, although at least 014 and 016 did make it through to Starr Gate, returning north on the southbound line past Flexity 017 which was being unloaded.

Universal Transport and convoy arriving at Starr Gate at 2105

Flexity 017 on the transporter shortly after arriving at Starr Gate

Flexity 001 departing Starr Gate for Fleetwood Ferry with 017 still waiting in the road

Flexity 017 sat in the middle of the road at Starr Gate

Universal Transport's transporter manoeuvring from the Promenade onto the tram tracks

Flexity 014 arriving at Starr Gate on a service from Fleetwood

Flexity 017 being winched off Universal Transport's low-loader trailer

Flexity 017 nearly completely unloaded from the trailer

Northbound service tram 016 running wrong line past unloaded Flexity 017

Flexity 017 parked in front of the engineering side of Starr Gate depot