Balloon Private Hire

Balloons 717, 715 & 723 on a private hire at the Imperial Hotel

Three Balloons were used on a private hire this evening, picking up a large party of people from the Imperial Hotel with 717, 715 and 723 being the trams used.

717, 715 & 723 in front of the Imperial Hotel, illuminated by the setting sun

Balloon 715 with the setting sun in the background

February Heritage Gold

Box 40 and Balloon 700 at Starr Gate, both with Little Bispham on the blinds

Sunday 24th February saw the last use of Blackpool & Fleetwood Box Car 40 in normal timetabled service in Blackpool, and it was also the second day of the February Heritage Gold weekend. Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny, and it was noticeable that due to the mild weather members of the public were also availing themselves of the Heritage Tour service in addition to the many enthusiasts who had turned out, which was nice to see.

Balloon 715 on a Cleveleys service

Brush 621 entering the loop at Little Bispham

Boat 600 on Lord Street in Fleetwood

Box 40 at the Starr Gate terminus

Railcoach 680 heading north at Bispham

Box 40 Swansong

Box 40 after turning round at the Cabin on 10th February

As Box 40 nears the end of its time in Blackpool, here are a few photos of the tram during its last full month of operation on Heritage Tours, prior to it leaving for Beamish before eventually returning to its permanent home at Crich towards the end of the summer.

40 at North Pier with 700 passing by on driver training on 11th February

Turning the trolley pole at North Pier on 11th February

Box 40 on North Albert Street in Fleetwood on 23rd February

Box 40 on a run through to Fleetwood on 23rd February

40 on Lord Street in Fleetwood on 23rd February, heading for Starr Gate

Citaro Hybrid Demonstrator

The Citaro Hybrid demonstrator leaving Victoria Hospital

A Mercedes-Benz Citaro 0530 Hybrid (BF68ZHB), built as a demonstrator for Evobus of Coventry, is currently on loan to Blackpool Transport. The bus commenced its two week trial period by operating on service 5 between Victoria Hospital and Halfway House.

The Citaro Hybrid approaching Victoria Hospital along Whinney Heys Rd

BBC drama being filmed on St Annes beach

AEC Matador, Morris Commercial CDF and Bedford OYs on St Annes beach

Filming took place on a Fylde beach this week for the epic new BBC war drama 'World On Fire' starring Sean Bean. The seven part TV series is based on the first year of World War II, and has been filmed in many locations around Europe including London, Berlin, Paris, Prague and Manchester. Filming has been taking place this week on St Annes beach, which is standing in for Dunkirk in France where the evacuation of allied soldiers took place in May 1940, code-named Operation Dynamo. A varied selection of preserved WW2 military vehicles were used to represent the Dunkirk evacuation, these being strategically positioned around the beach as backdrops for the film work.

Austin K2 ambulance, Humber PU and Guy Quad Ant artillery tractor

A row of Bedford OY troop transport lorries

A selection of vehicles with a Morris Commercial CDF in the foreground

An Austin K2/Y military ambulance

A general view of some of the preserved military vehicles positioned for filming

Austin and Morris Commercial ambulances

Catch22Bus's latest Dennis Darts

Houndshill liveried Dart GX54DWO on Rough Lea Road in Cleveleys

Catch22Bus took delivery of four ex-Stagecoach Midlands Dennis Darts towards the end of last year. The latest Darts have all been painted in their smart new blue and green livery, with GX54DWO also carrying an all over advert for the Houndshill shopping centre in Blackpool. The new buses have replaced older Darts formerly belonging to Cardiff Bus.

Dart GX54DWP on Brighton Avenue in Cleveleys

Dart KP04GZR on Westbourne Road in Cleveleys

Dart KP04GZM on the North Promenade in Cleveleys

Talbot Square Update

The northbound side of Talbot Square junction with the concreting now finished

Progress on the new tramway junction with the Promenade at Talbot Square is proceeding steadily, if somewhat slowly. The northbound side of the junction is more or less complete, with the track concreted in. Work on the southbound side of the junction is further behind, with the metal reinforcing bars in place and waiting for concrete, but more work needs to be completed first.

The southbound side of the junction still waiting to be concreted in

A panoramic shot of the new junction at Talbot Square

Flexity 001 on driver training passing the work site at Talbot Square

Box 40 is leaving the Blackpool Heritage Tour fleet

Box 40 on the Pleasure Beach loop during the 2018 September Spectacular event

Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 is leaving the Heritage Tour fleet at Blackpool. Before 40 returns to Crich it will be travelling north in March to spend a period of time at Beamish until the tram is finally transported to its permanent home at the National Tramway Museum around the end of August.