Flexities to Star in Hollywood Film

Flexities 009 & 007 along with many cars and film extras simulating a busy Promenade during filming on 7th May

Well maybe not quite 'star', but two of Blackpool's Flexity trams should certainly feature in the new Hollywood film "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiars" that is currently being shot in the resort. The film is due to have its cinematic release in 2016, and is being directed by Tim Burton and stars several well known actors such as Samuel L. Jackson, Judi Dench, Terence Stamp and Rupert Everett, to name a few. The scenes being shot in Blackpool are set in winter, and the Promenade in front of the Tower has been covered with artificial snow including the tram tracks. The Promenade around the film set is closed off to the public and traffic each day, causing havoc for the bus and tram services. Two Flexity trams have been requisitioned to act as props for the duration of the filming, the trams chosen being 007 and 009 as these two feature no advertising. The trams are parked either side of the zebra crossing in front of the Tower with their lights on each day, and are used to simulate a busy street scene, along with many cars and dozens of members of the public employed as extras. At the end of each day's filming Unimog 939 sweeps the tram tracks clear of the artificial snow using its rotary brush attachment, so that normal tram services can resume again at 1500.

Flexities 009 and 007 on set during filming of the feature film "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiars" on 7th May

With Flexities 007 & 009 back at Starr Gate depot, Unimog 939 begins clearing the tracks of artificial snow on 7th May

Flexities 009 & 007 take their places while an aerial stunt is being filmed in front of the Tower on 8th May

Widened Balloons on Split Tram Service

While Flexity 004 unloads all its passengers at Manchester Square, Balloon 711 heads off south towards Starr Gate

The area in front of Blackpool Tower has been barriered off this week in order to shoot some scenes for a Hollywood film. The filming has necessitated that the tram service be split in half since 6th May, with the northern half running from North Pier to Fleetwood Ferry and the southern half operating between Manchester Square and Starr Gate. Due to some of the Flexities being out of commission at the moment, the southern section has seen the use of widened Balloons in passenger service, with 711 and 719 having both been utilised so far this week.

Balloon 719 crossing over the points at Foxhall Square before heading south again on the split tram service

Flexity 004 and Balloon 719 sat at the northern terminus of the split tram service at Manchester Square

Balloon 719 heading off south from Manchester Square on the southern half of the split tram service

Balloon 711 heading north from Starr Gate, having replaced 719 in service which had suffered a faulty compressor

Balloon 711 arriving at Starr Gate terminus after the short run from Manchester Square

711 waiting at the platform at Starr Gate after 719 had returned to the depot confines with compressor problems

Balloon 711 reversing over the crossover at Foxhall Square

Balloon 711 laying over at the temporary terminus at Manchester Square

Green & Cream Rules

Balloon 715 showing off its new 1990s style livery as it departs from the southbound heritage stop at North Pier

May bank holiday Monday dawned bright and sunny, and stayed that way for much of the day, the heritage output being dominated by traditional green and cream trams, and very nice they looked too. Trams in use on 4th May were Boats 230 and 600, Balloons 706 and 715, Standard 147 and Box 40, the only non green and cream heritage tram in use during the day. It was nice to see that Balloon 715 had been washed before it entered Heritage Tour service, as on the previous two days it had been getting increasingly filthy due to grime from the roof being washed down the sides of the tram by the persistent rain. As on the previous day several trips were timetabled to run to Fleetwood Ferry, enabling the passengers to enjoy long rides on a variety of heritage trams throughout the day. All in all another very successful weekend (despite the weather), and yet more proof that the mix of professional and volunteer crew appears to be a winning formula on the heritage operation.

Boat 230 heading south at Manchester Square

706 Princess Alice southbound at North Pier with Flexity 016 heading north towards Fleetwood in the background

Balloon 715 bound for Little Bispham passing Box Car 40 at the southbound Heritage Tour stop for North Pier

Boat 230 and Balloon 706 passing each other while on Heritage Tour service at Manchester Square

Balloons 715 and 706 passing each other at the tram stop at Manchester Square

Boat 600 just south of the Tower, heading towards the Pleasure Beach on a morning Heritage Tour

Balloon 715 at Bispham tram station on its way north to Little Bispham

Standard 147 with a group of prospective passengers at the Heritage Tour stop at Bispham

Balloon 715 approaching the southbound Heritage Tour stop at Bispham

706 Princess Alice heading south down Lord Street in Fleetwood on an afternoon Heritage Tour trip to the port

Balloon 715 on the tramroad at Rossall, returning from a heritage run to Fleetwood on bank holiday Monday

715 at Rossall

Balloon 715 on the tramroad at Rossall, returning from a heritage run to Fleetwood on bank holiday Monday, 4th May

A quick taster of the bank holiday Monday heritage tram output. Balloon 715 on the reserved tram track at Rossall, seen returning from a mid-afternoon Heritage Tour run through to Fleetwood Ferry.

May Bank Holiday Sunday

Balloon 700 heading south on the Golden Mile in a spell of sunshine during the afternoon on 3rd May

Sunday 3rd May started out with atrocious weather conditions for the heritage tram operations in Blackpool, with heavy rain during the first half of the morning, although by lunchtime the rain had eased and there was even a bit of sunshine mid-afternoon. The heritage trams in use for the gold timetable were Brush 631, Centenary 642 and Balloons 700, 701, 715 & 717, with several trips to Fleetwood included as part of the timetable. Unfortunately the newly repainted 715 was looking very grimy by Sunday, with lots of dark streaks of dirt running down the new cream paintwork on both sides of the tram caused by the rain on Saturday and Sunday,  this rather detracted from the pristine condition that the tram was in on the morning before.

Balloon 701 heading for Little Bispham on the gold timetable Heritage Tour service on Sunday 3rd May

Brush Car 631 heading south at the Tower on Heritage Tour service

Centenary 642 heading north at Central Pier towards Little Bispham

Balloon 715 looking rather grimy due to rain washed dirt running down both sides of the tram over the new paintwork

Balloon 715 Resurrected

715 at the Cabin with Twin Set 272+T2 passing southbound in rather dismal weather for the bank holiday weekend

Balloon 715 has emerged resplendent from Rigby Road works after repair work and a full repaint into 1990's fleet livery, and has taken up its duties as part of the Blackpool Heritage Tour tram fleet. The tram was last used in service during the end of the Illuminations in November 2011. Since 715 last ran it has endured a period of outdoor storage at a yard in Marton, departing from Rigby Road depot in September 2012 before being repatriated again to the tram depot in December 2013. During its time spent exposed to the elements the tram was vandalised, suffering several broken windows, thankfully this dark period in its history is now in the past and the tram hopefully has a brighter future as part of the Blackpool heritage fleet. The debut back into passenger service for 715 was on a tour organised by the Fylde Tramway Society as part of their 2015 Convention weekend. 715 first ran to North Pier where it picked up the party of passengers before heading down to Starr Gate, then round the loop and through the tram washer before running north to Fleetwood Ferry. The final leg of the FTS tour was from Fleetwood to Cleveleys, where the FTS members departed the tram in order to attend their annual general meeting. Balloon 715 then headed south where it took a break at Bispham before entering Heritage Tour service during the afternoon.

Balloon 715 sat in Rigby Road depot before its first use in service, with the freshly applied paintwork still gleaming

Balloon 715 running empty past the Tower on its way towards North Pier where the FTS tour commenced from

The Fylde Tramway Society party boarding Balloon 715 at the North Pier Heritage Tour tram stop

Balloon 715 rounding the curve from Fleetwood Ferry into Pharos Street to collect its passengers again

The FTS tram tour terminated at Cleveleys where the society's members left to attend their annual general meeting

Balloon 715 at the Cleveleys Heritage Tour stop, with Flexities 011 and 016 at the tram station platforms behind

Heritage Trams to Bispham

Twin Set 272+T2 heading off down Lytham Road towards the Promenade to take up its morning Heritage Tour duties

Saturday May 2nd started out with three heritage trams operating a 20 minute service between the Pleasure Beach and Bispham. The trams used for the morning heritage output were Centenary 642, Twin Set 272+T2 and Balloon 717. 

Balloon 717 at North Pier on its way from Bispham to the Pleasure Beach on Heritage Tour service

Centenary 642 crossing the road carriageway on the Promenade before heading North to Bispham on Heritage Tours