Trams to North Station

In a few years time trams could be using these points to head for North Station up a new Talbot Rd tramway extension

Under a new package of road and rail improvements just announced by Transport for Lancashire, £16.4m has been allocated towards the estimated £18.2m total cost of improving access to the national rail network from Blackpool, Fleetwood and Cleveleys, by extending the tramway from the Promenade at North Pier to Blackpool North railway station. Transport for Lancashire have unveiled six schemes which will be funded by a devolved budget from the Department of Transport, the City Deal for the Preston area, and developer contributions. Blackpool Council now have to find the remaining £1.8m needed in order for the new tramway extension to be fully funded, work on the scheme could begin by 2015. Transport for Lancashire is a new body that has been created by Lancashire County Council, Blackpool Council, Blackburn with Darwen Council and the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

In a couple of years Talbot Road could be dug up again (after these 2013 roadworks) for the new tramway extension

A section of the original Talbot Road tramway track, recovered from the junction with Dickson Road earlier this year

Enthusiasts Day at Crich

Two generations of Blackpool toastrack trams at Crich, as 166 & 236 pass each other at the bandstand.

Saturday 14th September saw the annual Enthusiasts Day event at the tramway museum at Crich in Derbyshire. Throughout the day there were several photo opportunities on the depot track fan, and a grand total of sixteen passenger trams were planned to be in service. The first photo line up was entitled 'Little 'n' Large', which was Sheffield horse tram 15 posed alongside the largest tram in the collection, Blackpool Jubilee car 762. The morning service tram output consisted of Glasgow 22, Blackpool 40, Sheffield 74, Blackpool 166, Blackpool 167, Blackpool 236, Leeds 345 and Berlin 223 006-4. A display of London trams comprised the second photo opportunity of the day, consisting of London United Tramways 159, London Transport 1622 & 1 and Metropolitan 331. Midday saw Leicester 76, which normally lives in the exhibition hall, being displayed on the track fan alongside the hall. The afternoon service tram output consisted of Chesterfield 7, London United Tramways 159, Leeds 180, Leeds 399, Blackpool 630, Glasgow 812, Glasgow 1068 and London Transport 1622. The afternoon photo line-up was of five horse trams, Cardiff 21, Chesterfield 8, Oporto 9, Sheffield 15 and Leeds 107. Cardiff water car 131 was also in use throughout the day, giving platform rides to limited numbers of visitors along the tramway. See Blackpooltrams on Flickr for a photographic round-up of all the service trams and photo line-ups that took place during the day.

London United 159, London Transport 1622 & 1 and Metropolitan 331 on display on the depot track fan at Crich

Blackpool 40 and Leeds 345 pass by the depot entrance points, with the Bowes-Lyon bridge visible behind

Blackpool Brush 630 outside the Tea Rooms at Town End, with LUT 159 and Cardiff water car 131 behind

The magnificently restored 1902 London United Tramways 159 waiting at the museum entrance tram stop

Blackpool Pantograph car 167 passes the depot while working the morning passenger service

Crich's first service tram, Sheffield horse tram 15, and their largest tram, Blackpool Jubilee 762, on display together

Five horse trams on display outside the depot, Cardiff 21, Chesterfield 8, Oporto 9, Sheffield 15 and Leeds 107

Green & Cream livery returns to Blackpool

Optare Delta driver trainer No 969 showing off its new green and cream livery on September 10th

One of Blackpool Transport's Optare Delta driver training buses has recently been spruced up with a new colour scheme. Delta No 969 has been painted back into the old green and cream livery, as used by Blackpool Corporation and Blackpool Transport until the advent of the Metro Coastlines route branding 12 years ago. Delta No 970 is still carrying a blue and yellow livery.

Optare Delta No 970 in its old blue and yellow colour scheme, heading south on the promenade on 10th September

Borismaster in Blackpool

CBNW's 12m MCW Metrobus passes the brand new 'Borismaster' on display outside the Hilton hotel in Blackpool

The final of the 2013 Bus Driver of the Year competition was held as usual in Blackpool on 8th September. During the BDoY event, a brand new 'Borismaster' (New Bus for London) that was on delivery from Wrightbus in Northern Ireland was displayed on the forecourt of the Hilton hotel, for participants and their friends and families to inspect. The identity of the bus is not known as it was only carrying delivery trade plates. See Blackpooltrams on Flickr for more photos of the Borismaster at the Bus Driver of the Year competition.

A brand new 'Borismaster' on display outside the Hilton hotel during the final of the Bus Driver of the Year competition

A brand new 'Borismaster' on display outside the Hilton hotel during the final of the Bus Driver of the Year competition

The upper deck of the 'Borismaster' on display outside the Hilton hotel during the final of the BDoY in Blackpool

The lower deck of the 'Borismaster' on display outside the Hilton hotel during the final of the BDoY in Blackpool

The lower deck of the 'Borismaster' on display outside the Hilton hotel during the final of the BDoY in Blackpool

Power from the Past

Boat 233 (605) at Beamish town on its last weekend of use in the UK before export, alongside a Sentinel steam wagon

The Great North Festival of Agriculture was held at Beamish museum from 29th August to 1st September. The event was given the title Agricultural Power from the Past, and offered visitors the last chance to ride on Blackpool Boat No 233 (605), which had been on loan from the Lancastrian Transport Trust for two years, before it departs for its new home in San Francisco. Trams in daily use over the weekend were Newcastle 114, Sunderland 101, Marton Box 31 and Blackpool Boat 233. More photos from the event can be seen on Blackpooltrams on Flickr.

Sunderland 101 (aka Blackpool 703) passes a steam roller and trailer on the approach to the Pockerley tram stop

1901 Newcastle tram No 114 pulls away from the Pockerley tram stop, passing the replica 1913 Daimler bus

1901 Blackpool Marton Box car 31 passing the cottages on the main street of the Edwardian town at Beamish

A former 1935 Oporto tram, now known as Beamish 196, sits on display outside the tram depot

Boat 605 Swansong at Beamish

Blackpool Boat 605 (233) at Beamish museum on 31st August 2013, the tram is shortly planned to depart for the USA

In order to commemorate the imminent departure of Blackpool Boat 605 (233) for pastures new in the USA, a pre-opening photo shoot was arranged at The Living Museum of the North at Beamish on 31st August, in order to record the tram for posterity before it is lost to British enthusiasts forever. See Blackpooltrams on Flickr for more images taken during the photo shoot.

Boat 605 (233) on the main street of the Edwardian Town at Beamish

Boat 605 (233) just after it has left the town area at Beamish, with the new bakery visible behind

Boat 605 (233) at the Pockerley tram stop

Boat 605 (233) passes the main entrance to Beamish museum