Storm Damage in Blackpool

Flexity 012 heading for Fleetwood on 6th Dec, past promenade surfacing ripped up by the sea along the Golden Mile

Severe gale force winds together with a high autumn tide caused a tidal surge which breached the new sea defences along Blackpool Promenade on 5th December. Much of the Central Promenade was completely overwhelmed with water, which covered the road and tramway to a depth of several inches, and was even lapping at the fronts of the hotels on the other side of the carriageway. Tram services were curtailed on the tramway south of North Pier, and later in the day they were restricted to the section betwen Bispham and Ash Street in Fleetwood. Neither buses or trams were able to use the Central Promenade for majority of the day. The sea was so powerful that it tore up a large section of paving surface from the new promenade, between Central Pier and the Lifeboat Station, rolling it up like it was a large carpet. The day after the flood there were still piles of seaweed left in front of Rigby Road depot, that had been washed all the way down Lytham Road and Hopton Road by the sea and into the depot.

A large area of rubberized promenade paving surface that had been ripped up by stormy seas on 5th December

Looking north towards the Lifeboat Station, showing the large area of paving that had been ripped up by the storm

A large sheet of the promenade paving surface that had been ripped up and wrapped round one of the large pebbles

Piles of sea washed seaweed sat in front of snowplough equipped Balloons 701 & 723 at Rigby Rd on December 6th

The gale lashed sea overwhelmed the new sea defences, the flooded prom seen at Waterloo Rd tram stop on 5th Dec