Palladium Premiere

Mercedes Citaro 559 approaching Blackpool Victoria Hospital along Whinney Heys Road

Blackpool Transport's new Palladium branded Mercedes Citaros made their passenger service debut on Sunday 31st May. As expected the vehicles were in use on Service 5 between Victoria Hospital and Halfway House, and with it being a Sunday service only three buses were required to operate the route, these being 557-559.

Mercedes Citaro 559 arriving in Blackpool town centre along Talbot Road

Mercedes Citaro 557 departing the number 5 bus stop for Victoria Hospital in Whinpark Avenue

The rear of Mercedes Citaro 557 as it heads away from Blackpool Victoria Hospital along Whinpark Avenue

Mercedes Citaro 559 at the new bus station and car park at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Mercedes Citaro 558 turning into Whinpark Avenue at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

Excel Swansong

Optare Excel 224 heading along Talbot Road towards Knott End on the 2C service on 30th May

Blackpool Transport's fleet of Optare Excels saw their last day of normal passenger operations on Saturday 30th May. With the new fleet of Mercedes Citaros due to enter service the following day, the Excels saw their last hours out on the 2, 2C and 17 routes, with all nine of the surviving buses being used, ie 216 and 218 to 225. It is understood that five of the Excels are to have a temporary reprieve until after the planned BTS route changes that are due to come into effect at the end of June.

225, the numerically highest of the Excel survivors, on Market St bound for St Annes on route 17 on its last day of use

Mercedes Citaro 555

Citaro 555 displaying "Victoria Hospital via Blackpool Town Centre", one of the displays that will be used on service 5

Mercedes Citaro 555 was parked on Corporation Street on Friday 29th May, allowing passing drivers the chance to familiarise themselves with the controls and features of the Palladium branded buses.

A rear nearside of Palladium branded Citaro 555 parked up in Corporation Street, for driver familiarisation purposes

Palladium 554

Palladium branded Mercedes Citaro 554 parked up in Corporation Street for driver familiarisation

Since the launch of their new Palladium branded Mercedes Citaros last week, Blackpool Transport have been parking one of the new buses in Blackpool town centre, so that BTS bus drivers can look over and familiarise themselves with the new vehicles before their inauguration into passenger service on route 5.

A rear view of Palladium branded Mercedes Citaro 554 parked up in Corporation Street

Blackpool Dungeon Advert on Trident 331

Dennis Trident 331 at Central Pier with a rather gloomy black based overall advert for The Blackpool Tower Dungeon

A fourth Blackpool Transport Dennis Trident has recently received a new overall advert. Trident 331 is carrying vinyl advertising for The Blackpool Tower Dungeon, unfortunately this is yet another black based advert.

A rear view of the new Blackpool Tower Dungeon overall advert on Dennis Trident 331 at Talbot Square

Flexity and Blackpool Tower Trident

Flexity 002 and Dennis Trident 330 passing each other at the Imperial Hotel

Flexity 002 southbound at the Imperial Hotel passing northbound Dennis Trident 330 which is carrying the new 2015 overall advert for The Blackpool Tower.

Dennis Trident 330 with its new overall advert for The Blackpool Tower is seen passing the Imperial Hotel

The Three Queens

The Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria line abreast in the River Mersey on Bank Holiday Monday

A unique event took place on the River Mersey at Liverpool on Bank Holiday Monday 25th May. To celebrate the 175th Anniversary of Cunard Line, all three of Cunard's ships were due to meet on the Mersey in a spectacular coming together of the whole fleet, which is unlikely to be seen again in Liverpool for a very long time. RMS Queen Mary 2 had arrived in the port on the morning of the preceding day, Sunday 24th May. At 1045 on Bank Holiday Monday, the Queen Mary 2 departed from the Pier Head and made its way down to the mouth of the River Mersey, where it performed a 180 degree turn to await the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria. While the Queen Mary 2 remained on station at the mouth of the Mersey, she was passed by the Queen Elizabeth, which had sailed from the Orkney islands in Scotland, and the Queen Victoria, which had arrived from Guernsey in the Channel Islands. The Queen Mary 2 took up her position at the rear of the flotilla and all three ships sailed line astern along the River Mersey towards the Liver Building, they then slowed to a stop adjacent to the Echo Arena and performed a choreographed 180 degree turn until they were facing north. The ships then slowly manoeuvred into a line abreast formation in the centre of the river opposite the Liver Building. As the ships held their position mid-river, the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic display team made a flypast overhead on their way to a perform a display at Blackpool. At 1410 the Queen Mary 2 departed the city to continue with her cruise to Guernsey, while the Queen Elizabeth berthed at the Pier Head landing stage and the Queen Victoria remained anchored in the centre of the River Mersey. A few facts about the three Queens, the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria are both cruise ships that weigh around 90,000 tons and have a capacity of just over 2000 passengers. The Queen Mary 2 is a full ocean going liner and weighs in at 148,000 tons with a capacity of 2,600 passengers. The Queen Mary 2 is the last major ocean liner to be built since the QE2 back in 1969, and was constructed with 40% more steel than an equivalent cruise ship in order to be able to withstand the rigours and storms of regular transatlantic crossings.

The Mersey ferry Snowdrop in a WW1 style dazzle camouflage scheme approaching Seacombe landing stage

The Queen Mary 2 leaving the Pier Head at Liverpool in order to make its way towards the mouth of the River Mersey

The Queen Mary 2 performing a 180 degree turn around at the mouth of the River Mersey beyond New Brighton

Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria passing the Queen Mary 2 at the mouth of the River Mersey near New Brighton

The Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, with the Queen Mary 2 passing by Seaforth container terminal

The Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 being led up the River Mersey by the tug Svitzer Bidston

The Queen Elizabeth leading the Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2 up the River Mersey in line astern formation

The Queen Victoria leading the Queen Mary 2 up the River Mersey towards the Liver Building

The cruise ship Queen Elizabeth leading the flotilla of three Cunarders up the River Mersey

The Queen Victoria passing the similarly named Victoria clock tower at the entrance to Liverpool Docks

The Queen Mary 2 bringing up the rear of the flotilla of three ships

The RAF Red Arrows display team performing a flypast over the three Queens and the Liver Building

The Queen Mary 2 leaving Liverpool in order to continue with her cruise towards Guernsey

The Queen Mary 2 departing for Guernsey as the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria remain on station in the river

The Queen Mary 2 passing the Seacombe landing stage as she heads off down the Mersey bound for Guernsey

The Queen Elizabeth draws up to the Liverpool Pier Head landing stage as the Mersey ferry Royal Iris passes by

Green & Cream Saturday

Balloon 715 at the Tower sporting new side adverts for Tram Sunday in Fleetwood

The heritage trams on Saturday 23rd May were running to the green timetable, which uses four trams nominally operating every 20 minutes between the Pleasure Beach and Little Bispham. The theme for the day was "Green & Cream", with trams 147, 600, 648 and 715 running the service during the morning, Balloon 715 has also received full length between deck adverts for Tram Sunday in Fleetwood. Shortly after 1330 two tram substitutions were made, 147 returned to the depot with compressor problems and was replaced by Boat 230, 600 also returned to Rigby Road depot, being swapped for 706 Princess Alice. Later in the afternoon Balloon 715 also began to have compressor problems and was replaced in service by Brush Car 631. The 1610 departure from the Pleasure Beach offered a run through to Fleetwood Ferry, this being operated by 706.

Standard 147 at South Pier, about to be overtaken by an ambulance using the tram tracks whilst on a call out

Boat 600 southbound at the Cabin on an early morning heritage run

147 heading for the depot with a faulty compressor, followed by 600 also on its way to Rigby Road for a tram swap

Boat 230 coming off the centre siding at Bispham before returning to the Pleasure Beach

Balloon 715 heading south past Central Pier on a morning Heritage Tour run

Centenary 648 waiting for passengers at the southbound Heritage Tour tram stop at Bispham

Standard 147 turning short at Bispham while 715 passes by on its way to Little Bispham

Balloon 706 heading back south down Lord Street in Fleetwood after its late afternoon trip to the Ferry

Citaro Public Launch

Mercedes Citaro 551 taking part in the public launch of the new Palladium fleet of buses in St. John's Square

After yesterday's official launch event for Blackpool Transport's new Palladium branded Mercedes Citaros, today it was the public's turn to be introduced to the new buses. The public launch of the Palladium fleet took place in St. John's Square opposite the Opera House. Citaro 551 was the vehicle selected for the event, having been part of the official launch ceremony on the preceding day. 551 was on display for the public to inspect from 1000 until 1500, and Heart Radio were also in attendance throughout the event.

Mercedes Citaro 551 at the Palladium launch in St John's Square, with Heart Radio also in attendance

Mercedes Citaro 551 arriving in St John's Square ready to take part in the public launch of the new Palladium fleet

Mercedes Citaro 551 ready to take part in the public launch of the new Palladium fleet in St John's Square

Mercedes Citaro 551 at the public launch of the new Palladium fleet, with the Opera House in the background

Palladium Launch

Mercedes Citaros 550 to 553 lining up before the Palladium launch event on the Tower headland

Blackpool Transport officially launched their new Palladium branded Mercedes Citaros in front of Blackpool Tower on Thursday 21st May. Six Citaros took part in the ceremony, with buses 550 to 555 lined up in numerical order on the Tower headland for the launch. The full batch of ten new buses are numbered 550 to 559, and they are painted light grey with a pale yellow band. The Citaros will be entering service on route 5 from Victoria Hospital to Halfway House on 31st May.

Mercedes Citaro 555 manoeuvring into position for the line-up on the Tower headland

The last bus to arrive on the Tower headland for the Palladium launch event was Mercedes Citaro 555

A rear view of Palladium branded Mercedes Citaros 550 to 553

Mercedes Citaros 550 to 555 lined up on the Tower headland at the official Palladium launch event

A profile view of Mercedes Citaros 550 to 555 on the Tower headland

Mercedes Citaros 550 to 555 (from right to left) lined up on the Tower headland for the Palladium launch event

A yellow ribbon being cut onboard Mercedes Citaro 550 to mark the official launch of the new bus fleet

The Blackpool Transport Board posing for photographs after the launch ceremony