Blackpool Routes 14 and 74 Diversion

Blackpool Enviro 420 turning south from West Drive onto Fleetwood Road North

A section of Fleetwood Road North in Thornton was subject to a daytime closure between 09:00 and 15:00 from 24th to 27th May due to road resurfacing. The road closure affected Blackpool Transport routes 14 and 74, northbound buses had to turn left from Fleetwood Road onto West Drive, then at the junction with Amounderness Way they turned right at the traffic lights on to the A585, a right turn at the next set of lights took buses along Bourne Way, where they continued until turning left back onto Fleetwood Road North at the next crossroads. Southbound buses followed the same diversion but in the reverse direction. An accident and motorway closure on the M6 on Wednesday 26th May created a severe delay in the delivery of essential asphalt, causing the resurfacing work and associated bus diversions to continue for several hours into the evening.

Enviro 447 on the partially resurfaced Fleetwood Road North on the morning of 27th May

Northbound Enviro 421 turning from Fleetwood Road onto West Drive on 25th May

Enviro 566 turning right out of West Drive onto Amounderness Way on 27th May

Northbound Enviro 408 turning right out of West Drive onto Amounderness Way

Enviro 405 heading north, turning right from Amounderness Way into Bourne Way

Enviro 230 after turning right from Fleetwood Road onto Bourne Way on route 74 to Preston

Enviro 451 turning south out of Bourne Way onto Amounderness Way on 25th May

Enviro 223 southbound on Amounderness Way on route 74 to Preston on 25th May

Enviro 421 heading south along Amounderness Way on 27th May

Enviro 405 turning right out of West Drive past the Volvo P6870D ABG road paver

The Volvo P6870D ABG Paver laying the new tarmac surface on Fleetwood Road North

The Port of Heysham

Stena Hibernia arriving on the Ro-Ro freight service from Belfast on 1st May

The Port of Heysham was developed by the Midland Railway company at the end of the 19th Century. The newly constructed harbour opened to shipping in 1904, and the first passenger sailing was a day trip to Douglas in the Isle of Man by the Midland Railway steamship Londonderry on 13th August 1904. Heysham is currently home to several ferry routes, the vehicle and passenger service to Douglas operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, the Stena Line Ro-Ro freight ferry to Belfast and the Seatruck Ro-Ro freight services to Dublin and Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland.

The Manannan on the 0845 sailing from Douglas in the Isle of Man on 1st May

Seatruck Precision Ro-Ro freight ferry leaving Heysham Harbour on 1st May

The standby safety vessel Forties Sentinel arriving at Heysham on 1st May

Dredgers Wyre Sand and Admiral Day at work in Heysham Harbour

Stena Hibernia and Seatruck Precision passing near the cooling water outfall of Heysham 1 Nuclear Power Station

The Liverpool Pilot boat Fulmar paying a visit to Heysham Port on 1st May

Seatruck Precision leaving through the harbour entrance on 1st May

Stena Hibernia on a morning sailing to Belfast on 29th April

Heysham 2 Nuclear Power Station and the sea wall footpath leading to Heysham Harbour

Heysham 2 (left) and Heysham 1 (right) Nuclear Power Stations

The S.S. Londonderry on the first ever passenger sailing from the newly constructed Heysham Harbour in 1904

Coastliner route 24 diversion due to Star Wars filming

Optare Versa YJ61JHH southbound on the route 24 diversion along Thornton Gate

Due to filming work taking place on Cleveleys Promenade for the new Disney 'Star Wars: Andor' TV series, route 24 of Coastliner Buses had to be diverted from 1st May. Cleveleys sea front was transformed into a fully blown film set for a week during the beginning of May, the Cafe Cove (opposite The Venue) was given a complete makeover to resemble an alien restaurant in a galaxy far, far away. Imperial Stormtroopers were spotted along with other cast and extras on set during filming of this 'Rogue One' Star Wars prequel. Due to the promenade being closed for the week, Coastliner service 24 had to divert away from its usual route along the sea front and use Rossall Road and Thornton Gate (in both directions) instead. Northbound route 21 had to operate via Fleetwood Road and Rossall Road for the duration of the Promenade closure.

Mini Pointer Dart CE02UUY diverting along Rossall Road at the Beach Road roundabout

Coastliner Dart KP04GZM on the Thornton Gate diversion on 7th May

Dart GX54DWO turning left from Green Drive onto the Thornton Gate diversion

Imperial Stormtroopers and cast next to Cafe Cove during the filming on Cleveleys Promenade

Cafe Cove transformed into an alien building from a galaxy far, far away

False doors, windows and alien writing complete the Star Wars transformation of Cafe Cove

Alien writing surrounding a film set doorway attached to the front of Cafe Cove

Optare Versa YJ10EYZ turning from Thornton Gate onto the Promenade on 29th April

Coastliner Dart KP04GZM turning off Cleveleys Promenade on 29th April

Isle of Man Catamaran Manannan on Heysham Service

HSC Manannan on the 1415 departure from Heysham to Douglas on 23rd April

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company high-speed catamaran Manannan has been running on the daily Douglas to Heysham ferry service this week, replacing the usual conventional ship on the route. The regular ferry that operates out of Heysham, the Ben-my-Chree, has been dry-docked at Cammell Laird in Birkenhead since Monday 19th April for her annual regulatory overhaul.

HSC Manannan was built by Incat of Tasmania in Australia in 1998, and from 2001 until 2008 the high-speed vessel operated as a military transport with the United States Navy under the name 'Joint Venture', she was painted overall grey and fitted with a helideck at the aft end. In 2008 the catamaran was purchased by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, and after a 3 million pound refit she entered passenger service from Douglas in May 2009. The Manannan normally operates a seasonal service between Douglas and Liverpool, and in winter is kept as a reserve ferry.

Manannan approaching Heysham after crossing the Irish Sea from Douglas

Manannan about to pass the lighthouse at the entrance to Heysham Harbour

Manannan passing between the stone roundheads at the entrance to Heysham Harbour

HSC Manannan berthed at the linkspan in Heysham Port

Manannan leaving Heysham with its linkspan berth visible to the right

Manannan about to leave Heysham Harbour on the 1415 service to Douglas

Manannan passing the lighthouse on the South Roundhead at Heysham Harbour

Manannan leaving Heysham on its way to the Isle of Man

The catamaran while in United States Navy service in August 2002 (photo USN)

Trailer Towing Car 671 leaves Blackpool

671 heading along Rigby Road, passing under the Seasiders Way overbridge near the Odeon cinema

As part of the clear out of privately owned heritage trams announced by Blackpool Transport in December last year, trailer towing car 671 left Rigby Road tram depot on Sunday 18th April. Reid Freight Services arrived on the Sunday morning with a Mercedes-Benz Actros tractor unit and low loader trailer to collect the tram. After a trouble free loading process 671 left Blundell Street just after midday, destined for a new home at the North West Museum of Road Transport in St. Helens, where it due to be repainted into the 1960s all-over cream livery.

671 inching up the rail ramp onto the low loader trailer

671 being winched onboard the low loader

Trailer towing car 671 in position on the low loader

671 all chained down on Reid's low loader and ready to depart

671 on Rigby Road, passing the new housing opposite the bus depot

Hybrid Electric Streetdeck in Preston

Wright Streetdeck Hybrid on Church Street in Preston on 6th April

Wright Streetdeck Hybrid Electric 40715 (SK18 TKX) is currently operating with Preston Bus. SK18 TKX was constructed as a demonstrator in May 2018, being acquired by Rotala in November 2019. Rotala initially allocated the former demonstrator to their Diamond Bus North West operation in Bolton, the Streetdeck moved on to Rotala owned Preston Bus in December 2020.

Blackpool Tram Benches

The two stainless steel tram benches in Talbot Square

A pair of stainless steel tram benches were installed adjacent to The Counting House pub in Talbot Square in Autumn 2020. The benches are based on a Brush Car and an OMO Car, although artistic licence means that they are merely inspired by real trams rather than being miniature replicas. The benches were designed by artist Andy Hazell, and another two will be positioned at the North Station terminus of the new tramway extension when it is completed. The four tram benches were funded by a £17,000 grant through the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership under its Growth Deal. The seats have proved to be very popular with the public, and this conspired with the lockdown, restrictions on travel and the vagaries of the weather, has meant that six months have elapsed before I've managed to get to Blackpool to get some decent sunny shots of the benches while unoccupied.

The tram benches in Talbot Square

The OMO Car tram bench

A profile view of the Brush Car tram bench

A profile view of the OMO Car tram bench

The Brush Car tram bench