TRAMTALK

The Government's announcement by Chris Grayling this week to aid reopening former rai;way lines closed under the 'Beeching' cuts almost sixty years ago is to be welcomed. Evidence from the two years of operation of the brand new 'Borders line' connecting towns and communities on the Scottish Borders with Edinburgh has shown positive economic impact with new investment and development - and importantly more visitors and leisure spending. This was the most extensive new railway built in the UK for many decades and an example of how train travel can reinvigorate local economies by simply reconnecting them with a fixed path investment and scheduled service. Now the Borders Railway and Scottis

Amid the shoals of sparkly new Alexander Dennis Enviro Palladium themed buses now dominating the townscape - at least one Blackpool bus stood out this week (actually two but I only caught one on camera). The once familiar cream and green Blackpool Corporation Transport colours certainly made a nostalgic sight as 524 traversed the town centre reminding older passengers of how their municipal buses used to look in former times. Number 524 shows off retro colours in Abingdon Street this week : A poppy clad Palladium double decker on Market Street; whilst below a Trident type 351with the now rarer yellow and black fleet livery from previous years, heads along Abingdon Street amid 'Lego Bl

Driver's position in large end platform area of an 'Aufbau' 1950s German tram - Number 392 of the Rheinbahn fleet serving the Dusseldorf area. The Summerlee Museum in central Scotland is the closest thing to the Beamish Museum in Co. Durham, complete with working tramway and robust displays of industrial heritage. Located in a constrained site on former industrial land Summerlee manages to pack a lot of interesting displays which reflect the former years of great Scottish manufactur-ing firms. Among the railway artifacts when I visited some time ago, were contrasting diminutive tank engines for local industry, and a massive returnee from South Africa in the form of an articulated steam loc

Thanks to Colin MacLeod we can add to the images on the previous Blog with views of work now ongoing at the former tram terminus for both Layton and Marton services at Talbot Square. Of course the Layton service was replaced with buses in 1936 but the tracks remained in place well after the war years up until the early 1950s, albeit paved over with successive layers of new road surface. The Marton tram route closed in 1962 and the same repaving occurred over the entire line. At Talbot Square two there were two connecting tram tracks linking these services with the Promenade, the southern side allowing access for trams traversing from the Marton route (and Depot) whilst a further longer co

Preparatory work underway at the junction of Talbot Road and Dickson Road - site of a former tramway junction and soon to be the scene of second generation tramway installation late in 2018. The dreaded Wilko building now surrounded by contractors. Clever political messaging on the part of a certain constituency MP ? or not Abingdon Street - trams stopped here in times gone by - now its a detoured bus service - one of many this winter.... Below : The same location - Yorkshire (Penny) Bank Building somewhat different and the tram and tram stop is just where the bus is in the above image taken in 1960 by the same photographer. Images : John Woodman

Blackpool's tram operation survived while other UK systems followed a similar trend of bus (or trolleybus) replacement which began during the 1920s as smaller first generation tramway operators found the capital costs of track renewal (mainly) and updating their fleets from open top (mostly) cars too much of a financial challenge. A minority of operators pursued modernisation of their fleets, mostly larger systems; although towns such as Rotherham, Aberdeen, Sunderland bucked the trend. A Royal Commission at the beginning of the 1930s recommended phasing out of trams in towns and cities - in favour of buses. For London this spelt the end of any further modernisation of trams or extensions

Blackpool's own electric powered trams initially operated on the principle of power collection being drawn from a sub-level third rail through a 'plough' fitted under the car body sliding along a slot. Initially revolutionary - a moving tram with no visible means of propulsion it was a marvel of its time. However the system soon proved to have faults, certainly on an exposed seafront line prone to sand and stones being swept in by very high tides. Thirteen years later the opening of the Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad Company's eight mile interurban line operating on the overhead wire power collection principle with ''trolley poles' on its fleet of single deck cars (Blackpool trams were

The centenary this week of the breakthrough on the Western Front after years of deadly trench warfare and over the top sacrifice of tens of thousands of British, Empire and French troops commemorates the first engagement of the 'tank' on the battlefield. Having joined the Army and the Royal Armoured Corps I found myself arriving on a bleak garrison town at Catterick, North Yorkshire in the early 1960s - entering the gates of Cambrai Barracks, home to the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (3RTR in mllitary parlance). Thus began sixteen weeks of training before joining my regiment (17/21L in military parlance) in Sennelager, Westphalia. The badge of the Royal Tank Regiment was (and still is) the side

And one might add 'Goodbye Princess Street' as far as the days when trams were able to trundle along these once important parts of Blackpool. Blundell Street was of course the site of the town's initial tram depot, housing as it did the conduit cars which made up the early promenade service from Cocker Square south to what was once called Victoria Pier and sandhills beyond. Gradually the depot gained a much larger capacity as the tramway company was taken into public (Corporation) ownership and the troublesome conduit power system replaced by overhead wires. The latter being amply demonstrated as far more reliable and efficient following the opening of the company tramroad line from Talbot

Blackpool is experiencing (finally) definitive change thanks to Council actions initiated some years ago with approval of the Talbot Gateway scheme combined with railway electrification finally reaching as far as Blackpool. Recent visits to Florida by the Council Leader and Deputy Chief Executive attending the international trade exhibition event for theme park and leisure development may shortly lead to unveiling of proposals for the Central Station site regeneration - led by a US group. South Shore promenade is finally getting a new look with an international hotel and apartments replacing 1920s properties on at least one section of Clifton Drive. Work is underway in modernising a furth

The Trust's site at Wyre Dock had a special visitor this week in the form of Dr Lewis Lesley. His company is now fully engaged with plans for a light rail line in Preston which initially involves use of disused railway track in the ownership of Network Rail. In recent days the announcement of proposals in Fleetwood which may impact on the dormant railway link which still exists even if it hasn't actually provided any meaningful role for the town in over forty years - has the attention of Trampower's team. Expanding discussions between Trampower, Network Rail and Lancashire County Council involving the Preston 'Guild Line' proposal have a timely parallel with emerging initiatives in the F

The setting was Rossall School - the event; the formal launch of ambitious proposals to renew and regenerate the area in and around Wyre Dock, Fleetwood. The Speakers: John Woodman, Frank Heald, Principals of Wyre Dock Development Ltd., together with Carl Bevan, Regional Ports Manager for the Northwest ports of Wyre Dock's owning company, Associated British Ports, and Michael Cosser, Senior Partner of the Liverpool Architectural design company - BrockCarmichael. The date 15th November. The School's Museum Theatre hosted an hour long presentation on a ground-breaking project which has the potential for transforming the image of Fleetwood and enhancing its appeal to visitors to the northw

Emergent proposals for redeveloping the large site surrounding Wyre Dock are gaining strength with involvement of a team of professional firms and advisors. An outline of visionary proposals will be aired at Rossall School on the 15th November. Wyre Dock Development Ltd. will be joined by Associated British Ports and Architects, Brock Carmichael who have extensive experience of urban waterfront projects in the northwest, particularly on Merseyside and the Wirral. The role of the FHLT's trams feature prominently in proposals; both as a visitor display in enlarged exhibition space, as well as operating a proposed loop line encircling the dock. Outside contractors are now preparing costings

For well over a century the Fylde's railways have had visible guardians posted at certain key points overseeing manual control of junctions, road crossings and station approaches. From tomorrow no longer is this the case. The closure of the railway lines emanating west from Preston to the Fylde coast from tomorrow to allow overhead electrification work to proceed to completion this winter means also means removal of the need for signal boxes and the men who have staffed them through the years. These long familiar remnants of Britain's Victorian railway era when steam locomotives propelled sinewy trains of carriages to and from Blackpool and the Fylde NOW become a fond memory. Replaced ins

Once upon a time Blackpool's trams had 'Airport' on their destination blinds along with 'Squires Gate'. This was when a service operated from the town centre along the promenade to Manchester Square and then crossed over to continue along Lytham Road as far as its junction with Squires Gate Lane. At that point Blackpool Airport was sited just across the road from the tram terminus. As recounted in my various titles on Blackpool's transport scene over the years, this street tramway ended in 1961 to be replaced by Bus Service 12. Previously Lytham St Annes had operated its distinctive pale blue and white trams along Squires Gate Lane and into Blackpool, terminating at the Gynn. Although t

The new title in a series covering Blackpool's transport scene has now been published. All advance orders will have their copies mailed out this week - with thanks. New orders received before the 15th of November will have their copy despatched postfree. Copies can be ordered online on our Shop.

Proposals for the comprehensive redevelopment of Wyre Dock will be unveiled at a special forum being held at Rossall School on the 15th November from 18.30. The visionary scheme anticipates regenerating this most important site will be presented by Wyre Dock Development Ltd as precursor to formal negotiations with Associated British Ports with other property owners and investors. A game changer for Fleetwood is looming. A briefing on the salient features of a visitor destination landmark that preserves the heritage of Wyre Dock and Fleetwood's great trawling history will embrace further unique investment. The development anticipates utilising the FHLT tram fleet in an operating dockside

A major traffic diversion began this week with the closure of Squires Gate bridge over the railway track serving the south Fylde from Blackpool to Kirkham and Preston. Constructed in the same period (1931) as Harrowside Bridge (also closed) and the bridge over the railway at Layton - the Squires Gate bridge still retains tramlines which last were used in 1961 during farewell tours of the Lytham Road and Squires Gate tram service. Fifty five years after construction all these bridges required urgent repair and Blackpool Council had no option but to commission replacement of the roadway and the supporting structures. Below : Detail from road bridge construction in the early 1930s. Squires

A cold but crisp Sunday on November 5th (before the inevitable crackle and pop of fireworks) saw a still busy promenade and town centre with crowds taking advantage of a final sunny weekend by the seaside. Blackpool's heritage trams were given their final seasonal outing for the dedicated few rumbling between North Pier and the Pleasure Beach. Given the drop in temperature wise minds at Rigby Road determined that two traditional 'Balloon' cars would perform the final duties on the last weekend of the official (for Blackpool) holiday season. Number 717 shone spectacularly in gleaming green and cream to a style that became familiar in 1934 - whilst sister car 701 provided a nice counterpoint

The Trust is engaged in conceptual proposals for the redevelopment of Wyre Dock, Fleetwood. As most readers know from interminable references on this website, the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust's truly modest collection of traditional Blackpool tramcars; all of which formerly ran to Fleetwood will become an especial feature of the scheme under consideration by Associated British Ports (Owner of Wyre Dock) alongside a growing number of interested companies. The scope of proposals for regenerating Wyre Dock will be presented at a private briefing on November 15th. Hosted at Rossall School to an invited audience, the briefing will lay out a vision aimed at placing Fleetwood once more in th