Tram Talk

Blackpool's town centre leaves much to be desired outside of the heavy footfall Houndshill Shopping Mall. So many For Sale, To Lease, Closing Down and worse detrius abounds in once flourishing streets, no longer attractive for retailing or much else. Away from the promenade (and not far away) a squalid run down malaise is shunned by residents and visitors alike - apart from those in pursuit of alcoholic escape. Talbot Road was at one time a prime destination for shoppers,

The Sunday weather made promenade travel something of a washout but today's blustery but dry weather fortunately helped the resort's trading fortunes revive on this final Bank Holiday weekend before Christmas. A frequent airing of the town's heritage tramcars added further colour on the seafront. Dramatic arrival of 701 at Bispham Station. The RBS Branch in the corner is to be closed in that bank's consolidation of its branches - joining hundreds of similar bank branch clos

The new title from Rigby Road Publishing is going to the printers next week with copies scheduled to become available shortly thereafter. This 120 Page addition to the story of Blackpool's tramway chapters starts in the United States and ends on the Promenade. Hence the title. Its focus is on the exclusive family of centre entrance double deck trams which had origins with the launch of the 'Broadway Battleship' in New York prior to the Great War - and consequent adapta

Thanks to James Murgatroyd for an enhanced colour correct image of Flexity 016 in its pink themed sponsor livery - shown off for the first time in service today : and the John Woodman version below : And now for something completely different on the promenade. A delightfully revamped Flexity believed to be 016 in the fleet but without a number present instead a sponsor 'Pretty Little Thing' whose design tastefully and carefully avoids any vinyl cladding over the doors and gl

With a nod to the tens of thousands of steam train enthusiasts images from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and 'Head of Steam' exhibition at Darlington Railway Museum. Transferring lamps at Pickering terminus and Cab closeup Darlington and a famous locomotive displayed at 'Head of Steam' : Plus Derwentwith a glorious smokestack number (built in Darlington) : And a fine 2-4-0 Plus an exemplary model of prototype LNER locomotive design Number 10000 :

The Age of Steam lives on and never fails to attract the crowds wherever a locomotive overwhelms the senses with the auro of hot coal, steam, hot oil and more steam complete with the thundering sounds of moving pistons and steel wheels on rail. A visit to Pickering and the home of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway brought all of the above alive in a fulsome delivery last week. Crowds congregated on platforms, young and old to await the next arrival from Whiby on its scenic f

Something completely different for this posting. The remarkable engineering construct across the River Tees in Middlesbrough - known as 'The Tees Transporter Bridge' is very much a working monument to industrial England's prowess. Having long had interest in sampling this unusual (but not unique) installation of a floating platform held by cables from a tall gantry over a river crossing - I managed to accomplish this last week. The surprise was just how short the journey

It is 1935 on Blackpool's Promenade as three very traditional open balcony trams converge close to the Tower in this photograph. Blackpool is in the throes of 'rebranding' its buses and trams from red and white to green and 'ivory' under the management of Walter Luff. One of the new rail coach fleet is just visible heading south towards the Pleasure Beach. The Lytham St Annes 'Pullman' car in pale blue and white complements the Blackpool 'Standard' cars n this classic vie

Industrial Blackpool seen from the top of the 'Kop' on Blackpool FC Ground looking north. Gasometers and electricity generating stations dominate the skyline with 'Central Sheds' and varied motive power on hand for avid engine spotters. Probably a Home Match is being played judging from the array of prewar and early postwar private cars lined up behind the football ground. Blackpool Corporation Transport is just out of picture on the far left hand side. A mix of private

Original Brush Engineering Design Drawing for the 1937 Contract for twenty trams Brush Car 298 installed in the Exhibition Hall at Crich some years past. One of the future 'stars' to emerge from the Work Shop at the National Tramway Museum in Crich, Derbyshire is a restored 1937 rail coach built by Brush Engineering. Number 298 has been the object of extended work and attention focussed on it over many years by a small dedicated team of enthusiasts led by the late Keith Terr