Tram Talk

The strategic value of waterfront properties in urban locations is fast gathering recognition in UK towns and cities. Benefitting not just coastal resorts with leisure based economy. Glasgow is the latest Authority to invest in strategic new regeneration of a stretch of riverfront land along the Clyde, and adjoining the city's central districts. Announced this week Custom House Quay envisages a mix of leisure, residential, large hotel and related commercial use to provide

Britain's railway privatisation rushed through in the dying stages of John Major's unlamented government - is now representative of all that is wrong with privatisation of national utilities under the Conservatives. With possible exception of Chiltern Trains running into London from Birmingham, Oxford and points in between, and the credible management of Scottish rail services (and those of Northern Ireland) under devolved governments - many of the country's rail services a

Blackpool Transport's relationship with its principal bus supplier - Alexander Dennis of Falkirk is now entering a new phase with the acquisition of ADL by Canadian group NFI Inc announced this week. Blackpool Transport has transformed its fleet with deliveries of new environmentally 'clean' vehicles over the past four years - and further buses on order. Blackpool's interest in moving towards an all-electric bus fleet is a strategy awaiting implementation but with definite p

A brief visit to Crich over the holiday weekend coincided with a calendar special event for the museum. Blackpool's Standard car 40 in immaculate red and cream colours was a popular ride for the many family visitors clutching children who needed especially long dwell times unloading from the top deck. Of particular interest was a real favourite of mine - Jubilee Car 762 which attracted many riders of all ages. Having last ridden Jubilee Car 761 on the final night of tradi

A rare visit to the UK's principal collection of trolleybuses at Sandtoft this past weekend warrants further glimpses of this noteworthy specialist transport museum. The small town of Maidstone operated a compact system with conservative light brown livery on its trolleybuses. One survivor (72) was on display at the time of my visit. Elsewhere a duo of Bradford trolleybuses were parked away from the main storage and display area - above right. Below : a very long way fr

My travels this weekend brought me to Sandtoft in northeast Lincolnshire. I finally had the chance to ride on a British trolleybus at the excellent museum tucked away near the M62. There are just three places where you can actually see trolleybuses meandering past in the UK : Sandtoft which is exclusive to the trolleybus enthusiasts, Carlton Colville with its own excellent collection on a working line which intermingles with trams; and at the Black Country Museum similar

A quickie to remind readers (and others) that the title 'Municipal Transport Heyday' is now available through a reprint. This covers the decade of the 1950s and Blackpool's transport in those busy years. We will have reprint copies of 'Blackpool Corporation Tramways - Motorbus Operations 1921 - 1932' available from next week, together with the 2020 Souvenir Tram Calendar - how the years fly past ! And ....... One Hundred Years of Blackpool's Buses - is a work in progress du

A week today voters will go to a poll the Government, Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and sundry others never wanted nor envisaged. The EU Parliamentary Election of 2019. The UK will vote for the very last time, regional representatives to the European Parliament as MEPs. Despite the UK Referendum on Membership of the EU in 2016 when a majority of votes counted in the final tally as NAYES - Britain has managed to lurch unsteadily towards 23 May 2019 still pinioned

With strong sunshine and an interlude between the two May Bank Holidays that bookend this month - work is ongoing to correct problems with the road surface that was undertaken with installation of new track on Talbot Road. It would appear that the quality of the surfacing material in places is suspect and consequently resurfacing is required. This is being undertaken by Contractors to meet the overall specifications of the Council (and other project Funders). Additional wo

News over the weekend featured the latest all electric doubledeck buses being launched in London. WrightBus of Northern Ireland following up on the successful and unique 'Borismaster' double deck design for London with several hundred examples traversing the capital's streets - has just delivered its first all electric double deck design. London's air quality problems are being accentuated by traffic emissions 24/7 to the extent that there is a credible threat to health in