Tram Talk

Just a few more hours to the cutting of formalised engagement of the UK with the European Union. It has been an arduous and fraught three years since the British public cast their votes on whether this country should remain a Member State within the EU, or whether it should leave. By a small but clear margin the majority voted to Leave. The consequence was an upheaval in domestic politics at Westminster and consternation elsewhere in Brussels, Paris, Berlin and indeed th

The announcement today by Grant Shapps that the franchise of Britain's largest commuter railway operation - covering the north and northwest is to be nationalised has to bring joy to households and travellers across Britain. Whilst pocketing dividends and all manner of earnings the two successive owner operators of this franchise have done the UK rail industry great harm overall - whilst making the lives of millions of travellers a daily misery for the most part. Smart new

The Government announcement today of funding immediate studies on the restoration of rail service to towns and communities abitrarily cut off from the national railway network during the 1960s has singled out Fleetwood to Poulton and Ashington - Blyth - Tyne line in the northeast as two initial railway links in the north of England. Concerted efforts of diverse organisations and individuals influenced the Government's attention on the Fylde coast and in particular the case

The town of Fleetwood at the most northerly point on the Fylde's coastline facing on to the Irish Sea and Morecambe Bay is one of many English coastal communities struggling to recover from economic decline over several decades. It is far from alone in seeking to reinvent previous era of positive growth and development. Unlike many seaside towns Fleetwood's earlier success was very much attuned to external forces brought about and heavily influenced with arrival of the ra

A long time ago in a far off time - the burntout shell of Works Car 753 - formerly Standard Car 143 was saved from dismantling by the efforts of a handful of dedicated Blackpool enthusiasts and their supporters under the aegis of the Lancastrian Transport Trust. The bodywork of the tram was carefully transferred from Rigby Road to the care of the LTT at their premises on Brinwell Road near Mereside. Here it remained for some years before the Trust took upon itself to return

Blackpool is the setting for a long overdue conference on light rail and its implications for the Fylde coast to be held on the 18th February at the Imperial Hotel venue from 0900. Organised and hosted by the LRTA - the Conference coordinator is Sam Flynn whose role and efforts have been focussed on the south Fylde railway and extending Blackpool's light rail service beyond its truncated terminus next to the sand hills at Starr Gate. Paris and the first of the new generation

Whilst Blackpool's almost unique policy of building up a bus and tram fleet entirely with centre entrance bodywork from 1933 onwards may have seemed strange to British eyes, it was very much in evidence in several European capitals. Berlin, Paris and Copenhagen were among major tram operators adopting centre entrance trams on the continent of Europe. Other systems such as Rotterdam (see earlier blog this month), Leipzig, Danzig and Zurich similarly acquired centre entranc

By way of illustrating the level of skilled work involved in bringing an old tram back to life in its original condition - the National Tramway Museum are close to completing several years of dedicated effort (and expense) in finalising the return of London County Council Number 1 to service at Crich. Sometime in the coming months the tram will be formally 'launched' in its striking original dark blue and white colours - as the prototype of a new series planned for the LCC t

Whilst constant reference is made to the shoals of vintage era trams held in Rigby Road Depot with ever manipulative 'rebranding' by the Paint Shop - in fact very little real restoration in the fullest sense of the term has taken place thus far at Rigby Road. In part due to the continuing call on available resources in the Works abetted by limitations on funding for individual objectives. Whereas at the National Tram Museum (among other repositories of vintage trams) especia

The busiest weekend out of season brought thousands of visitors into Blackpool's centre and the Winter Gardens for the annual pigeon show. Queues outside the Winter Gardens together with long lines of taxis lining up for trade contrasted with the handfuls of tram enthusiasts persuaded to travel to Blackpool for the first 'Gold' weekend of heritage tram service. I am told that the pigeon exhibitions brings breeders with buyers from all over the UK and Ireland, as well as ou