A Busy Weekend in Blackpool
Blackpool's town centre and promenade saw crowds gather for a two day festival on the Tower Headland which hosted the 2018 Lights Switch-On on Friday night, and the Britney Spears Concert tonight. Total closure of the promenade for through traffic meant considerable creative diversion for Blackpool's bus routes - and a split tram service which had the northern part of the route terminating at North Pier and the southern section terminating at the Tower. No through running was possible with all manner of barriers and obstructions blocking both roadway and tramway over the two day period.
Very impressive barriers in place preventing overrunning of trams beyond their North Pier temporary terminus. A spare car is stabled on the loop track whilst a service tram prepares to depart northbound from the southbound platform.
Contractors working on the Talbot Road tram extension diligently completed the section which runs from just east of Talbot Square in a straight line to the road junction with Abingdon Street (and across it) - so traffic could traverse Talbot Road from Abingdon Street. Neatly laid double street track has now become part of the improved roadway in this section, whilst work has started on similarly removing the existing road surface (and old tram tracks) from the section from Abingdon Street crossing up to the road junction with Dickson Road. Below : neatly installed track at the Abingdon Road crossing - now just the wires to complete the scene.
Interesting sights today included a London 'Borismaster' arriving on Talbor Road, presumably from London, whilst a VW microbus brought a wedding party to the wedding Chapel on the promenade, depositing them almost adjacent to the temporary tram terminus which utilised the third track loop to stable a spare unit.
Yes it is a London United 'Borismaster' on Talbot Road on a private hire to Blackpool ! Whilst BTS continue to efficiently deliver rail replacement services to Blackpool North with an example turning off Talbot Road to make its way to the railway terminal.
Deutsche Bahn (DB) otherwise known as Northern found itself with industrial action impacting on its services to Blackpool this weekend (and elsewhere) but crowds still managed to find their way by train to Blackpool North for both events. Special Rail Replacement buses provided by BTS were seen again arriving amid traffic (and a Borismaster from London) this afternoon. No doubt many more interesting scenes and events will accrue over the next 36 hours which might find themselves on this blog... Such as this classic VW Microbus with split windows parked outside the Wedding Chapel with a group from Southport.
