Blackpool's New Street Tram Junction

The last time a tram traversed across the promenade from Talbot Square was in 1963 when a motley convoy consisting of a Balloon car, the remnants of the 'Gondola' and Standard 48 (the last) crossed from their journey which started inside Marton Depot where they had been marooned since closure of the Marton tram service the previous October. Surrounding them were trams sold off for scrap to a contractor who took over the depot to complete the dismantling work around the trio.

Today contractors are busy reinstating the track connection from the Promenade on to Talbot Square and Talbot Road where the next extension has been mostly (but not completely) instated as far as the Wilko store entrance on Dickson Road. Here the work is pausing pending demolition on the store itself - sadly delayed through miscalculations and errors of judgement somewhere in the 'system'.

Some reassuring images taken this Thursday depicting tram junction installation on Talbot Square with the reconnection to the promenade tramway nearing completion. Fixtures for embedding the base of tram overhead poles are also in evidence along Talbot Road so that installation of overhead wiring can begin in the New Year. (Below)

Scenes of hectic activity as contractors push forward with installing the three way double track street junction on Talbot Square. Below the tracks diverge from Talbot Road to allow access from both northbound and southbound Promenade lines.

Crossing the promenade from Talbot Square without aid of traffic lights. However either a traffic policeman or Duty Inspector were on hand to hold back traffic in a previous era. Both images by John Woodman