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Blackpool Trams Extension to North station

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PeterY

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Today I follewed the newly laid tram tracks in blackpool towards Blackpool North station. They come to an adrupt end by Wilko's and it looks like they're heading straight into Wilko's.

Does any know if the new line, is going to get any closer to the railway station?
 
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Aictos

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Are they likely to ever get the new premises built? Or are they just dragging their feet over the project?

Only ask as the last time I was in Blackpool, Thatcher was PM!
 

Robertj21a

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The council didn't get their act together. So the tram line was built before the buildings in the way were sorted out.
 

NORMAN471

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The council didn't get their act together. So the tram line was built before the buildings in the way were sorted out.
Perhaps they want to recreate the Blackpool North experience where you are held captive inside and have to buy something, only then will they let you through the checkout to the exit and tram boarding stop.
 

pieguyrob

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The lease on Wilko's building expires next year. Wilko's aren't moving out until it does. This means the council can't do anything more until then. All the council had to do is redirect the number 1 bus to the station, to save this rigmarole. It has been nowt but a nuisance.
 

Clip

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The lease on Wilko's building expires next year. Wilko's aren't moving out until it does. This means the council can't do anything more until then. All the council had to do is redirect the number 1 bus to the station, to save this rigmarole. It has been nowt but a nuisance.

Not only that but they still havent built the new premises behind debenhams so its all a bit of a mess really.

Mind you the amount of times they have closed Talbot road for 'extra' tram works has been laughable this year.

If people think HS2 is a waste of money they should really go and hold blackpool council to account for this abuse of public money
 

pieguyrob

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In todays printed edition of the Blackpool Gazette, it states that demolition of Wilko's will start next April. A temporary tram stop will open and the full terminus on the old Wilko's (original north station) site will be up and running in 2022.
 

pieguyrob

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Haven't seen the proper plans for it, but, the artists artist's impressions I have seen, seem to suggest either a horseshoe shaped build or 2 parralel buildings on the sight with the tramstop in the middle.
 

jumble

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I fully agree, I drive a taxi in Blackpool and it gets beyond a joke.

There is a recent comment on another forum ( British Trams Online) which may be interesting

http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/news/?p=30405
Gareth Prior said:
More progress on the project to extend the Blackpool Tramway up Talbot Road to a site just adjacent to Blackpool North Railway Station appears to be on the horizon with news that it could be 2021 for service to start, according to latest documents from Blackpool Council.

In this information it is confirmed that regardless of whether Wilkinson’s new building is built at the Houndshill Shopping Centre their lease at the current location ends in April 2020. It is anticipated this will not be renewed allowing contractors to move onto the site and start to demolish the building. Not only will the site be used to house the tramway terminus but it is also planned to construct a Holiday Inn and an underpass to the railway station.

Now the hotel is where the complication comes in as the final tramway terminus is due to be in the middle of the Wilkinson’s site by the new underpass but construction works on the hotel will mean it isn’t possible for this to be built until the very end of the project, in 2022. So, it is instead proposed to build a temporary tramway terminus in the location of the current entrance to Wilkinson’s with this expected to be ready by March 2021.

Of course, on top of the work to build the two tram termini (one for 2021 which will then close and be replaced by the permanent stop in 2022) there also remains a considerable amount of work along Talbot Road including the erection of overhead wire and the fitting out of the one platform stop at Talbot Square.

The Blackpool North extension had originally been due to open at Easter 2019 but if the above timeline is kept to (and a big if will probably remain over it as we are still awaiting with baited breath whether Wilkinson’s do actually move out!) it will now be 2021 for the start of services and 2022 for the final completion of the extension – just the three years late.
 
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Clip

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Of course, on top of the work to build the two tram termini (one for 2021 which will then close and be replaced by the permanent stop in 2022) there also remains a considerable amount of work along Talbot Road including the erection of overhead wire and the fitting out of the one platform stop at Talbot Square.

Which highlights what i said before about Talbot road - they will just keep closing it for these works - not sure the Talbot square stop should be there either - right outside a nightclub and with 2 stops in close proximity to it.

Utter garbage planning.
 

superkev

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Someone should be held to account for this fiasco.
As for putting a tram terminus with all the associated bells and other noise in the middle of a hotel words fail me.
The council would be best to admit there error, sack the project management company and move the terminus to where it should have been all along. I.e. next to platform 1 at the station. Could be all done in 6 months without red tape delays.
K
 
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LOL The Irony

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The council would be best to admit there error, sack the project management company and move the terminus to where it should have been all along. I.e. next to platform 1 at the station. Could be all done in 6 months without red tape delays.
That site is supposed to be a replacement for Bonny St police station as I've said before (I swear we have a thread on this somewhere) but I agree with your idea. Put the stop where they want the cop shop and vice-versa.
 

pieguyrob

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The new police station has been built on Clifton Rd next to Mereside Tesco, where the gas works used to be.

Also Talbot Rd is shut between Abingdon St and Dickson Rd. They are putting in the poles for the OHLE.
 

superkev

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News from elsewhere is that Wilco should hopefully be vacating in March 2020. Unless they manage to extend the lease thus will allow the building to be demolished and construction of the new hotel with tram terminus in the middle to commence.
I still cant believe any sane person could contemplate a hotel with a noisy tram terminus in the middle. Stupid idea.
K
 

duffield

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News from elsewhere is that Wilco should hopefully be vacating in March 2020. Unless they manage to extend the lease thus will allow the building to be demolished and construction of the new hotel with tram terminus in the middle to commence.
I still cant believe any sane person could contemplate a hotel with a noisy tram terminus in the middle. Stupid idea.
K
Modern trams are pretty quiet (and of course there's no fumes issue).
The hotel can be designed so that the bits immediately above/next to the tram stop are non-public areas (kitchens, supplies, utility rooms etc.), then you have the public areas where a bit of noise doesn't matter like dining room/bar/reception, and then the bedrooms are farthest away (vertically I would imagine).
I think it's not too difficult to make it work.
 
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Meerkat

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Would be a bit perverse to book a hotel in the middle of Blackpool and then complain it’s not silent!
The tram will also be clearly marked on all maps so pretty obvious.
 

edwin_m

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Would be a bit perverse to book a hotel in the middle of Blackpool and then complain it’s not silent!
The tram will also be clearly marked on all maps so pretty obvious.
I'm struggling not to imagine a Fawlty-esque response here: "You booked a hotel in Blackpool, what did you expect to hear? The gentle rustle of the prairies? The lapping of the waters of Lake Placid?"

People would still complain if the trams made an excessive noise, especially if it was a premium hotel.
 

Edders23

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last time I went to Blackpool BRCW units operated most of the services

It does seem ironic that Blackpool North was moved further away to make way for shops and now the shops are making way for trams
 

DanNCL

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I do think that they should have just built the tram terminus next to platform 1 at the national rail station, however it is what is unfortunately. What a carry on though, those tracks have been complete up to the entrance to Wilko for a long time now and had they ran this project properly and got Wilko moved last year, no doubt the extension could have opened earlier this year.

Does anyone know what the planned service pattern will be once trams finally start serving North station?
 

pieguyrob

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I'm struggling not to imagine a Fawlty-esque response here: "You booked a hotel in Blackpool, what did you expect to hear? The gentle rustle of the prairies? The lapping of the waters of Lake Placid?"

The trams are the least of their worries, they don't run through the night. However,

The Queen Street boundary of the property has a nightclub, "Kaos", which is open until 0500 every day.

The Dickson Road boundary, has a taxi stand, and I know that if it is cold the cabs keep their engines running through the night. I am one of them.

Weekends and Monday nights they will undoubtedly have to endure police and ambulance sirens, dealing with the unrest from the nightclub.​
 

duffield

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But as a new hotel it will presumably have A/C with sealed, possibly triple glazed windows and a high degree of sound insulation in general?
 

pieguyrob

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Today's Gazette ran the story that Wilko's staff will be made redundant on March the 31st, when the Dickson Rd branch shuts.
 
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Today's Gazette ran the story that Wilko's staff will be made redundant on March the 31st, when the Dickson Rd branch shuts.
Very sad -Not a nice Christmas present for the staff.
Sounds so wasteful demolishing a very large building and car park for a tram terminus, and for such a short spur.
Nice hotel in Blackpool without a sea view? Lol!
 

Ianno87

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Very sad -Not a nice Christmas present for the staff.
Sounds so wasteful demolishing a very large building and car park for a tram terminus, and for such a short spur.
Nice hotel in Blackpool without a sea view? Lol!

The building was probably in need of redevelopment at some point soon anyway.

Perhaps Wilko's should've been more on the ball and got new premises ready to move straight into.
 
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