Blackpool Tramway - Last Weekend

[Cliveblackpool]

As for the south end, the same argument could be given for many places where heavy rail has been converted to light rail, yet the combination of increased frequency, shorter journey times, the ability to run into the town centre and beyond, and replacement of Pacers with shiny new trams should boost passenger numbers. I wouldn't propose running all services right thorough to Kirkham. Perhaps a station could have been built south of Squires Gate to serve the housing development on the former Pontins site, which could be used both as a terminus for some of the Supertram services, and also an extension of the existing heritage line from Starr Gate. Either that or a spur to the airport (another crucial place missed by the new system but that would be served directly or indirectly by my proposal).

The South railway could again play an important role in Blackpool's transport infrastructure. Something that was destroyed by Blackpool's pro road councilors in the 60's. Unlike the tramway it runs through a commuter corridor. Usage is very high considering the small dirty pacers on the route, and only 1 train an hour.
It should be extended back to Central Station (Coral island) and have a tram / heavy rail interchange.
Central Station, Bloomfied Road,(football) South Station, (car parking) Pleasure Beach, Squires Gate, Pontins (Should be a park & ride site) St Annes, Lytham (gov. offices) to Preston/ Colne . The 12 miles of single track causes many problem re punctuality and cancelled trains. There should be 2 trains + an hour & reinstate the service direct to Manchester. South shore & Blackpool would really benefit from this Investment.

 

[Schnellzug]

i really dont' see why they needed to Modernise everything; surely the old trams were the whole point; it was one of the main selling points. If people wanted to see super-duper modern Trams they'd stay in Manchester. I suppose the Council decided that they had to be Modern, which seems ironic considering that Blackpool is one of the least Modern seaside resorts in the country, and before anyone thinks I'm criticising that's a major selling point.

 

[WatcherZero]

Reason theres only one train an hour is because it was reduced to single track wasnt it?

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Reason theres only one train an hour is because it was reduced to single track wasnt it?

Correct, 12 miles of single track, and not one passing loop.
You often see a train waiting to enter the single line at Kirkham North junction.
(there is only minutes to spare) Punctuality is poor as a result.
Even moderate delays can result in cancellations, or trains turned round short at St Annes.

I just wish that BTS and Blackpool council preserved the old trams in Blackpool. They could have had Tram Sundays and galas on several weekends through the year.
The huge number of tram enthusiasts in the last week of the trams riding and taking photos just shows what how popular they are.
Well, subject to enough new shinny euro-trams arriving, the new service will start in Easter 2012.

 

[Schnellzug]

I suppose this is what happens when you have Councils in charge. I know that this will be unpopular with those who believe that Councils should be responsible for Public transport, so keeping the nasty Fat Cat Bus Barons out, but one thing they're very fond of, Councils, is a mania for Modernisation, even when, as here, it's not really appropriate. Really, I think the whole point of Blackpool's trams was that it was a heritage operation, and them remaining in Council ownership was always an anachronism. All this modern colour-coded routes and the ghastly modernisation of some of the Trams to make them look like buses, and the hideous all-over ads; all completely inappropriate.

 

[MJBryan1979]

There is a Fleetwood based group called the Friends of Fleetwood trams who are preserving some of the fleet and hoping to use the old Copse road tram depot as a base.

In fact two trams have left Rigby road today (761 and 726) and are apparently destined for there.

More info will probably be available on the Facebook page 'Trams Today', which can be viewed even if not a member of Facebook. The address is
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Trams-Today/144002195699684

 

[ChrisCooper]

Correct, 12 miles of single track, and not one passing loop.
You often see a train waiting to enter the single line at Kirkham North junction.
(there is only minutes to spare) Punctuality is poor as a result.
Even moderate delays can result in cancellations, or trains turned round short at St Annes.

I just wish that BTS and Blackpool council preserved the old trams in Blackpool. They could have had Tram Sundays and galas on several weekends through the year.
The huge number of tram enthusiasts in the last week of the trams riding and taking photos just shows what how popular they are.
Well, subject to enough new shinny euro-trams arriving, the new service will start in Easter 2012.

I know as of Monday 7th November there was still only one tram delivered. Someone who works at Starr Gate depot said that another 2 were due soon so they could begin driver training. At the moment they have begun training the trainers, as well as training the maintenance staff at the new depot. Testing is also being carried out, the first new tram was being prepared for clearance testing on the full line, and also for speed testing. Once driver training has taken place the next thing is to do full ghost running of next years service, including the modified Balloons and heritage trams to check the timetable will work. Everyone seems doubtful though that a full service will run from Easter. Probably doesn't help that for at least 2 years now they have not been able to run the full planned service from Easter due to various problems.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Second tram arrived yesterday - Article in the local rag...
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/local/next_2m_fleet_closer_to_launch_1_3983701

Testing was being carried out yesterday. A new tram ran to ash Street Fleetwood. Speed brake testing was being carried out between Star gate & Pleasure Beach. The track has been fenced off. As it started off there was a electronic gong sound.

 

[ChrisCooper]

From that article, Councillor Fred Jackson says "By Easter we will have 16 new trams running alongside the 26 heritage vehicles." Where the hell does he get 26 from? They only had 33 operational this year. At best it sounds like 20 will be kept, with just 9 or 10 of those being in regular service, all having been stripped of most of their heritage features and fitted with things like power doors, information screens and automatic announcements. Others are the Illuminated Cars. The true Heritage fleet, i.e 147, 600, 660, 706, 717, 631, will get very limited use.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Gazette article 'Blackpool Heritage Tram Call'
Lancashire Tram Trust hopes to be given more time to re-home their trams, which BTS had threatened to scrap if not removed by the end of November 2011
Many interesting posts too.
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/local/blackpool_heritage_trams_call_1_3985644?commentspage=0

 

[BestWestern]

Gazette article 'Blackpool Heritage Tram Call'
Lancashire Tram Trust hopes to be given more time to re-home their trams, which BTS had threatened to scrap if not removed by the end of November 2011
Many interesting posts too.
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/local/blackpool_heritage_trams_call_1_3985644?commentspage=0

Wow, an almost unanimous view that the upgraded system is a total joke, I didn't expect that I must admit! I share these thoughts entirely,and the comments relating to B'pool Tranny's total lack of concern for the town's history are absolutely bang on. Even from a business point of view, a properly organised and promoted finale event would have attracted big crowds and heavy ridership, and at least raised some awareness (even interest?! :roll in the crappy new stuff. But no, just a depressing, sorry run down of the system. What a bunch of brainless grey suits the bosses here really are.

 

[ChrisCooper]

See they are still going on about 26 heritage trams, and saying they need the space to upgrade them. 7 out of trams being retained have been upgraded already. 2 don't need any work (the train and Frigate). 147, 706, 717 and 600 shouldn't be touched. That just leaves the 4 other Balloons that are supposed to be kept (701, 711, 719, 723) of which 2 or 3 are going to get the door mods, which surely won't take up much space (afterall they did the other 7 fine whilst the depot was much more full), plus 631 which I'm not sure what's happening to it, and maybe the other 2 boats if kept. That's not going to take up much space, and it's not 26!

 

[BestWestern]

I wonder if there is an emerging realisation amongst the powers that be that there is in fact far greater local support for the heritage aspect of the system than first expected. Perhaps the locals aren't so in awe of their fleet of shiny Europlastics as they were supposed to be!

 

[ChrisCooper]

I wonder if there is an emerging realisation amongst the powers that be that there is in fact far greater local support for the heritage aspect of the system than first expected. Perhaps the locals aren't so in awe of their fleet of shiny Europlastics as they were supposed to be!

That would suggest that they actually cared about what people think, which most people in power only pretend to until they get elected.

 

[boing_uk]

following the old railway line before taking over the current line from Blackpool South and heading onto Kirkham and Wesham where they would connect with the mainline. Deals with both the tramway, and also the south line.

So you would get rid of the hourly service that takes 36 minutes, and replace it with the demolition of numerous existing platforms, diversion of heavy rail lines and construction of new platforms at KKM, to dump passengers onto a station which sees three trains per hour to Preston? Its not really an improvement and certainly not cost effective.

If you are going to spend such inordinate amounts of money, extend the tramway to Whitehills Industrial Estate, bring it back south through the proposed housing estate via the extended Blackpool Rd, down Woodlands Rd to an interchange at AFV, down Central Beach and then to a new offline alignment to Warton, through Warton and then on to Preston via Chain Caul Way, squeezed in down the back between Morrisons and Watery Lane, down Mariners Way and Port Way on to the Preston Dock line then up Fishergate in to Preston City Centre.

Add in a passing loop on the south Fylde line between AFV and SAS and extension of the line to Chapel St in Blackpool and you have the makings of a reasonable coastal transport system.

The train is busiest between St Annes and Preston, although even BPS sees 120,000 passengers a year (although I suspect this is slightly more, given that BPN tickets are accepted to/from here).

The end-to-end journey time would obviously be a lot longer, but it is not about end-to-end journeys. Comparatively few people travel Norwich to Liverpool, or Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport for instance - it is more about the journeys in-between.

 

[HSTEd]

Well you could always convert the entire Blackpool South branch to Light Rail, run an alternative alignment from Ribby-with-Rea to Preston via Kirkham, Newton-with-Scales, Clifton and Lea, finishing up with a run to Preston alongside the Ribble Steam railway using lots of sections of gauntlet track to fit through bridges and into existing alignments, then return to street running for a few hundred yards to terminate next to the bridge over Preston station.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Well you could always convert the entire Blackpool South branch to Light Rail, run an alternative alignment from Ribby-with-Rea to Preston via Kirkham, Newton-with-Scales, Clifton and Lea, finishing up with a run to Preston alongside the Ribble Steam railway using lots of sections of gauntlet track to fit through bridges and into existing alignments, then return to street running for a few hundred yards to terminate next to the bridge over Preston station.

It would get wedged with traffic in the summer though, 142 + 153 combinations leave people on the platform at Preston during the summer heading for the Pleasure Beach.

 

[WestCoast]

It would get wedged with traffic in the summer though, 142 + 153 combinations leave people on the platform at Preston during the summer heading for the Pleasure Beach.

Indeed, it can be a very busy line during certain times of the year. I can vouch for this as its my local line!

I don't want a tram-train on this line, a passing loop is needed.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Indeed, it can be a very busy line during certain times of the year. I can vouch for this as its my local line!

I don't want a tram-train on this line, a passing loop is needed.

Indeed, a passing loop at St Annes (or thereabouts) would clear it for half-hourly service. Do the same at Midge Hall and you could have the following:
1tph - Colne-Blackpool South
1tph - Ormskirk-Blackpool South (or St Annes)