A very good article was recently published on the Heritage Railway website. It deals with the ongoing “upgrade”.
News
Archived Posts from this Category
December 3, 2009
605, 632 and 703 have been acquired by LTT. They also have 687 for spares.
November 27, 2009
A week of events will take place between Thursday 23 and Wednesday 29 September. Ten visiting trams are coming from museums around England, plus examples from the Blackpool Transport and the Lancastrian Transport Trusts vintage collections. About 20 vintage trams will be in use during the week – as well as `normal’ fleet – most of which are in their 70s!
The celebrations are launched on the Thursday with a “Welcome Evening” in the conference room at Uncle Tom’s Cabin featuring presentations, a quiz and a Hot Pot Supper with time to socialise at a cash bar.
Friday 24th is turned over to the enthusiast groups who are putting together a package of tram tours. The Friday also sees the World Fireworks Championships and museum trams are expected to join the famous Illuminated Trams on tours of the World Famous Illuminations. Local preservationists, the Lancastrian Transport Trust will be organising one of its popular `Beer and Buses’ events out into the Fylde countryside.
Saturday 25th will see the biggest vintage tram operation ever attempted in the town with up to 10 vintage cars rostered on a special service operating up to every ten minutes during the day.
Sunday 26th will provide a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes at Rigby Road Depot – including the 75 year old tram depot, the workshops and the bus garage. A selection of trams will be on display at the front of the tram depot; while the bus yard will showcase the vintage bus collection of the Lancastrian Transport Trust and other preservations – plus of course the modern fleet of Blackpool Transport. Inside the bus depot will be entertainment, tram models and transport memorabilia stalls.
Sunday will also see a repeat of the vintage tram service and a shuttle service to/from the tram depot will also be in operation.
Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th will see further events organised by the enthusiast groups. Wednesday 29th marks the anniversary of the official opening and will feature a short parade of Blackpool trams, further tram tours and the week will conclude with an Anniversary Dinner at the Chequers Plaza Hotel.
The vintage trams expected to feature in the event – subject to availability – include the following Blackpool cars:
Marton Box Car 31 of 1901 from Beamish Museum
Fleetwood Box Car 40 of 1914 owned by Crich Tramway Village
Standard 143 from LTT
Standard 147 from Blackpool Transport
Open Boat car 600 of 1934 from Blackpool Transport
English Electric Open Top Balloon 706 of 1934 from Blackpool Transport
English Electric Balloon 717 of 1935 from Blackpool Transport
English Electric Railcoach 279 of 1939 from Lancastrian Transport Trust
English Electric `Marton VAMBAC’ 11 from East Anglia Transport Museum
Two Coronation Cars 304 of 1952 from Lancastrian Transport Trust and 660 of 1953 from Blackpool Transport
Blackpool OMO car 8 from Lancastrian Transport Trust
And the following cars from other systems:
Stockport 5 of 1901 c/o Stockport 5 Tramcar Trust and a Blackpool resident
Bolton 66 of 1901 c/o Bolton 66 Tramcar Trust and another Blackpool resident
Manchester 765 of 1914 from the Manchester Transport Museum Society (Heaton Park Tramway)
Liverpool `Priestley Bogie’ 762 of 1930 from Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society (Birkenhead Tramway)
Sheffield 513 of 1950 also a Blackpool resident on long term loan from Beamish
Up to six visiting trams from the Crich Tramway Village (home of the National Tramway Museum) will also take part – full details of these have not yet been finalised (but TMS is talking about the following: Standard 40, Pantograph 167, Johannesburg 60, LCC 106, Porto 273 and Leeds 399).
Shortly www.blackpooltramevents.co.uk will go live with details of the events and other bits and pieces through the year.
June 14, 2009
Link to Bombardier pageMay 3, 2009
BTS announced that Bombardier Flexity 100% low floor cars have been
chosen for its 16 new cars (due in 2012). Blackpool Council is planning to house the new fleet at a new depot at Starr Gate (replacing the Go-Kart site). There is talk about a “museum” being built right next to it, this could house the remaining (once the new cars have arrived) fleet of “vintage” trams. Funding is only available for the depot, not the museum. If the museum also gets built, this will most certainly mean the end of the present Rigby Road shed.
February 1, 2008
all new – two
Posted by tramway1435 under News | Tags: Light Rail, low floor, upgrade |Leave a Comment
On February 1st 2008 it was announced that the Blackpool tramway will receive £85 million (with £60 million coming from central government) to upgrade the line to a modern “Stadtbahn” (light rail) type line. Details of the funding for the tramroad upgrade can be found here and here.
16 low floor trams will be purchased and some of the best of the old cars will be kept.
