Blackpool Trams

Be good to see you Neil, and Frank ! Any Nat Pressers wondering if they should make the journey - do ! At 09.15 there is a bright blue cloudless sky here and it's forecast for all day so come on over to Blackpoool !

 

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Was having a good day in Blackpool today in the pleasant sunshine until around 3.00pm whwn I stupidly left my camera bag on the pavement near the Cabin after filming the afternoon tour. This is by way of an appeal if any Nat Pres. member happened to notice the bag, which was a black and grey haversack type and may have handed it in. It contained my other camera, a Canon HV30 plus assorted spare batteries and other items.

Thanks

 

Sorry to read this Austin. I sincerely hope your bag was found by an honest person who has/will do the right thing.

 

I'm finding it hard to see through the wailings of diehard enthusiasts and the spin of the council to find out what the real future is for the tramway. I understand that all normal services will be run by Flexities "with some extra balloon cars and a heritage fleet" although have recent developments now scuppered this? Can anyone compile a fleet list of stock with whats staying and if its going where it is going?

EDIT: Having bothered to look I found this good list from the British Trams site but its not up to date. http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/blackpoolfleet.doc Is this as much as anyone knows or is their any more news?

 

As I drove along the prom on Sunday morning what a pleasure it was to see you sat by the trackside. Had I been able to park close by I would have happily come over and waved my willy at you, but then again your good lady would think she'd been short changed all these years.

Hopefully some may enjoy this footage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WZRGsVZqIY

 

You should have come up to North Pier where we had a dainty afternoon tea party later with 60017 and Belle1 - coffee and scones rather than a pint - but a very pleasant meet - with some cracking photography to boot from the pier, and a bit of forthright discussion, as you would expect - from someone who used to definitely take prisoners.

The only problems on Sunday were too many mates to be able to spend time with all of them, and the utter lack of sense of occasion displayed by BTS in closing the system with 707 and 720 which will be back next year as demand requires. 631 ran in around 18.30 - and Set two at 23.30 after its surprise appearance vice 711 which "broke down" near the Tower requiring a substitute car - which was duly mobbed. Some seventy five years of history being brought to an end.

Campainr - its 16 Bombardiers and Bulgies 700, 713 and 720 and Millenniums 707, 709 and 718. Balloons 711 and 719 may or may not be converted to wider doors and then there is the heritage fleet - limited to twenty eight days service a year - 600, 706, 717 and possibly 66.

There are heritage trams in private ownership - but the arrangements for them to run are doubtful - especially with a clown like Roberts at the helm.

And the best news - is that 100 year old Cardiff 131 arrived at Starr Gate this arvo to clean the tracks for the new Flexxity fleet! They can't do without the oldies can they?

 

A few scenes from Sunday, quite a few in similar spots as in Mikes fine video as we were standing together for a spell in the afternoon;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjQiMQVcRMc

 

Dainty??? Was good to see you and Mrs TBird and former moderator colleague Belle1. Cute dog Neil............hope you got home without having your wallet emptied by the kids ! lol

 

PROGRESS

The LTT website reports the following this evening (cut and pasted);

Sunday, 20 November 2011
Thornton Gate site selected as development option
Following talks with Blackpool Council and detailed discussions with the Blackpool Civic Trust and key Blackpool Councillors, the LTT has started negotiations on the terms of lease for the former tram sidings at Thornton Gate in Cleveleys.

The plan would involve the creation of a Transport Heritage centre on the site, which is currently being used as a construction compound for the tramway upgrade. However, the site will be vacated by Easter 2012 and the LTT has already started costing the options for erecting buildings on the site to store its vintage tram collection. Planning meetings are also advancing with a view to submitting a planning application early in 2012.

It is hoped that the plans which we feel will be "credible, achievable and deliverable" will be sufficient to secure continued accommodation of our vintage trams at the Council-owned tram depot at Rigby Road, until the site is ready to receive vehicles. The LTT is particularly pleased with the response from Blackpool Councillors and MPs across the political spectrum, and we will be keeping members fully informed of developments

We have drafted plans for a Transport Museum on the Thornton Gate site before - back in 2001, but these were rejected at the time because of possible use of the site for either a tram depot or turning circle as part of the tramway upgrade. Thankfully, Blackpool Council now accept that the site is redundant and offers a permanent home to the LTT tramway collection. We expect to have an offer of lease from Blackpool Council within the next two weeks.

 

That's good news John.

I saw Balloon No. 700 at Thornton Gate last Monday. It was following the engineers car towards Cleveleys.

 

Good news - if they need a surveyor's eye casting over the terms ................

 

Well, I've joined the LTT now and if this comes off its something to get the volunteer overalls on for !

 

Welll spotted Alan! A balloon north of Cleveleys - bodes well for the future?

 

Sounds good to me, especially since it would allow the collection of trams to stay within Blackpool and viewable to your average tram fan should he pass though. Lets just hope all goes to plan!

 

You never know John.

I would have took a photo but I was towing my caravan at the time - not easy to just park up!

 

Now, if only Blackpool Transport, the LTT and the Fleetwood Preservation Group could get together and build the museum at Thorton Gate to house all three collections, connected to the main line, what bliss... Sorry if I am going down the logical tangent... Visitors could ride from Blackpool to the museum by modern tram as well.

 

Well, the time to get the points in (unless they are still there) is before Easter 2012 !

 

According to the British Trams Online website, Balloon No. 700 was testing the overhead between Little Bispham and
Thornton Gate last Monday.

The following day 631 and 648 made it to Fleetwood!

http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/nov11/newsblackpool5.html

 

Thanks for the link Alan ; curiouser and curiouser!