PLD Posted January 28, 2012 Author Share Posted January 28, 2012 Whatever one's views about the design of the Flexity trams, I cannot help thinking that the livery simply isn't Blackpool. After a few Flexities are decorated in gaudy all-over advertising, I suspect Blackpool Transport will decide to adopt a bold but simply livery - perhaps green and cream..... Green and cream 21st centuraty trams. Now that sounds like a good idea. Modern equipoment with a thought for the tradition in the livery. Edit: PS is there any connection between the numbering of the new trams and the original fleet? The Purple and White is not 'Traditional Blackpool Transport' but then again nor is Green and Cream - that was only introduced with those new-fangled streamlined thingies in the 1930s, which was an equally big change as the current upgrade. (Before that it was Red and White) Purple and White is however very much current Blackpool Borough Council who actually own the new Trams (technicaly they are operated by a separate Joint-venture company between Blackpool Transport and Blackpool Council) and matches nicely with other council vehicles such as dustcarts, roadsweepers etc etc The numbering has no connection whatsoever to the old scheme. I think a deliberate policy to signify a fresh start... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesthecat Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I wouldn't expect a return to green and cream as the bus fleet has gone to black/ yellow. Saw 2 balloons on thursday in the bispham- little bispham section and was wondering if this section was open but didn't see anything at all friday. Does anyone know what work remains to finish thinking up to fishermans walk as I know the substation in fleetwood needs to be finished. cheers mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 Saw 2 balloons on thursday in the bispham- little bispham section and was wondering if this section was open but didn't see anything at all friday.Does anyone know what work remains to finish thinking up to fishermans walk as I know the substation in fleetwood needs to be finished. cheers mark Reported elsewhere as 723 (retained as spare but not planned to have the widened doors) and Millennium 718 out on Thurs with fitters driving. That usually suggests post-workshop checking of the cars but may also be infrastructure checks. I would not expect driver refreshers to start until late Feb/Early March. Apart from Fleetwood sub and the track realignment at Pleasure Beach, I only know of various Platform construction/correctional works and a few overhead line jobs (believe neither Cleveleys nor Thornton Gate crossovers are wired yet - at least one of those will need to be done by Easter...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Things move on..................at least there's still a tram system to enjoy and photograph. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 I think Southernman46 has hit the nail on the head there. Blackpool has one more tramway than 99% of British towns, and I think those who criticise BT for using it as a tramway (as opposed to a working museum) would be very disappointed if this approach had been taken 100 years ago - the system would still be using horse trams and the balloons would never have been invented! I agree that the new trams don't look very charismatic, but that's often the case when something is new. When they're 70 years old they might look as nice as the old 1930s trams do now. Hats off to Blackpool Transport/Council for taking the brave decision to invest (a lot of!) their money in light rail. If they hadn't have done, it would only be a matter of time before the tramway rusted away - and where would the vintage trams be then? Cheers, Will PS. Double-hats-off to BT & BC for retaining some of the vintage vehicles to support tourism and give us enthusiasts something to talk about Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesthecat Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Cleveleys crossover definately wired now think thornton gate also done but will see if I can check tomorrow. mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Some nice new, low floor double deck trams would be nice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted January 30, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 30, 2012 I think Southernman46 has hit the nail on the head there. Blackpool has one more tramway than 99% of British towns, and I think those who criticise BT for using it as a tramway (as opposed to a working museum) would be very disappointed if this approach had been taken 100 years ago - the system would still be using horse trams and the balloons would never have been invented!............ I agree. If you look at most European cities that never scrapped their tramway system, they gradually replaced older trams with the next model, then some years later replaced them in turn with something even more modern. Blackpool seemed to be the exception stuck in a time warp, but thankfully unlike other UK cities did not scrap the system all together. If you look at the railway, that is exactly what has happened there. A gradual development over time. There was no quantum leap from 1930s steam to modern day stock. Blackpool tramways hoverever have done just that, but with the sensible decision to retain some hertiage stock for tourism. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesthecat Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Quick update, thornton gate looks wired but didn't get out of the car for a good proper look, tramway still blocked by temporary red barriers at bispham, may have something to do with replacement of concrete fence at this location. mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Low floor double deck? Don't mind if I don't use the lower floor then, too cramped hat, coat -> door No, I don't mind. I'll be upstairs enjoying the grandstand view Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Quick update, thornton gate looks wired but didn't get out of the car for a good proper look, tramway still blocked by temporary red barriers at bispham, may have something to do with replacement of concrete fence at this location.mark Thanks Mark, Last report I had in early Jan said main running lines and centre loop at TG were wired, but not the X-overs... Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Some nice new, low floor double deck trams would be nice. Low floor double deck? Don't mind if I don't use the lower floor then, too cramped hat, coat -> door Something like this?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Traxson Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Something like this?? Why does it look like an old Blackpool double decker with a glass front? Perhaps Blackpool had it right the first time. Phil T. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Scottish Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Why does it look like an old Blackpool double decker with a glass front? Perhaps Blackpool had it right the first time. Phil T. Its a bit different isn't it. I like it , and as Phil says looks like a 2011 version of the balloon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I took one look at that and thought, "it's a balloon!" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 OK change of opinion on my part- Lets hope that the new trams generate so much new traffic that Balckpool has to consider purchasing some new double deckers! XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Let's hope they generate so much traffic they have to buy back the heritage trams from the other museums..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Something like this?? Almost exactly like that! (I did do a sketch for a model modern baloon using EFE Plaxton Panther screens, flush plug doors and bonded glazing about 10 or so years ago, so it's nice to see someone else coming along with something not dissimilar). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Interesting to see what happens to the upstairs articulation when it goes over vertical curves. Mummy, the tram's eaten my foot... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesthecat Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 According to trams today 006 (flexity) arrived in blackpool also saw on my way to work 001 alongside 718 (i think it was) at bispham. Worksite been created at little bispham point entry to the loop wonder if they are fitting point motors? mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWJ Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Visited Blackpool last weekend and saw what I assume was a newly-delivered tram as there was a low-loader nearby. No sign of any number so I'm afraid I can't be sure which one it was, but No. 001 was parked in front of it, presumably ready to push it back into the depot. This was on the Friday; I didn't see any other tram movements for the remainder of the weekend. I was interested to see that pointwork for a major junction has been put in at North Pier, presumably to enable a branch line to Blackpool North Station to be added in future. There are some photos here: http://blackpooltramnews.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/190411-news-update/ Cheers, Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Visited Blackpool last weekend and saw what I assume was a newly-delivered tram as there was a low-loader nearby. No sign of any number so I'm afraid I can't be sure which one it was, but No. 001 was parked in front of it, presumably ready to push it back into the depot. This was on the Friday; I didn't see any other tram movements for the remainder of the weekend. It was 007 delivered last Friday (I understand originally due Thurs but delayed en-route). Generally there are two per day out on training duties Tues-Friday (trainers don't seem to work weekends) but I expect that to increase to three or four per day in the next few weeks. I was interested to see that pointwork for a major junction has been put in at North Pier, presumably to enable a branch line to Blackpool North Station to be added in future. We discussed those junctions recently in this thread. They are indeed for a branch along Talbot Road to the proposed Talbot Gateway scheme around the North Station area. The hope is a chunk of funding for the tramway will come from the developers. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesthecat Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Hi there were 3 flexities out on thursday, 3,4 and 6 although they may not all have been on driver training, still alot of work ongoing on the tracks looks like they are putting in new drains (north of thornton gate) which I would have thought should have been done when they relaid the track last year! mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesthecat Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Just seen flexity 002 turning back at thornton gate, looks like the tramway is slowly opening northbound! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 With just a week to go before the big day, a clearer picture of the intended service pattern is developing. It has now been confirmed that there will be an official launch of the new trams on Tuesday 3rd April with public service starting on Wednesday 4th (Not Monday or Good Friday as reported/guessed elsewhere). Initially there will be a ‘core’ 20 minute frequency over the full length of the tramway (apparently a Flexity finally made it through to Fleetwood Ferry for the very first time today!) operated by the Low-floor Flexities from 6am - 7pm, reducing to half-hourly in the evenings and all day Sundays, plus on Saturdays, Sundays, Bank Holidays and during the illuminations a half hourly (or better) limited stop ‘vintage’ service between Pleasure Beach and Bispham. This sounds poor (and is indeed less journeys per hour than last year!) but is likely to be increased as the system beds in and supplemented by additional non-timetabled journeys as required which could be additional Flexities or the modernised Balloons… End-to-end journey time is set at 50 minutes, compared to 64 minutes allowed last time the complete tramway was in operation in autumn 2009. Pricing is interesting: for the first time since the 1970s single journey fares between the same points by tram and bus will be the same (mostly achieved by raising the bus fares!) but I suspect many users will be using travelcards. Replacing the one-day ticket that cost £6 last year, there are two options. One permits travel only on the core tram service or buses and is priced at just £4; the second option is £10 for a ticket which also covers the vintage cars. On the face of it that sounds expensive, but it also includes (unlimited) illuminations tours which were previously excluded from the day ticket and cost an extra £6 per round trip... As for arrivals and departures since the last big update: The Flexity fleet has almost trebled in size in the last two months with 7 more arrivals. The outstanding 5 are expected now at a rate of one per week so there should be 12 in Blackpool (probably 10 commissioned and available for service) be the time of the launch compared to the original schedule that they should all be here by the end of February… Photo below of the delivery of no 010 especially for the person who contacted me off forum to tell me they weren’t being delivered via Hull! On 29th February Boat car 605 sold to the LTT in November 2009 left for a two year loan to Beamish. It is hoped to have it ready for service at Easter or failing that, the Great North Steam Fair on 12-15 April. Balloon 721 headed in a similar direction on the 2nd of March having been purchased by a relatively new group The North Eastern Electrical Traction Trust http://www.neett.co.uk/ who also have some of the European trams from the defunct Transperience Museum near Bradford and ambitions of developing a new operational tramway. [note: do not read anything into the photos of the Beamish tram fleet on their website there is no connection to Beamish] There has also been a swap between owners of ex Blackpool cars. 637 which was reserved by the LTT and orphaned trailer 687 have passed to Mersey Travel (leaving Blackpool on 6 Feb and 7 Feb respectively) with Twin car motor 671 passing from Mersey Travel to the LTT. 671 which had left Blackpool for Knowsley on 19 December returned to storage in a Hauliers yard near Blackpool on 7th Feb! Finally on loan Cardiff Railgrinder 131, headed home to Crich on Friday 23rd March. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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