Bank Holiday Monday 30th August 2010

A truly fantastic day out in the company of Compass Tours, 55022 and an assortment of loonies who I was sat with for most of the day! ('Big up' Bradleigh, Sam Bacon, Lofty and Mike Williams). All marks go to the 'Deltic 22' crew for providing their loco as a late substitute for the unfortunate D1015 'Western Champion'. And of course thanks go to the one, the only, Compass Tours! My devil horns are raised for John Melia and his brother Kevin, you guys are the best ;)

The day also included a run on the ONLY direct Blackpool North to Colne service of the day, which was the 04:56 departure! And also my first ever Class 180 for haulage!


Here's the moves:

NOTE: I failed once again to note the taxi number down as well as the bus I got home from Blackpool! D'oh!

(Taxi) Royal Beach Court - Blackpool North train station
142045 Blackpool North - Preston
55022 Preston - Durham (via Lancaster, Carnforth, Barrow-In-Furness, Workington, Carlisle London Road curve and Gateshead Metro Centre)
55022 Durham - Preston (via York, Leeds, Keighley, Helifield, Carnforth and Lancaster)
180108 Preston - Blackpool North
(Stagecoach 'Trident') Blackpool bus station - Beach Road (St. Annes)

Sunday 29th August 2010

It's nearly the end of the month already and I did something today that I've not done since April, the no.12 Sundays-only Heritage bus service that runs between St. Annes and Lytham!
I had a rather enjoyable day with both bashing and photting involved!

Here were the moves:

529 St. Annes Square - Lytham Square
WTG360T Lytham Square - St. Annes Square
WTG360T St. Annes Square - Beach Avenue (Fairhaven)
529 Links Road (St. Annes) - Lytham Square
529 Lytham Square - Fairhaven Lake
WTG360T Fairhaven Lake - Lytham Square
WTG360T Lytham Sqaure - St. Annes Square
529 St. Annes Square - Lytham Square
529 Lytham Square - St. Annes Square

Saturday 28th August 2010

A trip out for a bash on John Melia's 'Spoonex' from Crewe to Preston via Manchester.
The locos were 47712 leading with 47501 on the rear.
The trip to Crewe was trying enough - a bus from my place to Blackpool North station, the 150 unit to Preston, a 'Voyager' to Warrington for the rail replacement bus to Crewe! Phew!
Anyway, got there and did the 'duffs' through to Preston before jumping my unit(s) to Blackpool North for the taxi home!

NOTE: 308 and MIL2174 are buses and the rest are trains. I failed to note down the taxi reg. so I've just put 'Taxi' for that move! LOL

308 Beach Road (St. Annes) - Corporation Street (Blackpool)
150274 Blackpool North - Preston
221112 Preston - Warrington Bank Quay
MIL2174 Warrington Bank Quay train station - Crewe train station
47712 Crewe - Preston (via Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly, Bolton and Chorley)
150224+142036 Preston - Blackpool North
(Taxi) Blackpool North train station - Beach Road (St. Annes)

Monday 23rd August 2010

A trip into Blackpool to buy a new bag for work.
This was the move -

314 Kilgrimo Gardens South (St. Annes) - Blackpool Tower
101 Blackpool Tower - Beach Road (St. Annes)

Wednesday 18th August 2010

Yeah, yeah, yeah – same old tram bash day, but with a few differences! This day was spent mostly on ‘Balloon’ 717, ‘Twin’ 672+682 and ‘Standard’ 147 (which came out for an evening session on Pleasure Beach - North Piers!) I could have had ‘Twin’ 675+685 as well but this pair unfortunately suffered a failure at Bispham in the early afternoon and had to return to depot. Still, for what was on offer and that combined with the nice weather – it was a ruddy good day! Still, despite the nice weather – Blackpool Prom was lacking in the ‘Boat’ car department! :(

A ‘big up’ goes to a guy called Alan from the 37075 Churnet Valley crew who I got talking to during the course of the day!

NOTE: ‘133’ and ‘332’ are buses and the rest are trams.


133 Beach Road (St. Annes) – Lytham Road (Blackpool)
717 Rigby Road/The Manchester – Pleasure Beach
717 Pleasure Beach – Little Bispham
717 Little Bispham – Pleasure Beach
717 Pleasure Beach – North Pier
672+682 Blackpool Tower – Thornton Gate
682+672 Thornton Gate – Pleasure Beach
682+672 Pleasure Beach – North Pier
646 North Pier – Bispham
717 Bispham – Gynn Square
672+682 Gynn Square – Rigby Road/The Manchester
147 Rigby Road/The Manchester – North Pier
147 North Pier – Pleasure Beach
147 Pleasure Beach – North Pier
147 North Pier – Rigby Road/The Manchester
332 Lytham Road (Blackpool) – Beach Road (St. Annes)

Sunday 15th and Monday 16th October 2010

Sun 15th:

'The Concrete Cow' UKRailtour did not run this day due to the cancellation of the Wolverton Works open day so it was spent instead on the trams - of course, what else? I had my brother with me today so went bashing the trams - like old times! There was also a bit of 'Boat' and Vintage action too - like old times!

NOTE: '242' and '319' are buses and the rest are trams.


242 Kilgrimo Gardens South (St. Annes) - Blackpool Tower
604 Victoria Street (Blackpool) - Pleasure Beach
602 Pleasure Beach - Bispham
602 Bispham - Pleasure Beach
602 Pleasure Beach - North Pier
147 North Pier - Pleasure Beach
723 Pleasure Beach - Warley Road
711 Warley Road - Gynn Square
631 Gynn Square - Rigby Road/The Manchester
319 Lytham Road (Blackpool) - Beach Road (St. Annes)


Mon 16th:

A trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach with the family was the call of the day! Here's the bus move to and from:

18147 Beach Road (St. Annes) - Station Road (Blackpool)
315 Station Road (Blackpool) - Beach Road (St. Annes)

Wedneday 11th August 2010

The usual stuuf involving trams in Blackpool! But I had a friend to accompany me this time! Carl Wainright from Poynton (a former TMR fellow-member)spent most of the day with me, spinning trams for 'red pen' and mileage!
Another point of note wasv that 'Twin-Car' 671+681 were out this day but they were 'Not In Service'. No evidence of 'Driver Under Instruction' plates so theres a chance they could have been on a test run and maybe making a return to traffic? Who knows? Watch this space!

NOTE: '122' and '307' are buses and the rest are trams.


122 Beach Road (St. Annes) - Corporation Street (Blackpool)
675+685 North Pier - Pleasure Beach
672+682 Pleasure Beach - Bispham
646 Bispham - Little Bispham
709 Little Bispham - Norbrek
717 Norbrek - Cleveleys
717 Cleveleys - Pleasure Beach
682+672 Pleasure Beach - North Pier
685+675 North Pier - Rigby Road/The Manchester
685+675 Rigby Road/The Manchester - Blackpool Tower
762 Blackpool Tower - North Pier
709 North Pier - Fisherman's Walk
719 Fisherman's Walk - North Pier
762 North Pier - Rigby Road/The Manchester
307 Lytham Road (Blackpool) - Beach Road (St. Annes)

Monday 9th August 2010

Trams... Say no more!

NOTE: ‘308’ is a bus and the rest are trams.

308 Beach Road (St. Annes) – Corporation Street (Blackpool)
641 North Pier – Pleasure Beach
685+675 Pleasure Beach – Bispham
711 Bispham – Wilton Parade
717 Wilton Parade – Cleveleys
675+685 Cleveleys – Lowther Avenue
682+672 Lowther Avenue – Pleasure Beach
682+672 Pleasure Beach – Blackpool Tower
685+675 Blackpool Tower – Imperial Hotel
719 Imperial Hotel – North Pier
675+685 Victoria Street (Blackpool) – Rigby Road/The Manchester
308 Lytham Road (Blackpool) – Beach Road (St. Annes)

Sunday 8th August 2010

A quick trip down to Preston before work to ‘phot’ the second Compass Tour of the weekend! This one heading for Skipton and Keighley, being hauled by 67024 again.

150139 St. Annes-On-The-Sea – Preston
150218 Preston – St. Annes-On-The-Sea

Friday 6th August 2010

Another tram bash with added spice from Compass Tours! Yeeeaaahhh..... What I’m on about is I headed down to Preston to ‘phot’ the return leg of Compass Tours’ ‘Edinburgh Explorer’ jolly, which was hauled by 67024, after a day of tram bashing in Blackpool!
NOTE: ‘243’ and ‘127’ are buses, ‘142045’ and ‘142043’ are trains (obviously!) and the rest are trams.

243 East Bank Road (St. Annes) – Beach Road (St. Annes)
127 Beach Road (St. Annes) – Corporation Street (Blackpool)
642 North Pier – Waterloo Road
717 Waterloo Road – North Pier
675+685 North Pier – Thornton Gate
647 Thornton Gate – Bispham
646 Bispham – Little Bispham
682+672 Little Bispham – Pleasure Beach
648 Pleasure Beach – St. Chad’s Road
717 St. Chad’s Road – North Pier
672+682 North Pier – Pleasure Beach
142045 Blackpool Pleasure Beach – Preston
142043 Preston – St. Annes-On-The-Sea

Thursday 5th August 2010

Another day off, another tram bash! This bash included the first time in a long while I bailed off one 'Jubilee' car for another - in number order too! Also there was a few pub moves involved too, three new pubs - the Wetherspoons in Blackpool, one in Fleetwood (can't remember the name if it now!) and 'The Gynn' at Gynn Square! Alot of drink was consumed and I'm surprised at how I managed to get home! LOL

NOTE: '249', '286' and '308' are buses - the rest are trams ;)


249 St. Thomas' Chruch (St. Annes) - Beach Road (St. Annes)
286 Beach Road (St. Annes) - Blackpool Tower
723 Blackpool Tower - Pleasure Beach
717 Pleasure Beach - North Pier
685+675 North Pier - Pleasure Beach
685+675 Pleasure Beach - Thornton Gate
641 Thornton Gate - Bispham
719 Bispham - Pleasure Beach
761 Pleasure Beach - Bispham
762 Bispham - Blackpool Tower
647 North Pier - Fisherman's Walk
717 Fisherman's Walk - Gynn Square
711 Gynn Square - North Pier
646 North Pier - Blackpool Tower
762 Blackpool Tower - Rigby Road/The Manchester
308 Lytham Road (Blackpool) - Beach Road (St. Annes)

Thursday 29th July - Sunday 1st August 2010

Catch up time!

Thursday 29th July 2010

A trip out to Ansdell for a family gathering!

125 Beach Road (St. Annes) – Ansdell Library


Friday 30th July 2010

For the first time since November 2009, I actually rode on a Blackpool tram to FLEETWOOD!!! Albeit, as far as Fisherman’s walk. The line on the tramway opened on the 26th July, much to my surprise!
As well as this surprise, I got another one as soon as I arrived at Rigby Road/The Manchester tram stop – ‘Twin Car’ 675+685 was out in force! This one being on Pleasure Beach – Little Bispham/Thornton Gate services. As well as the ‘Twin Car’, ‘Balloon’ cars 711, 717, 719 and 723 were also out in service. The ‘Balloons’ were on the Fleetwood services. ‘Jubilee’ 762 and a wad of rancid ‘Centenary’ cars were also running. ‘Jubilee’ 761 was out briefly but only managed a few trips before being declared a failure and ran empty to depot. According to BTS tram conductor, Mark Whitehead, this had been 761’s fourth failure this week! Oh dear!
I ran into a bit of a farce myself when, going for 717, I missed the thing at Cleveleys trying to connect from ‘Centenary’ 646. So I quickly hot-footed it on Line 1 bus no. 339 from Cleveleys to North Pier and then ‘Balloon’ 711 from North Pier to Rigby Road/The Manchester to connect with 717! It worked in my favour actually, as it made 717 the first tram to Fleetwood since 706 ‘Princess Alice’ in November 2009!
And one final point of note was trams commencing southbound service from Fisherman’s Walk actually pick up passengers on the crossover between northbound and southbound stops! I found this out by 717’s moves this day!

Here’s what I did this day:
NOTE: ‘339’ and ‘377’ are buses, the rest are trams.

377 Beach Road (St. Annes) – Lytham Road (Blackpool)
685+675 Rigby Road/The Manchester – Pleasure Beach
685+675 Pleasure Beach – Little Bispham
762 Little Bispham – Cleveleys
723 Cleveleys – Bispham
646 Bispham – Cleveleys
339 Cleveleys – North Pier
711 North Pier – Rigby Road/The Manchester
717 Rigby Road/The Manchester – Fisherman’s Walk
717 Fisherman’s Walk – Thornton Gate
675+685 Thornton Gate – North Pier
719 North Pier – South Pier
643 Waterloo Road – North Pier
711 North Pier – Rigby Road/The Manchester
377 Lytham Road (Blackpool) – Beach Road (St. Annes)


Saturday 31st July 2010

A trip into Blackpool to do some shopping and an evening spin to Fisherman’s Walk and back on the tram!
NOTE: ‘711’ and ‘723’ are the trams. The rest are buses.

249 St. Hilda’s Road (St. Annes) – Corporation Street (Blackpool)
125 Central Pier – Beach Road (St. Annes)
240 Beach Road (St. Annes) – Blackpool Tower
711 Blackpool Tower – Fisherman’s Walk
723 Fisherman’s Walk – Rigby Road/The Manchester
319 Lytham Road (Blackpool) – Beach Road (St. Annes)


Sunday 1st August 2010

It’s the first of August and this was spent on another tram bash – this time, straight from work and still in uniform! This tram bash was also research into what a tram service was like on a Summer Sunday! Judging by the trams bashed, there was plenty going on! ‘Standard’ 147, ‘Boat’ 602 and even ‘Brush’ 632 made an appearance!
NOTE: ‘246’ and ‘306’ are buses, the rest are trams.

246 St. Hilda’s Road (St. Annes) – Blackpool Tower
147 Blackpool Tower – Pleasure Beach
602 Pleasure Beach – North Pier
719 North Pier – Bispham
647 Bispham – North Pier
632 North Pier – Pleasure Beach
632 Pleasure Beach – Victoria Street (Blackpool)
630 Victoria Street (Blackpool) – Pleasure Beach
717 Pleasure Beach – Little Bispham
707 Little Bispham – Bispham
675+685 Bispham – Rigby Road/The Manchester
306 Lytham Road (Blackpool) – Beach Road (St. Annes)