| On Saturday 10th of October 2009 I made my first visit to Blackpool in two years, and it was interesting to note the changes to the Blackpool Tram system since then. This collection shows a number of images, not only of Blackpool's famous heritage trams, but also of the work now taking place on the recently closed Starr Gate section.
Starr Gate showed the biggest change, and though a number of the poles were still standing, all of the catenary has now been removed, along with much of the trackbed, and work is now well underway in levelling the site in preparation for the construction of the new depot for Blackpool's new supertrams when they arrive there. I thought it would be nice to record as much of this old setup as possible before it is all removed forever. Later it was off 'up north' to the Talbot Road/Tower area to photograph some trams, and here we got far more than we'd bargained for. Due to an incident on a double-decker bus, unfortunately on one of the few sections of road which is shared with the trams, the police arrived on scene, and rather than removing the bus to a more convenient location, it was left in situ, and the trams litterally piled up behind it, with a long line of them stretching down from the North Pier past the Tower. First time I've ever seen a 'tram jam', bad for the poor passengers (and this was all shortly before the illuminations were due to be switched on for the evening), but good for any passing photographers! 
Always a treat to see the Blackpool trams, it just won't be the same when super-duper hi-tech supertrams are running along the promenade. |
Pontins Tram - pity the camp has just been closed down 1024x738 IMGP4917.jpg |
1024x743 IMGP4918.jpg |
1024x757 IMGP4919.jpg |
1024x791 IMGP4920.jpg |
Former Starr Gate Terminus from the sand dunes 1024x684 IMGP4951.jpg |
Starr Gate, the poles are still there 1024x710 IMGP4955.jpg |
another view of the curve around the crazy golf course 1024x683 IMGP4957.jpg |
the tracks have all been ripped out beyond the old crossing 1024x811 IMGP4966.jpg |
1024x735 IMGP4967.jpg |
1024x789 IMGP4968.jpg |
1024x703 IMGP4969.jpg |
1024x714 IMGP4970.jpg |
1024x880 IMGP4971.jpg |
The old trackbed has been filled in here 1024x728 IMGP4972.jpg |
rock crusher on the site of the new depot 1024x684 IMGP4974.jpg |
1024x684 IMGP4975.jpg |
1024x684 IMGP4976.jpg |
1024x703 IMGP4977.jpg |
looking south from Starr gate 1024x684 IMGP4978.jpg |
looking north from Starr Gate 1024x707 IMGP4979.jpg |
round the curve to the north of the new depot site 1024x717 IMGP4980.jpg |
1024x685 IMGP4981.jpg |
1024x722 IMGP4982.jpg |
1024x689 IMGP4983.jpg |
1024x741 IMGP4984.jpg |
1024x704 IMGP4985.jpg |
I'm not sure if this is as far as they're removing the trackbed, or just the limit for now 1024x815 IMGP4987.jpg |
1024x713 IMGP4989.jpg |
1024x726 IMGP4992.jpg |
1024x786 IMGP5016.jpg |
1024x772 IMGP5017.jpg |
1024x763 IMGP5018.jpg |
1024x797 IMGP5019.jpg |
1024x777 IMGP5020.jpg |
1024x723 IMGP5022.jpg |
1024x715 IMGP5023.jpg |
1024x760 IMGP5026.jpg |
1024x717 IMGP5028.jpg |
1024x747 IMGP5029.jpg |
1024x732 IMGP5030.jpg |
1024x775 IMGP5031.jpg |
1024x752 IMGP5033.jpg |
1024x805 IMGP5034.jpg |
1024x773 IMGP5037.jpg |
1024x780 IMGP5038.jpg |
the cause of the 'tram jam' an incident on this bus 1024x763 IMGP5042.jpg |
The 'Tram Jam', trams backed up from the North Pier to the Tower 1024x721 IMGP5043.jpg |
1024x743 IMGP5045.jpg |
1024x724 IMGP5046.jpg |
1024x772 IMGP5047.jpg |
1024x717 IMGP5048.jpg |
1024x758 IMGP5050.jpg |
1024x723 IMGP5051.jpg |
looking north up the 'Tram Jam' 1024x752 IMGP5052.jpg |
1024x774 IMGP5054.jpg |
1024x717 IMGP5055.jpg |
1024x720 IMGP5056.jpg |
1024x754 IMGP5057.jpg |
1024x741 IMGP5058.jpg |
1024x752 IMGP5060.jpg |
1024x772 IMGP5061.jpg |
1024x803 IMGP5062.jpg |
1024x768 IMGP5063.jpg |
1024x686 IMGP5064.jpg |
1024x771 IMGP5066.jpg |
1024x754 IMGP5067.jpg |
1024x777 IMGP5069.jpg |
1024x805 IMGP5070.jpg |
1024x765 IMGP5071.jpg |
1024x791 IMGP5072.jpg |
1024x732 IMGP5073.jpg |
all flowing again, the bus was still there, but had been moved from the tramway along with the police van and ambulance 1024x696 IMGP5076.jpg |
