Blackpool Transport Happenings

[Coast_Hopper]

A few pictures over the next few days from around Blackpool

Earlier today at Fleetwood Freeport on the number 1 trial bus from Alexander Dennis, been in service all day between there and Stargate

[Coast_Hopper]

One of a number of East Lancs Tridents they have in their fleet being followed by Stagecoach ALX400 near the tower

[Coast_Hopper]

Bombardier tram in service around the tower below, I will try to get a few of the heritage trams tomorrow, out in service last night was the boat tram and the train tram lit up for the illuminations

[RM471]

Great pictures, enjoy your holiday. I had all my Routemasters re-paneled by excellent craftsmen at Busworks in Blackpool. Happy days! Enjoyed driving them up and down the prom and then back to Peterborough. Looks like you have got typical weather conditions, sadly. Different Coast to hop anyway!

[Cheltonian]

Note the ADL MMC demonstrator has a full rear window, unlike those currently being delivered.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cheltonian1966/37237143642/in/dateposted/

[Coast_Hopper]

Note the ADL MMC demonstrator has a full rear window, unlike those currently being delivered.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cheltonian1966/37237143642/in/dateposted/

The ADL demonstrator is the 'city' model, the top deck is somewhat strange in terms of 3 single seats near the stairs, tables directly behind and at the back, also has glass roof I think in 3 places, I will see if it's about tomorrow and get a couple of pics inside,

Blackpool Transport already have some MMC400s which have been delivered earlier in the year, I will see about the rear window on these

[Coast_Hopper]

Great pictures, enjoy your holiday. I had all my Routemasters re-paneled by excellent craftsmen at Busworks in Blackpool. Happy days! Enjoyed driving them up and down the prom and then back to Peterborough. Looks like you have got typical weather conditions, sadly. Different Coast to hop anyway!

Was that down Rigby Road where you got the buses repaneled, I will have a look down there tomorrow, I am surprised Blackpool Transport doesn't have a couple of routemasters it would be a good compliment for the heritage trams and perhaps another revenue earner, perhaps missed a trick there

[Coast_Hopper]

Taken down at the Pleasure Beach where they start and finish

[RM471]

The Busworks was in UNIT D SOUTH SHORE BUSINESS PARK OFF BURTON ROAD FY4 4NW Blackpool, sadly they no longer operate.

[Coast_Hopper]

Solo at Cleveleys yesterday morning

[Coast_Hopper]

Been told by a couple of the drivers that in the next week they will take delivery of 20 new MMC400s, this will mean that 20 East Lancs Tridents will be taken out of service at the beginning of the winter season next week, this will coincide with the closure of the railway until the end of March to carry out electrification on the route towards Preston, this means that the 20 new MMC400s will service the rail replacement contract they won with Northern Rail for trips between Blackpool North/South and Preston

Once the rail replacement contract is finished the new buses will be used on normal service

[Coast_Hopper]

Taken at Fleetwood Ferry early Sunday morning

[Coast_Hopper]

Blackpool North Station opens again on Monday 26th March this means that tomorrow will be the last day of the rail replacement buses operating 7 days a week, this should allow the new ADL Enviro MMC400s to oust some more of the East Lancs Tridents from the fleet in the coming days

Four East Lancs Tridents 349 to 352 (E16BTS to E19BTS) have been sold to Reading Buses in recent weeks, and should be used on football bus duties, they have been repainted into Reading Blue as well so no longer in the Black and Yellow Blackpool Transport livery

Also E14 BTS is one of two East Lancs bought by Lodge and has since received a full repaint the other being E15 BTS

https://m.facebook.com/groups/psvcircle/permalink/1827822813902587/

Tridents 343-346 are in store whilst Solo 293 has been scrapped after being involved in an accident last year