Blackpool Trams News

[Acathater]

It's even worse than that. A temporary speed limit has been placed on all operational trams, resulting in a longer journey time from this weekend. There are a lot of problems with the fleet, which it seems aren't up to being battered by the Irish Sea's gales for 10 months of the year.

We already knew the new tramshed wasn't up to withstanding the weather....now it seems the trams aren't either. Ironic given the age of what they replaced. Were the trams and new shed actually built to comply with the required specifications? Seems to me there must be a legal question over that.

 

[Tramfan]

Details of the new timetable are now available online;

https://www.blackpooltransport.com/tram-timetable-tweaks-improve-punctuality

Minor adjustments to tram timetables are set to deliver a more robust service for Blackpool Transport customers from Sunday 17th May.

Trams will continue to depart Fleetwood Ferry and Starr Gate from every 15 minutes during the day, but timings between stops have been tweaked slightly to improve overall punctuality.

Jamie Swift, Head of Commercial at Blackpool Transport, explained: “We’re constantly striving to deliver an ever more reliable service, and these changes will give customers greater confidence that a tram will arrive at the expected time, particularly as the network gets busier during the busy summer season.

“It will also help us to manage ongoing maintenance work and investment in the network that will enable us to further enhance services in the future.”

Following the timetable changes, during the daytime trams will depart from Starr Gate, North Station and North Pier towards Fleetwood five minutes earlier than now, and from North Pier towards Starr Gate, they will depart four minutes earlier.

The first and last trams of the day will also run from Fleetwood Ferry and Starr Gate at the same times as currently, and the full timetable can be found here.

Looks like an extra tram is being planned into the cycle compared to the current timetable to enable the longer end to end run times.

Any information on what the issues with the trams are?

I've said it before, but it's very disappointing to see things deteriorating so much given that last year's return to a 10 minute summer timetable felt like a real positive, especially when that 10 minute service carried on into the winter (albeit only as far as Pleasure Beach)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Can Blackpool Transport increase the number of buses on the promenade routes during the summer season with holiday visitors in mind? It's all just public transport after all.

 

[Towers]

Goodness me. Get those fat door Balloons out there, they’ve managed it for 90 years I’m sure another season won’t trouble them! What a mess.

 

[davehsug]

Thanks for the replies...I think! Just what I wanted to hear when I'm in Blackpool for a few days from Sunday. Not looking forward to the crush loading in the morning peak to Fleetwood, especially as we have lost the empty trams from North Station, for those on the North promenade.

 

[AngelicUpstart]

We already knew the new tramshed wasn't up to withstanding the weather....now it seems the trams aren't either. Ironic given the age of what they replaced. Were the trams and new shed actually built to comply with the required specifications? Seems to me there must be a legal question over that.

The council has already won a legal case against Volkerfitzpatrick Limited for £1.1m against repairs to the depot. As I've said before, initial plans for electronic displays and ticket machines on platforms were dropped when nobody put in a serious bid. My local tram stop is already on its third shelter on one platform, and that's rusted to bits, so I expect a fourth coming when they can get the money. Look at manufacturers websites, they'll quote 20-25 years life expectancy. 3 in 14 years!

Water, sand, salt, wind. As any resident of the Fylde Coast will tell you, that destroys anything and everything.

 

[davehsug]

The BT statement makes it sound like it's a service improvement! All for the benefit of passengers. It also seems to imply that this will be the service for the whole of the summer.
What a very sad state of affairs. The very least they could have done would have been to increase the frequency of the promenade bus service. Lots of angry passengers stranded looks like the headline for summer 2026.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Details of the new timetable are now available online;

https://www.blackpooltransport.com/tram-timetable-tweaks-improve-punctuality



Looks like an extra tram is being planned into the cycle compared to the current timetable to enable the longer end to end run times.

Any information on what the issues with the trams are?

I've said it before, but it's very disappointing to see things deteriorating so much given that last year's return to a 10 minute summer timetable felt like a real positive, especially when that 10 minute service carried on into the winter (albeit only as far as Pleasure Beach)

What's the deal with this on that new timetable?

Additional Trips:

Depart from Fleetwood Ferry at
0:05 and 00:35 every day and run
direct to Starr Gate picking up and
dropping off at any stop along the
route, except Talbot Square and
North Station

Is this so these late night trips don't have to wait time as they are in effect empty stock running in service as it might as well? I sort of get that, but it's a bit useless given that most people would be boarding in the town centre and so they need to know what time?

 

[Leedsbusman]

What's the deal with this on that new timetable?



Is this so these late night trips don't have to wait time as they are in effect empty stock running in service as it might as well? I sort of get that, but it's a bit useless given that most people would be boarding in the town centre and so they need to know what time?

It’s been on the last few timetables. There are intermediate times at Bispham and North Pier with a 40 minute run time v 55 on the normal evening trips. From next week they get all intermediate time points and take the same 58 minutes as the previous trips.

 

[Tramfan]

What's the deal with this on that new timetable?



Is this so these late night trips don't have to wait time as they are in effect empty stock running in service as it might as well? I sort of get that, but it's a bit useless given that most people would be boarding in the town centre and so they need to know what time?

It's been in a few of the most recent timetables, and I assume it's exactly that - they're probably far more beneficial in terms of providing a late service from the promenade/town centre northbound towards the bulk of the promenade hotels on the North Shore. I'm sure the last tram from North Pier towards Fleetwood used to be around 23:30 in years gone by, whereas it's now 23:50.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 May 2026 ==

It’s been on the last few timetables. There are intermediate times at Bispham and North Pier with a 40 minute run time v 55 on the normal evening trips. From next week they get all intermediate time points and take the same 58 minutes as the previous trips.

Oh that's a bit bizarre then!

 

[philthetube]

I never thought that I would advocate this but I think that they would be better managed by a private company, with strict service provision levels specified by the council.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I never thought that I would advocate this but I think that they would be better managed by a private company, with strict service provision levels specified by the council.

Though in the bus world Blackpool Transport is very highly regarded and offers service vastly better than pretty much all commercial bus companies in the UK.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Though in the bus world Blackpool Transport is very highly regarded and offers service vastly better than pretty much all commercial bus companies in the UK.

How well do they compare to Southern Vectis?

 

[Bletchleyite]

How well do they compare to Southern Vectis?

I'd say similar, but every rule requires an exception, and Vectis is well funded for a semirural commercial bus company because it can price gouge on fares* because most of its customers that aren't on free passes are tourists or use it enough to buy a (reasonably priced) weekly or monthly.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Blackpool Transport under the forthcoming local Government reorganisation. I suspect it'll rather depend on who ends up leading the new unitary Council as to whether they think keeping it as it is is a thing of value or a load of faff that would be better sold off. At present there really isn't any way to know - the new boundaries aren't even set yet!

* Is it in the three quid scheme? If so given its traditionally high fares it must be in receipt of some whacking subsidy at present.

 

[philthetube]

I'd say similar, but every rule requires an exception, and Vectis is well funded for a semirural commercial bus company because it can price gouge on fares* because most of its customers that aren't on free passes are tourists or use it enough to buy a (reasonably priced) weekly or monthly.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Blackpool Transport under the forthcoming local Government reorganisation. I suspect it'll rather depend on who ends up leading the new unitary Council as to whether they think keeping it as it is is a thing of value or a load of faff that would be better sold off. At present there really isn't any way to know - the new boundaries aren't even set yet!

* Is it in the three quid scheme? If so given its traditionally high fares it must be in receipt of some whacking subsidy at present.

yes it is in the scheme

 

[Towers]

Any clarification on these “problems” that were reportedly causing a speed restriction fleet-wide?

 

[Cesarcollie]

I never thought that I would advocate this but I think that they would be better managed by a private company, with strict service provision levels specified by the council.

But someone would still need to pay that private company to run the specified service level. So the problem is that if Blackpool Council (or any successor authority) doesn‘t have the funding to support the operation or renewal/refurbishment of the tram system, a change of operating model doesn’t solve the problem.

 

[philthetube]

But someone would still need to pay that private company to run the specified service level. So the problem is that if Blackpool Council (or any successor authority) doesn‘t have the funding to support the operation or renewal/refurbishment of the tram system, a change of operating model doesn’t solve the problem.

yes they would, but well run, considering the loadings which they carry for 9 months of the year it may not cost that much'

There are many more passengers wanting to use the trams than are able to board the current service. If you want a tram from Gyn square into town, forget it, they are all full until after lunch.

 

[Cesarcollie]

yes they would, but well run, considering the loadings which they carry for 9 months of the year it may not cost that much'

There are many more passengers wanting to use the trams than are able to board the current service. If you want a tram from Gyn square into town, forget it, they are all full until after lunch.

I think running trams, especially with a conductor (or two) won’t be cheap. But the even bigger problem will be maintenance and refurbishment in the unfriendly Blackpool coastal conditions.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There are many more passengers wanting to use the trams than are able to board the current service. If you want a tram from Gynn Square into town, forget it, they are all full until after lunch.

Remembering that it is only public transport that we are discussing, not a seaside attraction, Gynn Square into town passengers should have extra bus services to be made available in that stated time period.

 

[Towers]

Remembering that it is only public transport that we are discussing, not a seaside attraction, Gynn Square into town passengers should have extra bus services to be made available in that stated time period.

It may not be a ‘seaside attraction’, but it’s pretty desperately poor if after the enormous fixed costs of a tramway an operator is unable to run a sufficient service to make the system vaguely usable and has to run buses instead.

 

[Acathater]

Remembering that it is only public transport that we are discussing, not a seaside attraction, Gynn Square into town passengers should have extra bus services to be made available in that stated time period.

The tramway is public transport. It stopped being a seaside attraction years ago

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 May 2026 ==

I think running trams, especially with a conductor (or two) won’t be cheap. But the even bigger problem will be maintenance and refurbishment in the unfriendly Blackpool coastal conditions.

It didn't seem to be a problem running trams in "the unfriendly Blackpool coastal conditions" 100 years ago
Where did the knowledge disappear?

 

[levey1973]

I think running trams, especially with a conductor (or two) won’t be cheap. But the even bigger problem will be maintenance and refurbishment in the unfriendly Blackpool coastal conditions.

Personnaly I think the new depot and servicing are is completely in the wrong place.
It too close to the sea.

 

[Cesarcollie]

The tramway is public transport. It stopped being a seaside attraction years ago

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 May 2026 ==


It didn't seem to be a problem running trams in "the unfriendly Blackpool coastal conditions" 100 years ago
Where did the knowledge disappear?

Modern electronics are far more fragile than the chunky, clunky, moving metal bits of 100 years ago. Such is progress!

 

[levey1973]

and they could have seen this issues about water ingress - modern electronics can be protected

 

[Towers]

and they could have seen this issues about water ingress - modern electronics can be protected

See also modern rolling stock at Dawlish!

I think perhaps the issue is a differentiation (or not) between those circumstances whereby existing designs just require some sort of tweaking, and those where a purpose-designed product is more appropriate (not necessarily the entire vehicle of course, but certainly the electrical systems etc).

 

[AngelicUpstart]

Personnaly I think the new depot and servicing are is completely in the wrong place.
It too close to the sea.

Knowing someone who was involved in the hunt for a site, I can take you through the process as he explained it to me. The first choice was the old Blundell Street depot, rebuilt. That wasn't big enough. The second choice was to repurpose the existing Rigby Road bus/tram depot site, which was far too disruptive to the required everyday bus/tram operation (they even looked at a site as a temporary bus depot to help facilitate it, too expensive). They looked at a site by Squires Gate Airport, far too expensive and slow, as it required about a 0.75km extension down Squires Gate Lane and a TWAO. They were left with two sites in Blackpool (Starr Gate and Anchorsholme Park), Thornton Gate (really too small, but just about workable if they evicted everyone from the industrial units which has taken some of the site) and a possible site in Fleetwood. At the time, Lancashire County Council and Wyre Borough Council were digging their heels in and saying they wouldn't put a penny towards the tramway modernisation. There was a real possibility that Cleveleys would have been the new northern terminus. Bye-bye, Thornton Gate and Fleetwood. So destroy a local park or build on a wasteland car park. Easy really. It might not be an ideal site, but it was the only option.

modern electronics can be protected

If you buy expensive bespoke systems, they can. If you buy off-the-shelf systems, guess what. It all comes back to "you have £100m to rebuild the tramway, you have to replace all the track, moving all the services underneath the track, modernise all the traffic signals, put in totally new switchgear, build a depot and buy new trams". It took the best part of three years. Which one are you skipping to buy bespoke trams?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

They looked at a site by Squires Gate Airport, far too expensive and slow, as it required about a 0.75km extension down Squires Gate Lane and a TWAO.

In what terms was it too expensive? There has been the existing new line to Blackpool North railway station constructed.

 

[AngelicUpstart]

In what terms was it too expensive? There has been the existing new line to Blackpool North railway station constructed.

I can't remember exactly, as we're talking about 17-18 years ago, but it was a total non-starter. I think they were talking £15-20m extra, and there was no extra money, so it would have had to have been saved from the rest of the project. The main killer was the TWAO, which would have taken a couple of years if they were lucky, and they had about six months before plans had to be submitted and building had to start in just over a year.

 

[Towers]

Interesting regarding cost savings etc; I presume that explains why there is still disused pointwork along the prom that doesn’t go anywhere etc? Bargain basement project which didn’t have the scope to remove them?