Manchester Carriage & Tramways Company 1890 horse bus L2 and horse tram L53 200 years ago in 1824, Salford toll keeper John Greenwood began running a horse bus service between Pendleton and Manchester. The Manchester Museum of Transport are celebrating 200 years of bus services in Britain by holding several events throughout the year. The first event, celebrating the years 1824 to 1940, took place over the weekend of the 20th & 21st of April. The bus museum in Boyle Street had been rearranged to display a collection of buses that pre-dated 1940, with some visiting vehicles als ..read more

Elmer Tram basking in the sunshine at North Pier on Sunday 14th April In conjunction with Brian House Children's Hospice, a series of colourful elephant sculpures have been positioned around the town centre and promenade, collectively called Elmer’s Big Parade Blackpool. The sculptures are inspired by the character Elmer the Patchwork Elephant from the children's books writted by David McKee. Of particular interest to tramway enthusiasts will be the elephant that has been placed outside North Pier, called "Elmer Tram" sponsored by Blackpool Transport. Elmer Tram is painted in green an ..read more

Flexity 015 was the last southbound tram to pass before repair work commenced Strong westerly winds along the Fylde Coast saw part of the tramway closed due to overhead line damage on Tuesday 9th April. Just before 5.30 pm Blackpool Transport posted on their social media pages "Due to damage to the overhead wires in the Norbreck area trams are only running between Starr Gate and Bispham until further notice."  Unimog 939 was despatched to attend the incident, which was located between the Sandhurst Avenue and Norbreck tram stops. The overhead crew waited for southbound servi ..read more

Flexity 016 at Fleetwood Ferry on Easter Sunday afternoon Some more photos of Flexity 016 wearing its new 'yellow brick road' advert for the Coral Island amusement arcade in Blackpool. These photos were all taken in Fleetwood on Easter Sunday. Flexity 016 heading north past the clock tower at Ash Street in Fleetwood on 31st March The faint brickwork pattern, just about visible in this view of the centre section of 016 ..read more

Fleetwood Police laying in wait for Balloon 717 on Lord Street on 30th March Easter Saturday saw two heritage trams in Fleetwood in the morning instead of just the one timetabled Coastal Tour. A trip to Fleetwood to see Balloon 717 on the morning run saw Brush 631 paying a visit to the town at the same time. Brush 631 was on a private hire to Fleetwood and had a long layover at the Ferry loop. During a visit to Blackpool in the afternoon, Brush 631 was noted running on the Mini Prom Tours with Bolton 66 in charge of the Promenade Tours. Balloon 717 arriving in Fleetwood on the m ..read more

Flexity 016 at Fleetwood Ferry on 29th March, wearing its new yellow advert for Coral Island Flexity 016 has received a new overall advert for Coral Island. The tram is basically all-over yellow, with Coral Island logos on the ends and above and below the windows along the sides, with contravision text covering the windows on three sections of the tram. The advert is rather unimaginative and bland compared to previous ambitious advert schemes that have graced the Flexity trams. Flexity 016 previously carried a pink overall advert for the fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing which w ..read more

ADL Enviro200 MMC 230 crossing the traffic lights at Springfield Road Several pedestrian crossings on Dickson Road in Blackpool have been given a colourful facelift this week. The rainbow crossings appeared overnight earlier in the week as part of a Blackpool Council ‘Be Who You Want To Be’ Action Plan. The crossings that have been repainted so far are two zebra crossings near the junctions at Cocker Street and Banks Street, and a four-way multicoloured crossing at the Springfield Road traffic light controlled junction. Mercedes Citaro 559 heading north along Dickson Road at Coc ..read more

The Manxman crossing Morecambe Bay with the snow covered Lakeland Fells beyond on 18th January A selection of photos of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company ferry Manxman on its way to and from the Port of Heysham taken in January. The Manxman passing in front of the wind turbines in Morecambe Bay on 30th January Manxman passing the remains of the 1840 Wyre Light lighthouse off Fleetwood on 6th January Manxman passing the Heysham bound Ro-Ro freight ferry Stena Scotia on 30th January The Manxman and Heysham nuclear power stations as seen from F ..read more

Brush Cars 637 and 622 at the Fleetwood Ferry terminus on 27th September 2003 Brush Car 637 was scrapped at Wyre Dock in Fleetwood on the morning of Saturday 2nd December. Here are a couple of before and after photos taken 20 years apart. The first shot was taken in September 2003 at the Fleetwood Ferry terminus, the second shot was taken this morning at Wyre Dock, showing all that remains of 637 are its pair of Brush EMB L6 trucks. All that remains of 637 now are this pair of EMB L6 trucks seen at Wyre Dock on 5th December Twin cars 683 and 673 are the only complete t ..read more

Brush Car 637 passing Carousel Amusements near Central Pier in May 2004 One of the last remaining trams stored at Wyre Fish Dock in Fleetwood met its demise at the weekend. Brush Car 637 was cut up on site on Saturday 2nd December, all that remained visible of the tram a couple of days later were the bogies. The body of 637 was apparently in a very poor state, with plants growing inside the tram. Fortunately many spare parts including the motors and bogies have been saved in order to assist in the restoration of other preserved trams. Brush 637 southbound at Manchester Square in ..read more