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Lord Street, FLEETWOOD, FY7 6SW

Blackpool Transport's illuminated "Western Train" tram stands at the end of Lord Street ready to lead the lantern parade along Lord Street, to Marine Gardens, for the switching-on ceremony for the 2019 Christmas lights.

Blackpool Transports illuminated "Western Train" tram waits at Fishermans Walk, next to one of the modern Bombardier trams. The "train" will shortly be leading the lantern parade along Lord Street, to Marine Gardens for the switching-on ceremony for the 2019 Christmas lights.

If you could ignore the TV aerials, the white camper van and the clothing styles, this view could give you some idea of how some city streets in larger towns still looked in the 1940's & 1950's. The Fleetwood Transport Festival aims to recreate the appearance of a townscape of an earlier period, so there are lots of old vehicles to be seen. In this view the tram is Bolton 66, which is more of a reconstruction than a renovation. Originally built in 1901 and given a covered top in 1932, it was withdrawn in 1946, the year before Bolton Corporation's tramways closed. Only the bottom deck survived as a caravan, so the top deck is a completely new construction, but it looks very convincing.

This open top tram dating from the 1930's is travelling along Fleetwood's main street. The side of the tram is painted with a slogan advocating electric traction. This particular tram route has survived 110 years so far. The way things are going we can probably expect to see more new systems in the UK, as is already happening in France and the USA.

The tram track ceases to be reserved track just after leaving Fisherman's Walk (formerly Ash Street) tram stop. It then enters Lord Street as a street running tramway, and continues in this mode to the terminus at Fleetwood Ferry Port. Tram 707 was built in 1934 by English Electric at their Preston Works. It was originally numbered 244 and one of a series known as Balloon cars and many of which are still running today. It first entered service in September 1934. In 1998 it had a major rebuild including flat ends. Three others were similarly altered. The tram is used for Heritage Fleet operations but the improvements carried out means it can if required be used for regular scheduled services.

The buildings behind can be seen in much later views Image and Image - since 1980 they have been whitewashed and the modern street light replaced by a retro-styled one. Car 634 was withdrawn from service in 2004 and is now being restored at Rushden Transport Museum. http://www.rhts.co.uk/Blackpooltram.htm I photographed it in a very different livery in 1998 Image

This was the southern end of the street tramway section through Fleetwood, with a tram about to enter the reserved track through Cleveleys to Blackpool and Starr Gate. The fine shelter had disappeared by the time Dr Clifton took his views at the location https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1615923 in 1985, together with the distinctive circular enamel tram stop sign. The replacement stop is now named Fisherman's Walk. The tram is one of the 25 'Coronation' cars built by Charles Roberts of Wakefield in 1952/53, a type which proved to be one of Blackpool's less successful purchases, being very heavy, and having 'Vambac' control equipment which proved both heavy on current and unreliable. Most were subsequently fitted with conventional controllers from withdrawn vehicles. It is seen here in the later livery with green roof. Originally the livery was overall cream with just the waistband in green.

Blackpool's open "boat" trams are used in busy periods in the Summer months, provided the weather is dry. They date from the 1930's and were built to last. Here no. 607 has just left the Fisherman's Walk stop near Ash Street, and will shortly leave the reservation and go onto the street track which runs through Fleetwood's town centre to the terminus by the ferry.

Ash Street is the point at which the street track along Lord Street runs onto the railway-type private track formation which takes the tramway into Blackpool. There has been some half-hearted attempt to re-name the place 'Fisherman's Walk', and this was even added to some of the tram destination screens, but it has never really caught on. Ash Street will also be the northern terminus for the trams until Easter 2012, to allow for the reconstruction of the street track and ferry loop to accommodate the sixteen new European-style articulated trams that will arrive. Also, even when the Fleetwood street track does re-open, cars such as Bolton 66 will not be allowed to use it, not, in fact, will any of Blackpool's existing trams.

A late 1990s erection with a distinctly retro look!.