Blackpool Tram first tram to North Station

[@Rail_Focus]

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[@macjim]

Thank you for the link, I’m new to your channel. 👍🏻

[@jermainetrainallen6416]

Interesting vlog👍

[@RichardHill-bi5le]

Thanks for your video - great to see it open at last! Any tram extension is good, lets hope they can sort the service out before the peak season🤞

[@normanusrex7910]

An infrequent tram service can be fine, if the timetable matches with the arrival and departure of trains and there is a good connection between the two.

[@fiveYqueue]

That would be ideal in theory but to tell the truth the colossal number of cancellations on the Blackpool North train services recently would defeat such a supposedly integrated transport connectivity.

[@Sim0nTrains]

I hope that it becomes a success but it will be challenging with the poor timetable which I didn't knew it was that bad until watching Jen's video. It's one of those that it's too early to say and needs more time to give that verdict, Great video.

[@Rail_Focus]

I hope it's a success too. I hadn't realised how bad the timetable was either until speaking with Jen. Hopefully they'll tweak it and make improvements as they understand the demand more.

[@Rail_Focus]

@vonsausage6312 Jen was right to point out the current failings of the timetable and has nothing to do with her thoughts on Blackpool

[@DavidShepheard]

Given that the tramline had to wait while a hotel was built between the end of the line and Blackpool North railway station was constructed, I think that this plan was sub-optimal. If the hotel had instead been built raised further up in the air, there could have been two tram tracks going underneath that building to give you a tram stop that was fully integrated with the railway station, and the ability to extend the trams beyond the station itself. I think it would be fairly tough to get trams up the railway corridor, that Blackpool North uses, but, once you get to the end of Berry's Lane, there is a disused railway line branch, that heads up to Fleetwood. There are not houses on the entire route, but the disused line does pass two caravan parks. So if the Blackpool tram network was extended that way in the future, it would create a way for people to have a low carbon holiday in Blackpool and not need to rent a car. Sadly, building that hotel where it is, means it is a bookend that blocks further expansion. So any attempt to extend the tramline is going to involve buying a brand new hotel, to knock it down. That's poor planning, as it would have been great to extend the Blackpool tram network further east. Having said that, I would answer the "Worth £23 million?" question in your thumbnail with a "yes". More money should have been invested. This is going to end up like the Docklands Light Railway, where that was built too cheap and has been upgraded and upgraded since being built. We have a bit of a stupid risk-averse government, that isn't too keen on putting extra capacity into transport networks and getting something done was better than having the can kicked down the road for another decade or two. I think that local people now need to start complaining heavily about the 30 minute service interval and demanding that the trams run earlier in the day. The tram network is going to need to have more vehicles and more drivers. That will not happen overnight, so pressure needs to be created. Not having departure boards is also pretty shameful.

[@watcherzero5256]

Given that the Hotel didn't come until after and they have the big pedestrian underpass I don't understand why they didn't just carry the tram on under the hotel to actually terminate in front of the station, it would have been able to handle the gradient.

[@fiveYqueue]

Possibly they were trying to please too many people by retaining the unbroken end to end Fleetwood to Starr Gate Promenade service in addition to having trams from Fleetwood to North Station and Starr Gate to North Station. In the end the frequencies as you and Jen have explained are somewhat extended. However, every new rail or tramway has to assess demand once it is up and running and then tweak accordingly with the trams, staff and budgets that they have available. Notably, the Baker Street and Waterloo tube railway in London (now the Bakerloo) started as a white elephant with very few people using even peak hour trains. I shall personally find the Blackpool North to Starr Gate service useful (the T2) but do envisage some occasions when the wait between the arriving train and departing tram will be annoyingly extended. Hopefully things can be reviewed and improved. In the meantime and on a positive note I am pleased to see this extension in service at last.

[@StevenHughestransportvideos]

The missing piece of the puzzle is the "base timetable" is just that, additional specials will run to aid demand while the timetable beds in, and tweaks will be made as the demand is made clear. I expect earlier T3 during the week and Saturdays will be a must as 09:15 arrival isn't the best idea.

[@Rail_Focus]

I think I was just surprised at the timetable. I'm sure the original plan was for the services to North to be in addition to existing Fleetwood - Starr Gate services. If they could turn the trams around at North Station more quickly then they could still run them as Fleetwood - Star Gate services. But there's currently a long dwell at North.

[@elizaann8495]

They bought two new trams as well No 17 And No18 and its not about walking to the front from North station its about holiday makers getting to and from Hotels & B&Bs easier( instead of draging Luggage up and down) from the Prom up Talbot road up to north upwards to Fleetwood and down to south shore

[@Rail_Focus]

That's just it, with a dividend service the frequency heading north and south isn't great currently

[@Transpennine]

Glad it’s finally complete, It’s very delayed though and it’s not a long area of tramline

[@jasongray4517]

Should extend the tram all the way to Lytham. The well-heeled, heavily botoxed denizens of that chi-chi resort will be appalled!!

[@mrbaker7443]

Ship the gadgies in!

[@macjim]

You’d think they would have had the tram reach the train station rather than have people walk through even if it’s mostly undercover. Someone who’s disabled may find that short walk really awkward… too late now though.

[@andycleaver9135]

It would have added massive cost and a total redesign of the station and car park. The distance is less than 100m on a level surface, unlike almost any other rail/tram interchange in the uk

[@SeanMidlandstransporthub]

​​@@andycleaver9135Birmingham New Street tram stop is literally right outside the station... You don't even need to cross the road if you're coming from Wolverhampton direction

[@Rail_Focus]

But how does the distance from platform level and across the concourse compare?

[@andycleaver9135]

@@SeanMidlandstransporthub - yes but you forget thec'crystal maze' of getting from the platforms at New St so not exactly the easiest of transfers

[@andycleaver9135]

@@Rail_Focus From the tramstop to station gateline is about 100 metres and mostly undercover and completely step free. To have taken the tramway under High St would mean lowering tram tracks by about 6ft and there just isnt the space for that to have been done either side of underpass

[@carolmichelle9984]

Great I can't wait to ride the tram from Blackpool north to blackpool south in August

[@markstramtrainbuscapades1729]

I believe the original plan was to run a more frequent Pleasure Beach-Little Bispham via North Station service but obviously someone lobbied for through services from North Station to both ends of the line, hence this rather lacklustre timetable, upon wihch the main prom service will be slaughtered at busy times! May suggestion would be to increase all three routes to 20 mins but have the T1 just run from Pleasure Beach to either Little Vispham or Cleveleys, as I would imagine there's very little demand really for a Starr Gate-Fleetwood through service, it's just that's run like that since around 1937!

[@StevenHughestransportvideos]

You have a good point, cut T1 back to Little Bispham, increase frequency of T3 and T1, (not sure T2 is going to be overly popular?). The one saving grace initially will be the regular 3 specials on peak days which will aid capacity on the prom. The base timetable is just that though, a base, in which Blackpool can work out demand and then tweak going forward. Management in the tour suggested they will be looking constantly for how to improve the timetable to meet customers demands over the coming weeks/months, so perhaps don't expect the current timetable to remain as such for too long.

[@kevinrandall4344]

It does seem odd that they didn't to take the line under the hotel directly to the station. Seems a bit odd that the hotel and the line were built at the same time and no one thought of that.

[@Rail_Focus]

I guess it was a choice between a 30 second walk or valuable hotel space

[@MARTINEDWARDSVIDEOS]

You went when the town is asleep this service will be well used once the school holidays hit with people going to hotels and the pleasure beach. I think the time table will be improved given time.

[@Rail_Focus]

"normal" passengers were trying to board, but were left confused because they ran the tram 5 minutes ahead of the Fleetwood service. I hope it's a success, but the timetable needs sorting out.

[@Emma_Scarlet21]

Im disabled so having the tram from and to the train station is gonna be easier for me but i do agree the timetable definitely needs improving

[@MrGreatplum]

The new tram stop (once it’s rid of the red barriers) looks quite good - although I’m not sure why they didn’t go the extra few yards, and stick right outside the railway station… As both you and Jen say, the timetable is useless currently; hopefully that can be improved in time!

[@Rail_Focus]

The Talbot Gateway does does look nice. I think moving the stop even a few meters more would've added millions to the cost through lost hotel space. It's really no longer than changing trains from one platform to another.

[@Thornaby37]

Totally agree that the timetable is very poor, especially the 25 minute gaps south of North Pier. With a fleet of 18 trams, I'd have thought a more frequent service (at least on the busiest parts of the network) should be possible

[@annabelholland]

This coincides with the 2023 extension of the Birmingham Tramway where both of the extensions are about the same length and I think that opened over three years late. I also feel like its wrong to run an infrequent tram service as I expect it to be 'turn up and go'.

[@caramelldansen2204]

Chris, how would you feel about a potential Blackpool metro using the abandoned Fleetwood line, sharing track between there and North, then tunnelling to the South branch line down to Kirkham & Wesham? Under a better economic system, I would say it makes complete sense, but something tells me the plan would be hand-waved away with something along the lines of "We let you keep your trams, isn't that enough, peasants?" following its dismissal by those in charge of these things (£££).

[@Rail_Focus]

Don't really know enough about Blackpool to commenl, but I think it should run via the Flyde Railway to Lytham.

[@QALibrary]

I could understand the extension but not the time table - who and what is that for?

[@Rail_Focus]

The extension makes sense, but the timetable is awful, I think it will put people off using it unfortunately.

[@QALibrary]

@@Rail_Focus totally agree with you

[@fndjfgsdk]

@@Rail_Focus I presume they just haven't bought enough trams or trained enough drivers, and that maybe they will in the future do both of those things?

[@Rail_Focus]

They have plenty of trams. I'm fairly sure the original proposal was for the services to North to be in addition to existing services. But they seem to have changed the plan, probably to cut costs

[@KevinChapman-fo2tj]

@@Rail_Focus The Service badly is priced £3.20 singe, 1 stop or many, this will be rising to £3.50, the pricing needs zoning to be realistic and fair, but that causes staffing difficulties a single fare dosent, My wife is from Blackpool and 30 years ago was a clippy on the trams during Summer when home from Uni, she says there was 2 fixed prices between Pleasure beach and South Pier & South and North, the rest was all charged on distance taken, all clippys had to do a fares test every year and learn all fares, also carrying around 10Kg of coins around on a sumer Saturday, The balloon cars had a cash hide area till the end of the shift.

[@macjim]

For those of us who dont know the story behind the delays, could you do a dedicated video on it please?

[@Rail_Focus]

I did go into a bit more detail last year kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6eko5yEjdOVp6Msi=Xhm2C98dHKoUWPvh

[@andycleaver9135]

Delays were down to following: 1. Covid - this prevented demolition of Wilkos until late 2020, taking about 4 months to demolish 2. Holiday Inn completion - The structure was complete in Spring 2022, however follow the Grenfell enquiry, the cladding failed new regs, had to be ripped out and re-fitted. This required use of cranes obstructing tramway until late 2023. 3. High St rebuild - the building of new undetpass had several issues with new foundations etc delaying things by about a year.

[@James-gc5if]

They couldn't even get it looking nice for the opening? Vandalised signage and plastic orange maze gates everywhere. I hope they fix the shockingly infrequent timetable,

[@michaelsandford1015]

I'm on holiday it's worth it

[@thomas-o8d3o]

why didnt they divert the number1 bus fron north pier 5mins extra time star gate to fleetwood ?

[@AdamClarke1]

Very interesting watch. Definitely not enough trams going to and from. Hopefully that improves. However, I do think you comment about walking 600m is a bit out. Probably about 10 minutes for the average person, likely longer with luggage and navigating busy streets. Still not 30 minutes though and I wonder if the times sync at all with train times. I'll be surprised if they do.

[@Croz89]

At £6.7 million per mile that's surprisingly cheap for a tram extension by British standards, despite how short it is.

[@darynvoss7883]

Nice

[@sandrabennett6166]

Nice ❤

[@madhatter61]

So it's every other tram that calls in.

[@CarolCraig-lf5vo]

It's Talbot not Tarbert square

[@Rail_Focus]

🙄🥱

[@briangledhill5717]

You have to remember the all important BROWN ENVELOPES in the cost. 😜🤣🤣🤣🤣. 😎😎😎

[@Rail_Focus]

🙄

[@Delta-pantages]

The service is already reduced. It is a lot of money to spend on what will become a white elephant.

[@Rail_Focus]

It doesn't have to be a white elephant, but they need to get the service right

[@mrbaker7443]

So they don’t have the heritage trams in Blackpool anymore?

[@Rail_Focus]

Yeah, they still operate during the summer

[@Tobberz]

Interesting that the signage on way from tram stop to train station says "BLACKPOOL NORTH TRAIN STATION" -> I'd assumed most of the time it would be "Railway Station" in official parlance? Also not enough double-arrows to show the way :(

[@Rail_Focus]

Most "ordinary" passengers don't say 'railway station' nor care. To them it's just a station where they catch trains.

[@Tobberz]

@@Rail_Focus Naturally, I suppose it's just unusual to see train station written out like that.

[@Rail_Focus]

@Tobberz I imagine it's a stylistic choice as well as being for ease of understanding. As for the logo it would possibly be inappropriate given it's technically on a private building and not a railway building.

[@KevinChapman-fo2tj]

@vonsausage6312 Saved em £200 for 2 less letters

[@bobmorrall7603]

Just more proof that Blackpool Council are leaders in wasting money. 23 million for a 3 minute walk, and a service that's only any good to tourists if they are staying on the prom, why not grab a taxi for less money, a door to door service (and if you need it, help with your suitcase). Whoever gave this the go ahead should be ashamed of themselves. It's arguable whether there is any benefit to this extension, it definitely increases journey time, and offers a weakened timetable. A wasteful exercise, showing utter contempt for the residents of Blackpool. I hope you enjoyed the journey but I don't think I'll have any use for the trams again.

[@blackpoolwholesaleballoons]

Covid-19 caused delay?

[@Rail_Focus]

Partly.

[@philipbolton2811]

Not a bit of a white elephant, a total white elephant. Most people arriving at Blackpool North going to hotels with suitcases will continue to hop in a taxi. Total waste of money.

[@Rail_Focus]

Let's hope not hey

[@stevensmith7460]

Totally agree, also will be cheaper by taxi for a family with luggage straight to the hotel door.

[@mub_lana69]

@@stevensmith7460Tram £2 taxis charge for suitcases, far cheaper on the tram

[@madhatter61]

It is a total waste of time and money

[@stevensmith7460]

@@madhatter61 23 million for 600 yards of track, money could have been better spent on north shore promenade ( gynn square to the cabin at least)

[@rebeccalucas7221]

Waste of money if u ask me lol and proberly more accidents on the roads just my opinion

[@Rail_Focus]

Will not have an impact on road accidents.

[@iankemp73]

Another Blackpool Clowncil Vanity project.

[@Rail_Focus]

Not a vanity project, connecting the station was a good idea, but the timetable needs sorting out

[@godlydestroyer8658]

Its a disgracefully poor sevice

[@Rail_Focus]

Hopefully it will improve

[@mfielding007]

Waste of money

[@Rail_Focus]

Hopefully not

[@MZig-rw7su]

A new tram for an absolute dump of a place. Makes no sense to me.

[@Rail_Focus]

Trams / public transport can transform the fortunes of an area.