Blackpool Trams Incident

[Whistler40145]

Does anyone know if an incident occurred yesterday on the Foxhall line adjacent to the Rigby Road Depot entrance as I witnessed several fire engines & fire officers lying on the ground facedown looking under a Balloon Car?

Was it an incident or a training exercise?

By the way, the Pantograph had been lowered & it was one with door modifications.

 

[northernrail]

Im not surprised if it was a modified, was it 720 by any chance?

 

[Whistler40145]

Not sure mate, but every fire engine in Blackpool must have been there!

 

[northernrail]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottishcoachman/6050717418/

was it this one

 

[Whistler40145]

Not 720, it was in a Light coloured advertising livery, maybe White, Cream & Gold.

 

[Crimson_Quiff]

I was out on the trams Monday 29th August, evening time. Heard nothing of the such from the regular cranks.

If this incident occurred, it was probably 720!

 

[Whistler40145]

May have been a training exercise for the Fire Brigade.

 

[stut]

...or another Coronation Street special.

 

[Whistler40145]

It was on Blundell Street adjacent to the Blackpool Transport offices & was Balloon Car 720, painted White.

 

[ChrisCooper]

It was on Blundell Street adjacent to the Blackpool Transport offices & was Balloon Car 720, painted White.

Wouldn't be 720 then because it's in a Wall Ice Cream overall advert.

 

[Whistler40145]

Which one is all-over White with door mods?

 

[ChrisCooper]

Not 713 or 720. Could be 700. Can't remember what else has been done so far.

 

[Crimson_Quiff]

Which one is all-over White with door mods?

700

 

[bluegoblin7]

The modified cars thus far are 700, 707, 709, 713, 718, 720 & 724. All over white, Coral Island, SEALIFE, Houndshill, Madame Tussauds, Walls and Lyndene respectively.

700 is a 'last resort car' due to being in a base coat, whilst 724 has not yet been released from the workshops.

I think it's safe to say that this was a training exercise, when it is taken into account that the car isn't being used on service and nothing has been reported in the local media. As CrimsonQuiff also states, none of 'the regulars' are aware of anything happening and it's not come to my attention either through my array of sources inside the company. It also makes little sense for there to be an 'actual emergency' on Blundell Street as the car would be 'dealt with' in the depot where there is access to the track pits. If the car had been on service then it would be dealt with on the mainline for safety reasons - Blundell Street is useful for training as it's not mainline and has easy access to the depot.

Hope this helps.

Jack

 

[Whistler40145]

That seems to answer everything thanks.

 

[ChrisCooper]

Have all the Millenium cars been done then? I know one was up for modification but didn't realise they all were.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Have all the Millenium cars been done then? I know one was up for modification but didn't realise they all were.

Yep, all four of the Millenium cars now have door mods, though as I mentioned 724 is still to enter service.

Some photographs of each:

707 - Coral Island

709 - SEALIFE

718 - Madame Tussauds

724 - Lyndene Hotel - apologies for the quality, this was taken earlier today as it's only just emerged from the depths of Rigby Road!
​

All photos (c) 2011 Tramways Monthly - All Rights Reserved.

Hope this helps,

Jack

 

[Crimson_Quiff]

Jack, can I ask what the balloon car is deep in the depot on that last shot of 724, please? (Behind 706).

 

[northernrail]

It looks like 704...

 

[bluegoblin7]

Jack, can I ask what the balloon car is deep in the depot on that last shot of 724, please? (Behind 706).

It looks like 704...

Yep, it's 704, now sold to the LTT and in a very poor shape having been cannibalised for parts in recent years. The tram still retains its fading 'Eclipse' livery with black base coat and 'fire' on the bottom, which, imo, was inspired!

Jack

 

[Crimson_Quiff]

Yep, it's 704, now sold to the LTT and in a very poor shape having been cannibalised for parts in recent years. The tram still retains its fading 'Eclipse' livery with black base coat and 'fire' on the bottom, which, imo, was inspired!

Jack

Ta for that, Jack! 704, yeah makes sense! Black livery and all that! I hope LTT get 708 working at Heaton Park, along with 680 - THAT WOULD BE NICE!

 

[northernrail]

Ta for that, Jack! 704, yeah makes sense! Black livery and all that! I hope LTT get 708 working at Heaton Park, along with 680 - THAT WOULD BE NICE!

708 isn't with the LTT anymore, its MTMS..

 

[BestWestern]

Whilst on the subject of that pic, what's happening with Princess Alice ( the open topper visible on the left!), is she to me 'modded' for year-round use or will she be part of the heritage stable?

 

[bluegoblin7]

Ta for that, Jack! 704, yeah makes sense! Black livery and all that! I hope LTT get 708 working at Heaton Park, along with 680 - THAT WOULD BE NICE!

708 isn't with the LTT anymore, its MTMS..

Correct - 704 and 708 swapped owners at the start of the year, with 704 transferring to the LTT and 708 transferring to the MTMS. There's a full list of who has what here.

708 and 680 are expected to make the move to Heaton Park once the depot is up. I'm told this should be before the end of the year, but it is anyone's guess at the moment really with the appeal ongoing.

Whilst on the subject of that pic, what's happening with Princess Alice ( the open topper visible on the left!), is she to me 'modded' for year-round use or will she be part of the heritage stable?

Tricky question as it depends who you listen to! At the start of the year the tram was due to be fitted with transponders for operation this year, though this has now been postponed with the tram mothballed for 2011.

From 2012 there are currently three rumours doing the rounds:
*The tram will enter the workshops over winter for a 'heritage' overhaul and the fitting of low voltage equipment and transponders. This will likely be 717/600 style in terms of bumpers/skirts.
*The tram will enter the workshops over winter for an overhaul to remove operating restrictions on the car - as above with the addition of the widened platforms.
*The car has been 'condemned' by Blackpool Transport as requiring too much work which cannot be justified owing to the amount of use it will get - i.e. the money spent on it will never be earned back. Unlikely - it was washed this week!

Hope that helps?

Jack

 

[Crimson_Quiff]

Re: 704

Of course it did! Thanks for reminding me, Jack!

 

[BestWestern]

Tricky question as it depends who you listen to! At the start of the year the tram was due to be fitted with transponders for operation this year, though this has now been postponed with the tram mothballed for 2011.

From 2012 there are currently three rumours doing the rounds:
*The tram will enter the workshops over winter for a 'heritage' overhaul and the fitting of low voltage equipment and transponders. This will likely be 717/600 style in terms of bumpers/skirts.
*The tram will enter the workshops over winter for an overhaul to remove operating restrictions on the car - as above with the addition of the widened platforms.
*The car has been 'condemned' by Blackpool Transport as requiring too much work which cannot be justified owing to the amount of use it will get - i.e. the money spent on it will never be earned back. Unlikely - it was washed this week!

Hope that helps?

Jack

Yup, that def helps, as always.

Surely if she was to be out of service for good they'd have sold her by now, the buyers would have been queing around the block! I'd put my money on the full refurb, doors and all; but we I guess we shall see!

600 looks better than I was expecting by the way!

Thanks as ever

 

[Crimson_Quiff]

Have all the Millenium cars been done then? I know one was up for modification but didn't realise they all were.

724 is out working today, meaning all the 'Millenium' Balloon cars are now available for work, fitted with the new doors.

 

[bluegoblin7]

Yup, that def helps, as always.

Surely if she was to be out of service for good they'd have sold her by now, the buyers would have been queing around the block! I'd put my money on the full refurb, doors and all; but we I guess we shall see!

600 looks better than I was expecting by the way!

Thanks as ever

Surprisingly, not necessarily! For example, both 602 and 604 are being retained, as are 701 and 723, yet of those only 602 is rumoured to be getting any modifications at the moment, the rest are largely expected to be kept as 'spare cars' but not actually operate. It is always possible that the same fate could befall 706 - or, of course, it could already be sold and we might not know anything about it!

A case of wait and see I think, sadly.

Personally I quite like 600, though think the character has gone from the interior! However I am a fan of the front end skirts in general over the traditional bumpers, so I'm probably not the best person to ask!

Jack
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

724 is out working today, meaning all the 'Millenium' Balloon cars are now available for work, fitted with the new doors.

...and with a bit of luck, one or both of the Jubilees will go pop before this evening and 700 can come out to play too, and then for the first time we'll get 'a taste of the future' with all the widened cars out! (715 and 717 are working a private hire so are not available for service.)