Northern offers through tickets to Blackpool tramway

[AY1975]

According to a news item on the Northern website, Northern has teamed up with Blackpool Transport to offer through tickets to destinations on the Blackpool tramway such as Cleveleys or Fleetwood: https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/n...assengers-through-tickets-seaside-resorts-bus

Northern teams-up with Blackpool Transport to offer rail passengers ‘through tickets’ onto seaside resort’s bus and tram network

People heading to Blackpool on trains operated by Northern will now be able to buy one ‘through ticket’ that will also cover their bus and tram journeys in the town.

Working in partnership with Blackpool Transport – the seaside resort’s bus and tram operator – Northern’s customers will be able to travel onwards from Blackpool North or Blackpool South to destinations including Fleetwood, Bispham and Thornton Cleveleys.

However, it doesn't give any examples of prices or say where you can obtain such a ticket, whether it is available from all Northern stations or only certain ones, or whether railcard or concessionary pass holders get any discount on these tickets.

If I try entering Preston to Fleetwood into the journey planner on the Northern website it doesn't recognise Fleetwood, and if I enter Blackpool it only comes up with the town's three National Rail stations: Blackpool North, South and Pleasure Beach.

Has anyone on here tried or managed to obtain such a ticket?

 

[Hassocks5489]

It might be this ticket:

https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=PRE&dest=QBN (Blackpool North version)

https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=PRE&dest=QBS (Blackpool South version)

Just a guess though. These did exist in the past: I have a Manchester - Blackpool North "Bus and Tram" ticket dated 20/07/2008 in my collection.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Has anyone on here tried or managed to obtain such a ticket?

Is the destination something like "BPoolNthBusTram" or BPoolSthBusTram"?

Fares from Preston seem to be maybe £5.50 in addition to the Anytime Day Return or Off Peak Day Return (rail only) fares.

 

[Hassocks5489]

Is the destination something like "BPoolNthBusTram" or BPoolSthBusTram"?

Fares seem to be maybe £5.50 in addition to the Anytime Day Return or Off Peak Day Return (rail only) fares.

(Reaches up to box on top shelf...) The exact validation is BPOOL NTHBUSTRAM. The 2008 [Anytime] Day Return PRIV fare was £4.95.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The exact validation is BPOOL NTHBUSTRAM.

Thanks for clarifying. The respective codes are still H058 and H059. Noted that you still have to decide whether to travel in by rail via Blackpool North or Blackpool South.

 

[dave87016]

Thanks for clarifying. The respective codes are still H058 and H059. Noted that you still have to decide whether to travel in by rail via Blackpool North or Blackpool South.

If travelling between Lytham and cleveleys a plus bus is cheaper even more so if you hold a railcard , and it’s also valid on trams between starr gate and Cleveleys

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Interesting that Northern seem now to be actively publicising something that's been in the Fares Manual for possibly 15 or more years (maybe considerably longer).

 

[Kilopylae]

Interesting that Northern seem now to be actively publicising something that's been in the Fares Manual for possibly 15 or more years (maybe considerably longer).

Has it been possible to purchase it that entire time, though?

 

[Hassocks5489]

Has it been possible to purchase it that entire time, though?

I was wondering that. I've had a look through my notes and ticket scans and have found another issued to BPOOL NTHBUSTRAM dated mid-2009; and separately, a note that as from 2 January 2012 Blackpool PLUSBUS tickets were valid across the whole tram network rather than just "the central section", as I rather vaguely called it. I've also just found a note written in 2019 to the effect that "through tickets to the Blackpool bus and tram network ... were withdrawn at an unknown time". So if that was correct, they must have been reintroduced recently.

 

[johntea]

Pray that the barriers at Blackpool North have been programmed to accept these tickets or you'll probably spend half your day arguing with the staff trying to leave the station than being sat on trams and buses!

They should really find a way to 'work together' in other areas too such as Manchester Metrolink, nothing more annoying than departing from a train then arriving at the tram stop and great...your tram is on the platform! Except you have to faff around buying a seperate ticket and watch as it pulls away in the meantime - although I appreciate probably a more minor issue these days with mobile apps and contactless payment options

 

[Mcr Warrior]

They should really find a way to 'work together' in other areas too such as Manchester Metrolink, nothing more annoying than departing from a train then arriving at the tram stop and great...your tram is on the platform! Except you have to faff around buying a seperate ticket and watch as it pulls away in the meantime - although I appreciate probably a more minor issue these days with mobile apps and contactless payment options

Through tickets are available to Manchester Metrolink stations aren't they? Destination would (depending on whether the origin station was inside Greater Manchester or not) be something like 'Metrolink Z1-4' or 'GM Metrolnk Z1-4' (or similar depending on zones used).

 

[plugwash]

I find it rather irksome that there are seperate versions of this depend on which station you use.

 

[AY1975]

It might be this ticket:

https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=PRE&dest=QBN (Blackpool North version)

https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=PRE&dest=QBS (Blackpool South version)

Just a guess though. These did exist in the past: I have a Manchester - Blackpool North "Bus and Tram" ticket dated 20/07/2008 in my collection.

The exact validation is BPOOL NTHBUSTRAM.

I tried entering Bpool NthBusTram as a destination both on the Northern website and on the National Rail site but neither site seemed to recognise it, so I am guessing that you can only buy these tickets from ticket offices at staffed Northern stations (and you may well find that ticket office staff are not very familiar with these fares).

 

[Haywain]

I tried entering Bpool NthBusTram as a destination both on the Northern website and on the National Rail site but neither site seemed to recognise it, so I am guessing that you can only buy these tickets from ticket offices at staffed Northern stations (and you may well find that ticket office staff are not very familiar with these fares).

That's hardly surprising as the destinations will not generate schedules.

 

[Trainbike46]

That's hardly surprising as the destinations will not generate schedules.

fair, but also they should have fixed that before announcing the tickets as available? or alternatively clearly stated where these fares can be bought (for example, ticket office only)

 

[philthetube]

Is the destination something like "BPoolNthBusTram" or BPoolSthBusTram"?

Fares from Preston seem to be maybe £5.50 in addition to the Anytime Day Return or Off Peak Day Return (rail only) fares.

A on line24 hour Bus and tram ticket for all Blackpool transport network is £5.50 £6.00 on tram. Plusbus, which is valid up to Clevelys is £4.00 and a day return to anywhere on the tram network is £ 4.50 so I cannot see the point

 

[AY1975]

A on line24 hour Bus and tram ticket for all Blackpool transport network is £5.50 £6.00 on tram. Plusbus, which is valid up to Clevelys is £4.00 and a day return to anywhere on the tram network is £ 4.50 so I cannot see the point

Agreed, unless the difference in price between a normal rail ticket to Blackpool and one of these special tickets is more than £5.50 (or £6 if you don't have internet access) which it might be for some longer distance journeys to Blackpool by Northern trains as AIUI they're only valid on Northern.

There's also the question of whether these tickets are only valid for one return journey by tram or bus in Blackpool (or one single journey in the case of single tickets) or unlimited travel on Blackpool buses and trams. Even if it's technically only valid for one return journey, I suppose the only way that they could enforce that would be for bus drivers and tram conductors to endorse the outward or return portion (or retain the outward portion).

 

[SargeNpton]

I tried entering Bpool NthBusTram as a destination both on the Northern website and on the National Rail site but neither site seemed to recognise it, so I am guessing that you can only buy these tickets from ticket offices at staffed Northern stations (and you may well find that ticket office staff are not very familiar with these fares).

Recent changes should have allowed this, and its Blackpool South equivalent, to be retailed on-line. Either those journey planners haven't been updated with the changes yet or they are not using the right source data.

 

[Watershed]

There's also the question of whether these tickets are only valid for one return journey by tram or bus in Blackpool (or one single journey in the case of single tickets) or unlimited travel on Blackpool buses and trams. Even if it's technically only valid for one return journey, I suppose the only way that they could enforce that would be for bus drivers and tram conductors to endorse the outward or return portion (or retain the outward portion).

They are valid for unlimited travel on trams and buses on the relevant date. Though this certainly hasn't been made very clear (in the public-facing information).

 

[philthetube]

They are valid for unlimited travel on trams and buses on the relevant date. Though this certainly hasn't been made very clear (in the public-facing information).

Worse value than a 24 hour ticket for the same price then.

 

[Haywain]

Recent changes should have allowed this, and its Blackpool South equivalent, to be retailed on-line. Either those journey planners haven't been updated with the changes yet or they are not using the right source data.

What destinations should be used to buy online?

 

[SargeNpton]

What destinations should be used to buy online?

QBN and QBS for North and South repectively.

 

[Haywain]

QBN and QBS for North and South repectively.

Online? They are not recognised by Trainline or Northern websites.

 

[SargeNpton]

Online? They are not recognised by Trainline or Northern websites.

That's the worrying bit. All the relevant codes should have been available to journey planners for 4 days.

 

[AY1975]

They are valid for unlimited travel on trams and buses on the relevant date. Though this certainly hasn't been made very clear (in the public-facing information).

According to brfares.com, for some longer distance journeys entirely by Northern trains, such as Manchester-Blackpool, these bus/tram add-on fares are available with longer period returns (e.g. Off-Peak Returns, Anytime Returns, Anytime Short Returns) as well as with Off-Peak or Anytime Day Returns.

If you buy a longer period return to Blackpool with a bus/tram add-on, for example from Manchester, I presume it is only valid for unlimited travel on trams and buses on the first day of its validity, i.e. the day of your outward journey?

Online? They are not recognised by Trainline or Northern websites.

Or the National Rail site. The brfares.com site does recognise them, but obviously that site doesn't sell tickets.

 

[OscarH]

That's the worrying bit. All the relevant codes should have been available to journey planners for 4 days.

Were journey planners informed about this going live? I would guess most retailers only show locations which are in a whitelist, because otherwise they'd show all kinds of junk, so if they weren't told in good time then they might not have whitelisted it

 

[alistairlees]

Were journey planners informed about this going live? I would guess most retailers only show locations which are in a whitelist, because otherwise they'd show all kinds of junk, so if they weren't told in good time then they might not have whitelisted it

I haven’t seen anything but will check later

 

[Wallsendmag]

I haven’t seen anything but will check later

Were journey planners informed about this going live? I would guess most retailers only show locations which are in a whitelist, because otherwise they'd show all kinds of junk, so if they weren't told in good time then they might not have whitelisted it

I haven't seen anything either and you wouldn't believe the locations we have to filter out in our admin system.

 

[OscarH]

I haven't seen anything either and you wouldn't believe the locations we have to filter out in our admin system.

I also haven't seen anything, looks like nothing was sent then rather than being lost on our end.

There's certainly some interesting locations in the data

 

[Trainbike46]

I haven't seen anything either and you wouldn't believe the locations we have to filter out in our admin system.

Is that why there are some stations that you can find on some journey planners but not others?