Blackpool Trams

Dating back to 29th September 1885, The Blackpool Tramway is one of the oldest electric tramways in the world! When the tramway first started operation it operated between Cocker Street & Dean Street. It remained like this until 1895 when a new line was added Manchester Square to South Shore, it was later connected to the promenade via Station Road in 1897.

In 1900 the line was extended north to Gynn Square where it connected up with the line from Fleetwood. In 1901, the Marton loop was opened, connecting Talbot Square and Central Station with the rest of the growing network.

By 1903 the line south had reached the Pleasure Beach. The final tramway extension was completed in 1926, this was further south along the promenade to Starr Gate.

It was in 1936 route closures began to hit the network. These began with the Central Drive & Layton routes. Further closures happened in 1961 (Lytham Road), 1962 (Marton), 1963 (Dickson Road to North Station). After all these closures all that remained was Starr Cross to Fleetwood, which is how it remains today!

Construction work is currently underway to connect Blackpool North station to the promenade. The opening date for this is unknown. Once this extension is opened it will be transformational to people visiting the town making the entire tram network very user friendly.

There has been proposals in the past to extend the tramway to Lytham St Annes using the South Fylde Line. The most recent proposal is to extend the tramway from Fleetwood to Poulton-ly-Fylde using the disused Fleetwood branch line. From a personal point of view I think this would be a mistake and the branch line to Fleetwood should be reopened at heavy rail with services to and from Preston operating the line (Potentially using Ormskirk services create a Ormskirk to Fleetwood service.