On arrival in Blackpool, there was certainly strong wind and occasional rain squalls but the sun came out and it was quite pleasant. I walked towards the promenade along Talbot Road, pausing in Talbot Square to look at the Town Hall, built in 1900. I joined the promenade near the North Pier (Blackpool still retains its three piers) and the sea was rougher than I've seen before at Blackpool.
One of the modern trams built by Bombardier passed me and, spotting the 'Fleetwood' destination, I chased after it to the nearby tram stop and boarded for the 8-mile journey to Fleetwood. It was my first trip on the re-furbished tram system which re-opened in 2012 and I was impressed by the new trams. The older trams which I remember still operate in the season from special 'Heritage Tram' stops.
The weather was a bit wild in Fleetwood but I still enjoyed wandering around the town, taking a few photographs. The aerial picture below (taken a few years ago) gives a good impression of the town. The Stena Line ferry service to Northern Ireland (visible at the bottom of the picture) was withdrawn in 2010.
Fleetwood: The Stena Line service to Northern Ireland was withdrawn in 2010. (Photo: 'Life in Fleetwood'/Urbed).
Click for larger image
The elegant designs of the architect Decimus Burton still grace the town but more modern developments have not been helpful. Fleetwood enjoyed a period of prosperity as a seaside resort and ferry port. The first railway from Preston served Fleetwood but when additional branches to Blackpool were built, Fleetwood became overshadowed by its southern neighbour as a holiday resort.
Queen's Terrace, Fleetwood. Designed by Decimus Burton and completed in 1844.
With the development of the Wyre Dock, Fleetwood became home to the third largest fishing fleet in the country. With membership of the EEC and as countries like Iceland extended their fishing limits, the Fleetwood fishing fleet was decimated. The history of fishing in Fleetwood is described passionately here in an article forming part of the excellent Fleetwood Maritime Heritage Trust site. In 1970 the railway to Fleetwood was closed and nothing now remains of the railway station. The station area was eventually re-developed as the Stena Line ferry port but that, too, was lost in 2010.
I returned to Blackpool by tram. We passed lots of people walking on the cliff top and they all seemed to be taking pictures of the angry seas. Approaching North Pier, the line descends to a lower promenade level and water was breaking over the promenade as the waves pounded the sea wall. Trams had stopped running further south to Starr Gate, presumably because of conditions along the front.
Once away from the sea front, the weather wasn't bad and I spent some time exploring Talbot Road and recording the existing mechanical railway signalling at Blackpool (North), as this will be replaced under a project in hand to electrify the line from Preston.
Then I joined a Diesel Multiple Unit heading to Manchester Airport as far as Preston, where I changed for a through service back to Wolverhampton.
Related articles on other sites
Blackpool (Wikipedia).
Fleetwood (Wikipedia).
'Life in Fleetwood'.
Fleetwood Think Piece (Urbed).
My pictures
Blackpool and Fleetwood.
Blackpool Trams.
Blackpool's Railways.
Railways around Preston.
