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Blackpool Tram DVD 66 - Spring 2012 |
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 ![]() November 2011 to February 2012 turned out to be one of the most fascinating periods in tramway history. The departure of an incredible 22 trams from the old fleet and arrivals of the brand new Flexity2 trams all mixed together to create a feast of trams!
Trams leaving Blackpool: Footage of all the 22 trams which departed from Blackpool between 8th November and 1st March. In order of departure they were: 762, 761, 726, 708, 678, 621, 627, 671, 625, 681, 630, 644, 641, 643, 673, 683, 646, 645, 637, 687, 605 and 721. Some of these trams had not seen daylight for many years and as well as the loading and departure process, footage of the trams in service in their final days is included. Trams arriving in Blackpool: With the old trams on their way out, six of the Flexity2 trams were delivered to their new depot at Starr Gate. The arrival and offloading of 006 on 2nd February in fine sunny weather is featured. New Trams on Test: Test runs and then driver training also took place in the winter. See various Flexity2 trams at Bispham and then at Thornton Gate. Cardiff water-car 131 is used for track grinding on New South Prom and Boat 600 tests out the new overhead wires, running to Thornton Gate on 29th February. 100 minutes Click here to order Blackpool Tram DVD No.66 Spring 2012 Click here to SUBSCRIBE to Blackpool Tram DVDs for 1 year |
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Blackpool Tram DVD 65 - The Final Weekend |
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 This special edition of the Blackpool Tram DVD looks at the final days of Heritage tram operation in Blackpool.
Starting on Saturday 22nd October, we pick up the action at the start of the busy half-term week with various trams in service. The day starts with Centenary cars on Little Bispham service, filmed at Norbreck and Bispham and as the day moves on, double deckers come into traffic. As darkness falls, 715 makes an appearance on specials, joined by Twin Cars 672+682 and 675+685. 147 and 733+734 work Illuminations tours. The final weekend
Full coverage of the final weekend of the old fleet starts with the first trams on Saturday morning at North Pier. 632 and the hit-listed Centenary cars get the day going in fine sunny weather and 147, 600, 715 and 717 are used on enthusiasts tours. As the sun sets, the trams are filmed from the newly opened prom at Tower with 761 and 762 (last day of service) on specials and all the Illuminated cars. Coverage of the final day (6th November) begins with a bath for 672+682 prior to working an enthusiasts tour and all the morning service cars are filmed leaving the depot at Rigby Road – the final time it will used for this purpose. On the prom in glorious sunshine, many of the trams are in service for the last time with footage from Pleasure Beach and then Little Bispham in the afternoon including 715 and 675+685 on a tour. As darkness falls, the cameraman moves to The Metropole, recording some of the Centenary and Brush cars on their final journeys to depot. Unexpectedly, 672+682 take over from 711 at Foxhall at 21.15. See the Twin coming into service, over the crossover and to Pleasure Beach. After this, 715, 675+685 and 761 run into depot for the last time, filmed on Lytham Road. With just a handful of trams left in service, 672+682 provide the highlight of the evening and are filmed on their final journeys. Just before midnight, it’s back to Manchester Square as cars 718, 672+682, 709 and 720 make their way to depot. As midnight strikes 707 is last tram in and after 126 years, it’s all over!
100 minutes Click here to order Blackpool Tram DVD No.65 Winter 2011 Click here to SUBSCRIBE to Blackpool Tram DVDs for 1 year |
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Trams Magazine No. 55 - Winter 2011/12 |
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TRAMS magazine 55 is a special issue recording the final months of the old trams and a detailed review of the final weekend of operation on 5th/6th November.  TRAMS magazine 55 is available now, priced at just £2.50 plus postage, with 64 glossy colour pages bursting with colour photographs and articles.
Join the 2000-strong army of enthusiasts already reading the magazine - by taking out a subscription to what is surely the cheapest tram magazine in the world! Click here to subscribe to Trams Magazine
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NEW Blackpool Tram Mugs - including Flexity2 |
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We have some great new mugs for Autumn 2011 including the new Flexity2 tram. Available now from videoscene and from The Blackpool Tram Shop. 
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Flexity2 Tram Launch on Blackpool Tram DVD 64 |
 This special edition of the Blackpool Tram DVD features the launch of the first Flexity2 tram from 8th September 2011.
Emerging from the new depot at Starr Gate in a blaze of glory, tram 001 is seen by the public for the very first time. With specially invited guests it then ran two journeys to Pleasure Beach and back. Included on this DVD is the launch itself, a look around the new depot at Starr Gate and a detailed look at tram 001, inside and out including a ride filmed from behind the driver.
The summer of 2011 was an interesting one with the widened Balloon cars making their debut, various new advert liveries and 715 repainted into the green and cream livery. Boat 600 is used in a charity tram pull, 733+734 make a rare daylight outing and there’s a look at the new tram and road layout around the Metropole. The summer concludes with events on Illumination switch on night, 2nd September, as the busy autumn period gets underway.
Away from Blackpool itself, a former Blackpool icon, Marton VAMBAC 11 made a special appearance at Beamish Museum for their ‘Power from the Past’ event. On loan from the East Anglia Transport Museum, see this magnificent tramcar in a special night shoot and then in normal service on the museum circuit. Other Beamish cars are included alongside ex-Blackpool cars Marton 31 and Balloon 703.100 minutes Click here to order Blackpool Tram DVD No.64 Autumn 2011 Click here to SUBSCRIBE to Blackpool Tram DVDs for 1 year |
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Blackpool Trams Today - NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD |
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From Starr Gate at the southern tip of Blackpool through to Fleetwood in the north, the Blackpool and Fleetwood tramway is the most unique passenger tramway in the world. With a fleet of 80 trams, most of which are over 70 years old, the system carries millions of passengers each year. SINGLE DECKERS: There are a variety of single deck trams ranging from the 1934 built Open Boat cars right through to the modern Centenary cars which operate the winter service. There are also seven Twin cars which are being painted into bright 'Metro' colours.
SPECIAL TRAMS: There are a number of special trams in the fleet including the Ice Cream tram 719, double deck Standard 147 which returned from America after years of storage, the Illuminated trams including the world famous Western Train and the Vintage trams, some of which are now over 100 years old and still in regular service.
DOUBLE DECKERS: The most familiar sight on Blackpool's promenade are the famous 'Balloon' type trams which have been in service since 1934. A number of these have been painted into special liveries for their 70th anniversary in 2004. Other cars have been rebuilt over the years into one-man-operated all year round vehicles whilst the current trend is to rebuild them with flat fronts.
TRAMWAY YEAR: Trams run every day of the year except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day and from a sunny weekend in July, to the depths of winter, Blackpool's promenade has a tram service. See some truly stunning footage of trams on the prom in the snow.
Order Blackpool Trams Today Re-release on DVD
This DVD was originally released on VHS in 2004.
It showed the entire Blackpool tram fleet of about 75 trams and the various liveries they carried at this time. At the end of 2004, 25 cars were withdrawn from service and many of these never ran again. In the years that followed, more were stored and in 2010 all except a handful were sold, stored or scrapped. With Supertrams taking over in 2012 the Blackpool tram fleet as we have known it for many years is now just a shadow of its former self.
Due to demand this title has been re-released on DVD and what you are about to watch is the original unedited version of the 2004 release. Although it is still called 'Blackpool Trams Today', perhaps it should be 'Blackpool Trams of Yesterday' or at least 'The best of the original fleet'.
Of all the trams you are about to see, only a handful of them still remain in service and many have been rebuilt and/or modernised since this programme was made.
Buy Blackpool Trams Today Re-release on DVD |
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The OMO Cars by Philip Higgs and James Millington (BOOK) |
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In September 2010, OMO car 8 took part in the procession to mark 125 years of trams in Blackpool. This was the first time a member of this class of tramcar had run since 1993, thus filling a huge gap in the Blackpool story.  It was back in the late 1960s when the idea of a one-man-operated tramcar was first mooted and between 1972 and 1976, thirteen such cars were rebuilt from Railcoaches. Simply known as 'OMO' cars, these thirteen workhorses set about all-year service on the Starr Gate - Fleetwood route. Their arrival helped slash operating costs, played a huge part in saving the tramway from full or partial closure and they gained a reputation for being fast, cramped, uncomfortable and over-worked. Nevertheless, they did a job that had to be done. Running in four different fleet liveries plus one advert livery, by the mid-1980s these trams operated half the total annual tramway mileage and a number of cars clocked the two million mile mark. In 1984, the introduction of the Centenary cars marked the beginning of the end, although a few soldiered on for nine more years until March 1993. In the end, ten of the thirteen cars were cars were scrapped, one was rebuilt whilst two are in preservation today. From the one-man experiments with Brush car 638 until the triumphant return of car 8 in 2010, this 80-page hardback book tells the complete story of the OMO cars. For the first time ever in print all thirteen cars in all their liveries are included, complete with behind-the-scenes images, the cars being built, drivers instructions, a typical day's work, pantograph experiments, winter snow scenes, internal shots and much more. Following the Progress Twin Car book, this is the second in the series looking in detail at Blackpool's trams. 80 Pages - Hardback Click here to order The OMO Cars Book
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The OFFICIAL 125th Anniversary of Blackpool's Trams DVD |
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This official souvenir DVD of the 125th anniversary events week will be launched at The Blackpool Tram Shop at North Pier on Saturday 23rd October (this is the first day of the busy half term week). Call into the shop and get your copy! If you can't make it, don't worry, simply order online and your DVD will be posted out on Monday 25th October.
The Blackpool Tramway - In 1885 it was Britain's first electric tramway - 125 years later, it is now Britain's last traditional tramway and all this will change in 2012. To mark the 125th anniversary a series of special events were held over a week-long period in September 2010.
With a running time of 100 minutes this DVD takes a day-by-day look at the events from this memorable week. Starting with a full introduction to all the visiting Vintage cars, coverage begins on Thursday 23rd September with cars 304, 632 and Liverpool 762 on enthusiasts tours; on Friday cars 31, 513 and 715 were running and then it's the main Saturday event. Filmed in fantastic sunny weather, see the various Vintage cars and normal cars on specials. Rack 2, Stockport 5 and Fleetwood 40 are all featured plus 147, 513, 706 and various Twin cars and Balloons. An open day was held at the bus and tram depot on the Sunday and with various vehicles on display it was a fantastic opportunity to see behind the scenes. See the numerous buses and trams and some of the now withdrawn trams stabled in the shed. The Vintage tram tours continued on the Monday with cars 2, 40 and 31 running between Bispham and Pleasure Beach and on the Tuesday, daytime and evening tours saw cars 5, 66, 762 and Manchester 765 in action with 147, 513 and 706 out and about. The final day - Wednesday 29th September - was the official 125th anniversary day which saw thousands of enthusiasts and wellwishers lining the promenade to see the procession of tram cars run from Pleasure Beach to Bispham.  Headed by the 1898-built Rack 2, the eight car cavalcade showed the development of the Blackpool fleet through the years including Boat car 600 and Coronation car 660. At the rear of the parade was OMO car 8, making its debut at the event and duly becoming the first OMO car to run in Blackpool since 1993.
Filmed from a superb vantage point on the top of an open top bus, the cavalcade is seen twice, firstly on south promenade and then on its way back at Cabin.  With the Supertrams on the horizon and the tramway due to change beyond all recognition, the 125th anniversary of this remarkable and world famous tramway was marked in spectacular style and this official souvenir DVD tells the story.
100 minutes Click here to order 125th Anniversary DVD
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Manx Electric Railway: Ramsey to Douglas Journey DVD |
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Join the Motorman on the front platform of the 1906-built Car 32 for a journey over the entire Manx Electric Railway! Filmed on a beautiful summer's day, the tram departs Ramsey and for the next 75 minutes and 18 miles you are on the front as the tram hugs the coast and weaves its way towards Laxey, passing through the popular locations of Ballaglass and Dhoon. From Laxey the journey continues through South Cape, Baldrine and to Groudle and then the final leg from Howstrake and along the coast into Douglas. Filmed to a professional standard in 16:9 widescreen, this was a private hire so there's no noise of passengers talking, narration is kept to a minimum and what you see and hear is the real thing, exactly as if you were there yourself! On-screen captions identify the main locations as the tram passes them. Bonus footage includes a look at the various trams in the MER fleet today, an extra journey up the hill from Douglas to Groudle and a special 'floor-cam', recording the growl of the motors on the steep climb from Minorca. Quite possibly for the first time ever, this is a driver's eye view of the MER in its entirety, from north to south and for anybody interested in this wonderful and unique railway, this DVD is a must. Click here to order Ramsey to Douglas DVD |
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North Pier by Tram - AVAILABLE NOW! |
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 North Pier by Tram
An Introduction to Blackpool’s Tramway History
by Brian Turner
AVAILABLE NOW!
NORTH PIER BY TRAM is the story of 125 years of the Blackpool tramway, as seen from its centre at North Pier.
It contains 50,000 words in 23 chapters, illustrated with 100 historical black-and-white photographs (most of them previously unpublished), plus 100 colour pictures by Brian Turner, who has been recording and researching the tramway for the past fifty years. The story is interspersed with portraits of the Blackpool tramway at its jubilees in 1910, 1935, 1960 and 1985, and is accompanied by comprehensive all-time fleet details, car by car.
• Limited Edition of 1000 copies
• Signed and certified by the author
• £29.95 (including postage)
• 144 pages
• Hardback
• Printed on gloss art paper
 
Order your copy here Price: £29.95 (including postage) |
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Blackpool Tram Shop - Open Every Day! |
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 TRAMS magazine, along with our sister company, Videoscene, has taken over the Blackpool Memorabilia shop at the front of North Pier. Since 1988, David and Linda Hughes have successfully owned and operated this well known and popular seafront premises, selling Blackpool related souvenirs and gifts as well as tramway books, DVDs, models, postcards and, of course, TRAMS magazine.
Already known to many enthusiasts, the shop has been fully refurbished and completely restocked. You are welcome to browse - and we mean this, please come in and have a good look through the huge selection of tramway and transport items.
If you are visiting, why not order in advance? Telephone or email a few days before and we’ll have your order ready and waiting for you! For our full list of products go to www.videoscene.co.uk. Keep checking this website for regular updates.
SHOP OPENING HOURS
We are then open daily throughout the year.
Open daily from 10am
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Western Train Restored DVD... AVAILABLE NOW |
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 It's back, it's bigger, it's brighter and it's more beautful than ever before...
it's Blackpool's world famous Western Train Illuminated tram.
This is the story of how, after ten years out of service and a two year restoration job, this majestic creature rose from the ashes back to the promenade. Jointly financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Blackpool Transport, once again Blackpool and it's visitors can enjoy the sights and sounds of this wonderful tramcar as it glides through the Illuminations. Smoke even comes out of the chimney!
With full access granted and produced in co-operation with Blackpool Transport this is the story of how a derelict wreck was stripped to a shell and rebuilt piece by piece.
The story of this Blackpool icon begins in the 1960s and with regular appearances each autumn through to the 1990s the tram is established as a firm favourite. Then it's 1999 and its final year in service. Withdrawn due to its condition, the scrapman was looming and the end was near. Hidden at the back of the depot, the tram was dragged in two halves to Fleetwood for the Tram Sunday event in 2003. This was its last public appearance. Again the trams lay rotting away in the depot. In October 2006 it was announced that Blackpool Transport had been successful in securing a £278,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The train was coming back!  Work began in April 2007 and the trams were stripped to a shell. Over the next two years the painful job of restoring these trams was recorded in detail. From new timbers and framework, to rewiring, panelling and painting. See the trams as they move from workshop to workshop and then the testing begins. Coupled up, the trams go 'live' for the first time; the first test run on the prom; the first private hire and the official launch in May 2009.
TRAMS magazine hired the train for a special night journey to Fleetwood in June 2009. See the trams as no-one has ever seen them before, at Cleveleys, Broadwater, Ash Street and Lord Street in Fleetwood at 3am! Finally, the story is completed... back on the prom and running through the Illuminations, just as they were built to, 50 years earlier!
This is the story of a Blackpool icon. From zero to hero in two years, the Western Train has been restored and this is the full story of how it was done.
Order Blackpool's Western Train Restored here.
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Blackpool Trams Pictorial - Free Video Trailer...! |
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Blackpool Trams Pictorial No.4, the brand new limited edition book from Nick Meskell was released at the Totally Transport event last weekend. The launch was a great success with the new release selling even faster than expected - and much praise has already been poured onto the book. We can now give TramMagazine.co.uk users an sneak preview of the promotional video for the book. The video features photographs used in the book and really gives a taste of the treats in store... it also has a great soundtrack..! |
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Blackpool Trams Pictorial 4 - Available to order now |
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Four years in the making, the fourth Blackpool Trams Pictorial book is available now.
 With almost 100 photographs - mostly presented as full page images - No.4 in the series looks at Blackpool trams from the 1950s through to the 2000s.
Using previously unseen and unpublished material from Brian Turner, Geoff Lumb, Vic Nutton, the best of the TLP collection and images from the author's own collection, this 80 page book takes the reader on an evocative journey into the past. Featuring the Marton, Lytham Road and North Station routes as well as the promenade, Cleveleys and Fleetwood, many long gone tramcars and long lost liveries are pictured. Using mostly colour images, the book is printed on heavy gloss art paper.
Unlike the previous three volumes, No.4 will only be available as a limited edition hardback. Just 1000 copies have been printed and each contains a certificate of authenticity numbered personally by the author. Once sold out, the book will not be reprinted. 
The first three volumes in this series have now sold out so don't miss this opportunity.
You can watch the Blackpool Trams Pictorial No.4 promotional video by clicking here. |
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