64-554: Blackpool Illuminations is an annual lights festival , founded in 1879 and first switched on 18 September that year, held each autumn in the British seaside resort of Blackpool on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire. Also known locally as The Lights or The Illuminations , they run each year for 66 days (since 2020, this has been extended to 100+ days), from late August until early November at
128-503: A Plusbus add-on includes unlimited tram travel between Thornton Gate and Starr Gate. The Tramway is operated by Blackpool Transport Services Limited (BTS), which was set up in accordance with the provisions of the Transport Act 1985 , and operates passenger transport service in the Fylde coast area through its bus and tram operations. BTS is wholly owned by Blackpool Council , which leases
192-577: A Friends of the Illuminations stating that they saw the future of the Illuminations as being more interactive, and that "the group would help us shape the future of one of the country's best, free attractions." and would also encourage worldwide support. Separate from the Illuminations, as part of the Festival of Light, Blackpool Christmas Lights are switched on every year in November in a very similar fashion to
256-474: A much larger scale. Blackpool Tramway The Blackpool Tramway runs from Blackpool to Fleetwood on The Fylde in Lancashire , England. The line dates back to 1885 and is one of the oldest electric tramways in the world. It is operated by Blackpool Transport Services (BTS) and runs for 18 km (11 miles). It carried 4.7 million passengers in 2023/24. It is the second-oldest electric tramway in
320-712: A star-studded 'Switch On' show and run to early November. At six miles (9.65 kilometres) long and using over one million bulbs, the Blackpool Illuminations are an awesome spectacle. The Blackpool Illuminations consist of a wide variety of light displays: lasers, neon, light bulbs, fibre optics, searchlights and floodlighting. There are set pieces made out of wood studded with light bulbs; the characters and objects portrayed seem to “move” by way of winking lights. Three-dimensional illuminated scenes are also popular. There are over 500 road features attached to lamp posts linked together with festoon lighting. Strings of lights along
384-727: A time when most other English seaside resorts ' seasons are coming to an end. They are 6.2 miles (10 km) long and use over one million bulbs. The display stretches along the Promenade from Starr Gate at the south end of the town to Bispham in the north. Since 2020 the illuminations season has been extended to run until after the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The current 2024–2025 season began on 30 August 2024 and will run until 5 January 2025. The Illuminations were first shown in 1879 when they were described as 'Artificial sunshine', and consisted of just eight carbon arc lamps which bathed
448-587: A £278,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant to restore the tramcar which first ran in 1962. It was withdrawn from service in 1999 and had stood derelict at the Rigby Road depot. The tramcar is due to return during the Illuminations Switch-On in 2008. In January 2008 it was revealed that another iconic illuminated tram, the Rocket tram, which had been in service between 1961 and 1999 but which had since then stood idle,
512-515: Is a pedestrian walkway running the length of the tableaux displays which are set back from the Promenade beyond the tramway. Blackpool Tramway runs along the entire length of the Illuminations and there are over one million lamps in the display. In 2007 the Egyptian tableau which includes Egyptian sarcophagus , which eerily opens to reveal a mummified secret, returned after an overhaul. Also at Bispham on
576-542: Is also due to be restored with expectation being that it would return to service for the Illuminations in 2009 at a cost of about £150,000 and with the help of the Friends of the Illuminations group. It takes twenty two weeks for all the lights to be erected in time for the Switch on each year and nine weeks to dismantle them after the display has finished. Most of the display is now operated on low voltage (12 V and 24 V) and in 2003
640-522: Is certainly something I do not think we should be doing. I very much oppose it." The beam could be seen 30 miles away. Moore called for the beam to be stopped. The Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston said the laser has added to a "spiralling problem" affecting astronomy, as astronomical research is increasing carried out at sites outside Europe due to light pollution. At
704-443: Is described as being "a contemporary look at the concept of light and art working together to create entertainment". Each year the opening night of the Illuminations, The Big Switch On, held in a specially erected arena with a celebrity pulling a switch to turn on the six miles of lights. The first switch on ceremony was held in 1934 when Lord Derby flicked the switch to turn on the Illuminations. In 1993 BBC Radio 1 first broadcast
SECTION 10
#1732851081857768-550: Is staged. In 2007 the Festival started on 31 August with various lighting displays throughout the town with displays by artists and also Blackpool and The Fylde College . These included a mixed media display entitled "Donkey Fest" on the cliffs at North Shore, "Water is Everywhere" by Creatmosphere at the Water Tower in North Shore which was an architectural light projection depicting moving water reflections, animating and highlighting
832-586: The BBC television programme, Changing Rooms was commissioned to create special feature on Central Promenade outside Blackpool Tower, named Decodance . Llewelyn-Bowen had stated that he fell in love with what he called "Blackpool's high-kicking glamour and historical reputation for giddy glitz" while filming for the Holiday programme. The displays at the cliffs from North Shore to Bispham contain forty large tableaux holding more than 5,000 square metres in surface area. There
896-543: The Blackpool Illuminations . Excluding museums, it is one of only a few tramways in the world to still use double-deck trams , the others including Hong Kong and Alexandria , Egypt. The first section opened on 29 September 1885, a conduit line from Cocker Street to Dean Street on Blackpool Promenade . It was one of the first practical electric tramways in the world, just six years after Werner von Siemens first demonstrated electric traction. The inauguration
960-567: The Government 's pledge in 2000 to build 25 new tram networks by 2010, a £1 billion bid for a Government grant was launched by Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council in 2002 to expand the tram network to St Annes to the south and new housing estates in Fleetwood to the north, with a possible further phase to Poulton-le-Fylde and Thornton . In 2004, campaigners behind the bid expressed disappointment that nothing had been done to take
1024-523: The 1930s to the 1990s, with some cars using red and cream/ white liveries and other assorted liveries. Some trams carry colourful all-over advertisements. The route is made up of four different types of track: The tramcars are powered by 600 V DC overhead line with electricity transmitted to the tramcars by pantograph and a few vintage trams by trolley pole . There are two active depots: There were five further depots that are now closed, mainly demolished: Tickets are purchased from
1088-587: The 1930s, manager Walter Luff, as part of a five-year plan for modernisation, introduced a fleet of modern streamlined tramcars including the enclosed Railcoaches, the single-deck open-topped Open Boats and the English Electric double-deck Luxury Dreadnoughts (later known as 'Balloons'). These formed the backbone of the fleet into the 21st century. In 1936, route closures began with the Central Drive and Layton routes. Lytham Road closed in 1961, Marton in 1962 and
1152-441: The Illuminations by car, coach or bus. There are also open top trams which run along the tramway as well as horse-drawn landau . At Bispham there is a special walkway for the tableaux which also includes mixed media in the various large tableaux displays. The Illuminations cost £1.9M each year to stage. For the 2007 Illuminations, Interior designer and television personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen best known for his appearances on
1216-515: The Illuminations cut electricity consumption by 11% using new technology. Then in 2004 wind turbines at the Solarium on New South Promenade contributed to powering the Illuminations for the first time. The Illuminations now only use green electricity from renewable resources, comprising wind power , small-scale hydropower and biogas . The aim was for the display to be carbon neutral by 2010. In January 2008 Blackpool Council announced plans to start
1280-635: The Illuminations. They are located on various streets leading out of The Promenade. On Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve, the Illuminations are switched on non-commercially to accompany the Christmas Lights. 53°49′08″N 3°03′21″W / 53.81889°N 3.05583°W / 53.81889; -3.05583 Illuminations (festival) Illuminations are secular Autumn festivals of electric light held in several English cities, towns and villages, in particular: Blackpool Illuminations run for 66 days each year. They switch on in late August with
1344-503: The Pleasure Beach to allow a more intensive service through the centre of Blackpool. During the Illuminations, decorated trams carry passengers on the promenade along the illuminated area, running from Pleasure Beach to Bispham. There are four loops: at Starr Gate (although not generally used during service), opposite the Pleasure Beach, Little Bispham and Fleetwood, as well as links to Rigby Road Depot. The Flexity 2 trams now operate
SECTION 20
#17328510818571408-485: The Promenade line at Talbot Square, increasing the tramway's routes to three total with a new service from each of the existing termini to the station. Enabling for the extension began on 6 November 2017, with the demolition of a homeware store in September 2020 to make way for the terminus and testing beginning on 16 March 2022. A new tram terminal was provided as part of the project, with an underpass providing access to
1472-588: The Promenade. The original event preceded Thomas Edison 's patent of the electric light bulb by twelve months. The first display similar to the modern-day displays was held in May 1912 to mark the first British royal family visit to Blackpool when Princess Louise opened a new section of the Promenade, Princess Parade. The Promenade was decorated with what was described as "festoons of garland lamps" using about 10,000 light bulbs. The local chamber of trade as well as other local businesses requested Blackpool Council to stage
1536-549: The RVAR; the 'B' fleet, (originally) nine converted double-deck trams that have partial exemption through partial conversion to improve accessibility; and the 'C' fleet , the exempt heritage fleet. The standard livery for the main fleet, introduced on the Flexity 2 trams, has purple fronts, with white sides, black window frames and a purple criss-cross pattern on the lower sides. Two of the modified Balloon trams have also been painted into
1600-658: The United Kingdom, the first being Volk's Electric Railway in Brighton , which opened two years earlier and similarly runs on a reserved track along the seafront. These are also the two surviving first-generation town tramways in the UK, though the majority of services on the line have since 2012 been operated by a fleet of modern Bombardier Flexity 2 trams. A 'heritage service' using the traditional trams operates year-round on weekends, certain weekdays and bank holidays , as well as during
1664-416: The Water Tower building. Also, "Hypodoché" by artist Ann Carragher, an expression of the artists personal relationship between life, natural processes, and the female 'space & voice' of architecture throughout the ages. The light installation consisted of water and light was exhibited at a town centre art gallery. Also there was the United Kingdom's first Illuminated Art Car Parade on 21 October as well as
1728-423: The area. Luminate is now arguably Morecambes Modern Illuminations. As of 2021 there are further plans for to the illuminations to return to the promenade. Councillor Charlie Edwards has been working with Lancashire County Council and Morecambe BID to ensure funding for the event. In December 2021 new illuminations were installed along the promenade as part of a preliminary tatser of what the event could offer albeit on
1792-511: The cab-ends and sides upon their liveries. In 1965, Coronation tram No. 310 was fitted with illuminated advert panels at the cab ends on the roof. This was followed by larger rectangular boxes in the 1960s on various Coronations, English Electric Railcoaches, Brush Railcoaches and OMO trams and remained a feature on some of them until the mid-1990s. In 2010, Brush Railcoach tram No. 632 had new advertising boxes fitted to recreate this feature. All-over adverts first appeared in 1975. Balloon tram No. 707
1856-509: The cliffs from North Shore to Bispham, and the Illuminations were extended to its current length running from Starr Gate to Red Bank Road at Bispham. The Illuminations were ready to shine in 1939 but the outbreak of the Second World War again interrupted the annual display and post war austerity meant the lights were not switched on again until 1949. Every year there is also the Festival of Light which features interactive installations and
1920-410: The clifftop was a new BBC Portal video screen. Also in 2007 a new Doctor Who display appeared with monsters from the last three series of the show. At Gynn Square on Gynn Island, a Space Invasion with an opalescent mothership hovering more than 40 ft in the air, battling it out with eight spaceships arranged in formation defending their territory. The display which used colour-changing LEDs ,
1984-577: The conductor on board, with daily, three-day, seven-day and monthly 'saver' tickets also available, which can be used on trams (excluding heritage trams) and Blackpool Transport buses. Heritage tram tickets are available for a round trip tour between Pleasure Beach and Cabin. Group day tickets are also available for up to 5 passengers including Adults, Children and Dogs. In addition to heritage tours, heritage day tickets can also be used on all Blackpool Transport trams and buses as well as autumn illumination tours. National Rail tickets to Blackpool stations with
Blackpool Illuminations - Misplaced Pages Continue
2048-530: The derailment was due to wear and tear on the track with a contributory factor being the new type of running gear on the tram. On 1 February 2008, it was announced that the Government had agreed to the joint BTS and Blackpool Council bid for funding toward the total upgrade of the track. The Government were to contribute £60.3M of the total £85.3M cost. Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council would each provide about £12.5M. The Government's decision meant that
2112-496: The electrical console in the cab reportedly blew up. The tram, manufactured by Merseyside based Tram Power , was being tested as part of a bid to replace the current trams. The tramcar was rebuilt at a cost of £150,000 but was not permitted to resume trials; it is currently scheduled to form part of a trial park and ride tram line in Preston . The same tram had derailed on 30 May 2006 at Starr Gate loop during previous trials. A Rail Accident Investigation Branch report stated that
2176-450: The entire tramway was upgraded and 16 Bombardier Flexity 2 trams replaced the fleet in 2012. The tramway resurfacing works and construction of a tram shed at Starr Gate meant no trams operated south of the Pleasure Beach from 2009 until the new trams entered service in April 2012 and track work at Cleveleys halted services north of Little Bispham. A replacement bus service operated. In 2011,
2240-537: The event in September of the same year. The subsequent event was such a success that in 1913 the council were again asked to stage the Princess Parade lights as an end of season event. With the outbreak of the First World War there were no further displays until 1925 when the lights were again on display and extended to run from Manchester Square to Cocker Square. In 1932 animated tableaux were erected running along
2304-533: The extension to Blackpool North railway station opens. They entered service on 4 March 2018. The Flexity 2 trams are all accommodated at the depot at Starr Gate. Nine of the Balloon cars numbered 700, 707, 709, 711, 713, 718, 719, 720 and 724, were modified between 2009 and 2012. This work included widening of the door section, such that they would be compatible with the new tram stop platforms, and be available for both stage carriage duties, and as additional trams for
2368-413: The festival, despite its popularity, was nearly cancelled due to a lack of support organising the day. A last-minute appeal for help resulted in the festival being saved. Blackpool Tramway has the following main operational fleet (as of July 2021): The fleet is divided into three parts as regards Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (RVAR): the 'A' fleet, of 18 Flexity 2 trams, fully compliant with
2432-623: The financial year 2020/21 were severely reduced by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic ; the shortfall in fare income was funded by a grant from the UK central government's Department for Transport . There have been several proposals for further extensions of the tramway, most notably along the South Fylde Line (to Lytham St Annes ) and the Fleetwood Branch Line (to Poulton-le-Fylde ). Blackpool Council, Fylde Council and Wyre Council have each applied for £800,000 in order to pursue
2496-435: The heritage service. Only six such examples are now believed to be fit for operation. Blackpool has an extensive history of tramcars. A large fleet of vehicles that were retained from previous generations of the town's tramway operations, as well as some from other locations, are now operated as Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours. The heritage tramcars mostly use the traditional green and cream livery of BTS in various styles from
2560-418: The illuminations. From the ups and downs, this brought the introduction of ' Luminate' began in late 2019, which would develop multiple light displays, re-imagined throughout the area. From community workshops as seen with January 2020's Expressions project over three nights along Morecambe's, coast, alongside new projects planned in an exciting programme of light festivities, bringing the illuminations back to
2624-621: The junction with the main line on the Promenade, 185 V at Cocker Street and 168 V at South Pier (then Victoria Pier). In 1899, 550 V DC overhead wiring was installed and the conduit removed. In 1900, the line was extended north to Gynn Square where it linked up with the Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramroad . In 1901, the Marton loop was opened, connecting Talbot Square and Central Station along Church Street, Devonshire Square, Whitegate Drive, Waterloo Road and Central Drive. A new depot
Blackpool Illuminations - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-446: The line voltage was raised to 600 V DC in anticipation of the arrival of the new rolling stock. The last day of running for the traditional tram fleet was 6 November 2011. The tramway reopened on 4 April 2012 with Flexity 2 cars providing day to day services. Some of the traditional fleet has been retained and some restored, with unmodified trams being part of the 'Heritage Fleet' and modified, widened Balloon trams as part of
2752-462: The main fleet. The depot at Starr Gate houses the Flexity 2 fleet. Rigby Road Depot, near Manchester Square, is where the traditional trams are kept. Much work has been put in to make sure that the traditional trams have a safe future in Blackpool. An extension of the tramway along Talbot Road to Blackpool North railway station opened on 12 June 2024 following several delays. The new line connected to
2816-478: The main services, with modified English Electric Balloon double-deck trams available if necessary. A 'heritage service' provided by unmodified, traditional trams operates on select weekdays, weekends, bank holidays and summer months, as well as on tours during the illuminations. They stop only at special 'heritage stops' next to normal tram stops at Pleasure Beach, North Pier, Cabin, Bispham, Cleveleys and Fleetwood Ferry. Temporary 'heritage stops' are also used for
2880-513: The only urban tramway in the UK. (The last English city to lose its conventional trams was Sheffield in 1960 . The last in the UK was Glasgow in 1962. The 1992 opening of the Manchester Metrolink heralded a revival.) During the 1970s, the tramway was struggling to remain open, so one-person-operated (OMO) tramcars were developed in order to reduce costs. This included rebuilding older tramcars into OMO cars and Jubilee cars, followed by
2944-495: The plans forward in two years. By November 2007, there was no further development. For the first time the entire tramway was closed in November 2007 for five months of essential repair work, the second phase of an £11.8 million upgrade. In January 2007, the City Class 611 prototype "supertram" was being tested on the tramway when it caught fire as it approached Central Pier , causing extensive damage. The driver escaped when
3008-471: The power station. Sand from the beaches was blown across the tracks and filled up the conduits. It was constantly necessary to remove this sand, as the addition of sea water would leave the conduits filled with wet sand which short circuited the supply. Another problem was that electrical resistance was greater than anticipated and the voltage in portions of the conduit was far less than that generated at Blundell Street – 230 V dropped to 210 V at
3072-409: The promenade in 1897. Conduit operation, in which trams took electricity from a conduit below and between the tracks, though very successful in locations such as town or city centres, proved to be very problematic on a line so close to the coast. During bad weather, sea water washed over the track and into the conduit where it short circuited the traction supply and operated the circuit breakers in
3136-583: The purchase of the Centenary cars. Another innovation during the 1970s was the application of all-over adverts on tramcars to increase earnings. Advertising on Blackpool tramcars first appeared on the Conduit cars in the early years of the tramway, with upper deck decency panels utilised for this purpose. Some trams such as the Blackpool and Fleetwood Racks and Boxes had side panels fitted to the roof for advertising purposes. Various trams have since had adverts applied on
3200-674: The purple livery. As part of the upgrade, 16 Bombardier Flexity 2 trams were ordered and were numbered 001–016. The worldwide launch of this type of tram including showing the first new tram occurred on 8 September 2011 at the new Starr Gate depot. These state-of-the-art trams include many improvements, such as 100% step-free access from platform to tram, dedicated wheelchair spaces, higher seating and standing capacity, faster acceleration and quieter running. They have audio-visual 'next stop' displays. Two further Flexity 2 units, numbered 017 and 018, arrived on 1 and 15 December 2017 respectively after being ordered to assist with service demands when
3264-715: The rail network. The tramway runs from Starr Gate in Blackpool in the south, to the Ferry Terminus in Fleetwood in the north, mostly along the Fylde Coast sea front, turning inland at Cleveleys for the last few miles before ending at the coast in Fleetwood. There is a spur in Blackpool Town Centre to link to a terminus at Blackpool North Railway Station . Some services, especially in busy periods such as during Blackpool Illuminations or on bank holidays , start or terminate short at Cleveleys, Little Bispham, Bispham, or
SECTION 50
#17328510818573328-584: The return of the Honda Goldwing Light Parade . There are a variety of rebuilt single deck cars, of different designs, all of which were rebuilt as illuminated theme trams. These run along the illuminated part of the Promenade during the Illuminations. A campaign by the local newspaper, the Blackpool Gazette in 2006 to get one of the Illuminated trams, Western Train, back on track, resulted in
3392-529: The sixth annual Banquet and Ball on 9 January 2008, organised by the holiday trade umbrella group, Blackpool Combined Association, to raise funds for the Lights, the new Head of Illuminations, Michael Wilcock revealed new plans for the future of the Illuminations. These include, Each year in conjunction with the Illuminations the Blackpool Festival of Light, a fusion of art and light events and installations,
3456-546: The structure of buildings pick out landmarks in luminous detail – you can always make out the Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach Blackpool rides in this way. Morecambe's Illuminations once filled the promenade and gardens with a "spectacular wonderland of light" And in the resort's main park - Happy Mount Park. The lights ran from 1919 until 1996, famous faces such as Roger Moore and Noel Edmonds and even
3520-509: The switch on ceremony live when Status Quo were the guest celebrities, before in 1997 BBC Radio 2 started to cover it which continued until 2010, when GMG Radio , under its Real Radio and Smooth Radio brands took over the broadcasting of the switch on. Each year one main celebrity pulls the switch while there are performances in the Radio 2 arena with a pre-switch on concert featuring pop bands, singers and comedians. Most visitors drive through
3584-610: The towns most famous son and his companion, Morecambe and Wise were called upon to switch the Illuminations on for each season. Although illuminations in there traditional way ended in 1996. Morecambe has continued to have Illumination activity. In 2016, Shrimping.It and the Exchange in the west end completed a project of over 30 illuminated pictures, displayed in Alexandra park with local residents. Callum Henry who had, set up an ambitious campaign of proposals in 2015 in which to bring back
3648-534: The traditional trams during select special events, such as at Starr Gate. Each year the Fleetwood Transport Festival, known locally as Tram Sunday, is held on the third Sunday in July. It celebrated its 21st anniversary in 2005. It attracts thousands of visitors, and takes place on the full length of the main street, Lord Street. There are vintage tram rides from Fishermans Walk to Thornton Gate. In 2007,
3712-420: The tramroad line on Dickson Road to North Station in 1963. Marton and Copse Road Depots closed in 1963 and Bispham Depot in 1966. This left the line from Starr Gate to Fleetwood, which remains. Blackpool Borough Council transferred the operation of the tramway and buses to Blackpool Transport Services Limited in 1986. Blackpool was the only town in the UK that retained its trams and, between 1962 and 1992, it had
3776-448: The tramroad. A larger depot site was developed on Rigby Road in 1920 due to the original Blundell Street Depot having become too small. Rigby Road Depot was built in 1935. Along the line to Fleetwood, between Rossall and Broadwater a more direct line was built in 1925. The final tramway extension was in 1926, along the promenade to Clifton Drive at Starr Gate where a connection was made with Lytham St. Annes Corporation Tramways . In
3840-414: The tramway and associated premises to BTS. Full financial and operational figures are not published for Blackpool Tramways. Blackpool Council, and its operating subsidiary Blackpool Transport Services Limited, both produce annual accounts, but figures for the tram operations are not shown separately. The key available trends in recent years for Blackpool Tramway are (years ending 31 March): Activities in
3904-582: Was built on Whitegate Drive in Marton. A line was added from Talbot Square along Talbot Road to Layton in 1902. By 1903, the promenade line had reached the Pleasure Beach . In 1920, Blackpool Corporation took over the tramroad, gaining 8 miles (13 km) of track and three depots, two in Fleetwood and one in Bispham . The small Bold Street Depot in Fleetwood was closed and a loop constructed at Fleetwood Ferry. Blackpool Corporation also gained all 41 trams from
SECTION 60
#17328510818573968-484: Was created from the popular alien craft which used to adorn the Promenade. In October 2007, a laser beam installed on the tower for the duration of the annual Illuminations was criticised by astronomer and presenter of The Sky at Night television programme, Patrick Moore who said, " Light pollution is a huge problem. I am not saying we should turn all the lights out, that is not practical, but there are some things which are very unnecessary. The Blackpool Tower light
4032-536: Was presided over by Holroyd Smith , the inventor of the system and Alderman Harwood, the Mayor of Manchester . It was operated by the Blackpool Electric Tramway Company until 1892, when its lease expired and Blackpool Corporation took over. A line was added in 1895 from Manchester Square along Lytham Road to South Shore , extended to South Pier with a line on Station Road connecting Lytham Road to
4096-434: Was the first tram to carry an all-over advert for Empire Pools. Brush Railcoach tram No. 622 was the first single-deck tram to carry an all-over advert for Blackpool Zoo in 1975. The English Electric Railcoaches, Brush Railcoaches, OMO trams and Centenary trams which carried adverts had their towers panelled over to provide more space for advertising. Various all-over adverts have since appeared on several tramcars. Following
#856143