37605 at Holytown37605 passes through Holytown with 4Z20 Craignetinny - Motherwell TMD container flats 17.10.17 My sightings from today

Holytown

68004 passes through Holytown with 5G02 Edinburgh Waverley - Motherwell TMD Fife Circle ECS move

66075 passes through Holytown with 6S58 Tees - Dalziel loaded steel

66221 passes through Holytown with 4S99 Tees - Mossend containers

Bo'ness

37067 at Bo'ness

303032 at Bo'ness

D2767 at Bo'ness

27001 at Bo'ness

37214 at Bo'ness

27001 and 82113 at Bo'ness

37261 at Bo'ness

Holytown

37605 passes through Holytown with 4Z20 Craignetinny - Motherwell TMD container flats

66430+66434 approach Holytown with 4S43 Daventry - Mossend containers

88010 passes through Holytown with 0Z48 Carlisle Kingmoor- Motherwell TMD light engine move

86604+86610 pass through Holytown with 4Z56 Preston - Coatbridge Freightliner terminal containers

RHTT unit 98905+98915 passes through Holytown with 3Z93 Slateford - Slatefort RHTT working

88002+88009 at Holytown88002+88009 pass through Holytown with 4S43 Daventry - Mossend containers 16.10.17 My sightings from today

Camelon

68006 passes through Camelon with 5K19 Edinburgh Waverley to Motherwell TMD ECS working

Greenfaulds

66176 passes through Greenfaulds with 6D84 Aberdeen Waterloo - Mossend Nacco Silver Bullet tanks

Holytown

66564 passes through Holytown with 4S53 Daventry - Mossend containers

66524 passes through Holytown with 0Z32 Millerhill - Mossend light engine move

88002+88009 pass through Holytown with 4S43 Daventry - Mossend containers

Carstairs

66565 approaches Carstairs with 6S50 Carlisle Yard - Millerhill engineering working

66221 approaches Carstairs with 4E99 Mossend - Tees Dock containers

66524 passes through Carstairs with 6Z32 Mossend - Carlisle Yard engineering working

37884 at HartwoodEurophoenix liveried 37884 passes through Hartwood with 0S07 Craigentinny - Shields TMD light engine move 14.10.17 Europhoenix liveried 37884 passes through Hartwood with 0S07 Craigentinny - Shields TMD light engine move

275 at Ingliston Park and Ride275 departs Ingliston Park and Ride with an Edinburgh Airport - York Place service 8.9.17 One of the latest CR Smith advertising vynals, has been applied to tram 275.   It features a Whisky distillery and a North Sea Oil Rig with the phrase From Speyside to Aberdeen.

The advert panel:

275's advert panelCR Smith advertising vynal on 275 featuring a Whisky distillery and a North Sea Oil Rigwith the phrase From Speyside to Aberdeen. 13.10.17

50049+50007 at CarlukeBR Large Logo liveried 50049 and BR Blue liveried 50007 pass through Carluke with 1Z52 Glasgow Central - London Euston Pathfinder 'The Caledonian' Railtour 7.10.17 Today, there was a rare sight on the West Coast Mainline, with a pair of Class 50's operating on a railtour from London Euston - Glasgow Central and return.   The class 50 (or 'Hoovers' to give them their nickname) was built between 1967 and 1968 and operated on the WCML between Glasgow and Crewe.   On completion of the electrification of the WCML in in 1974, the 50's moved to South West England then services on the London - Exeter and London - Hereford services before being withdrawn in the late 80's / early 90's.

Today's working was the first time class 50's had been in Scotland since 50007 and 017 visited Bo'ness in 2015 for the Summer Diesel Gala.   Unfortunately I had something else on and missed the northbound journey, but did manage to catch the southbound journey at Carluke.

The 50's operating on the railtour were:

• BR Large Logo liveried 50049
• BR Blue Liveried 50007

BR Large Logo liveried 50049 and BR Blue liveried 50007 pass through Carluke with 1Z52 Glasgow Central - London Euston Pathfinder 'The Caledonian' Railtour

Adverts 11 and 15 of 18 of the CR Smith Advertising contract have now been applied to 5 members of the tram fleet.   As before, the stunning graphics that have created for each advert features a pair of iconic Scottish locations.

The latest adverts in the series sees:

• Fae Leith tae Alloway featuring featuring a domed building and a statue of Robert Burns.   This advert is worn by 255.
• From Bannockburn to Dundee featuring a statue of Robert the Bruce and a statue of Desperate Dan.   The advert is worn by 252
• From Turnberry to Blair Drummond featuring a bag of golf clubs and some meerkats on a mound. The advert is worn by 258.
• From Lochmaben to Dunfermilne featuring a statue of Robert the Bruce and Dunfermilne Abbey. The advert is worn by 277.
• There is also a 5th advert tram, number 253, however it was behind another tram and it's advert was only partially visible.

255 advert panelCR Smith advertising vynal on 255 featuring a domed building and a statue of Robert Burns with the phrase Fae Leith tae Alloway. 30.9.17	252's advertising panelCR Smith advertising vynal on 252 featuring a statue of Robert the Bruce and a statue of Desperate Dan with the phrase From Bannockburn to Dundee. 30.9.17	258's advert panelCR Smith advertising vynal on 258 featuring a bag of golf clubs and some meerkats on a mound with the phrase From Turnberry to Blair Drummond. 30.9.17	277's advert panelCR Smith advertising vynal on 277 featuring a statue of Robert the Bruce and Dunfermilne Abbey with the phrase From Lochmaben to Dunfermilne. 30.9.17
255	252	258	277

621 at BisphamIn the only 15 minutes of sunshine of the day, the fantastic looking Brush Car 621 in 1950's green and cream livery pauses at Bispham en-route to Pleasure Beach 23.9.17 In November 2004, Brush Car 621 was mothballed along with most of her sister cars as part of a general reduction in the size of the fleet.   After a period in store, 621 was purchased by the Fleetwood Heritage Transport Trust and moved into further storage at Kirkham Prison.   621 was then purchased by a group of enthusiasts and donated to Beamish Museum in Northumberland, arriving in 2014.   Beamish had planned to restore the tram as 284 in the original 1930's style, however a change in policy left the tram surplus to requirements and 621 found its self heading home to Blackpool after the tram was donated back to the Blackpool Heritage Tramway Trust.   621 arrived back in Blackpool in December 2016.

With the 80th Anniversary of the Brush Cars being celebrated during 2017, 'Trams Magazine' sponsored the work required to return 621 back to service in time for the 132nd anniversary weekend.   Fortunately 621 was still in reasonable condition despite 13 years out of service, however it did require a re panel and some electrical work, including the fitting of a transponder.   The tram was repainted into the 1950's livery and made its debut back on the prom on 22nd September.   621 performed faultlessly all weekend.

621 looks absolutely fantastic and all credit goes to the workshop team at Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours for the excellent job they have done on 621. 

602, 605, 621 and 708 at Rigby RoadBoats 602, 605 and withdrawn Brush Car 621 and withdrawn Balloon 708 stabled in Rigby Road Depot 26.9.10	621 at Rigby RoadBrush Car 621 seen in the Electrical Compound at Rigby Road (photo taken through the fence) 29.4.17	621's panelssome of Brush car 621's old body side panels 24.9.17	621 and 623 at BisphamBrush Car 621 heads south with a heritage service to North Pier while 623 prepares to pull forward into the centre track at Bispham 24.9.17
621 Stored behind Boats 602 and 605 26th September 2010	621 in the electrical Compound 30.4.17	Old panels from 621 with part of it's old Hot Ice advert  in the Fitting Shop 24.9.17	621 and 623 pass at Bispham 24.9.17

621 at BisphamIn the only 15 minutes of sunshine of the day, the fantastic looking Brush Car 621 in 1950's green and cream livery pauses at Bispham en-route to Pleasure Beach 23.9.17 I visited Blackpool for September weekend, which just so happened to co-inside with the Blackpool Tramway's 132nd Anniversary weekend.   Here is my report of the weekend:

Friday 22nd September:

The stars of the weekend were undoubtedly the Brush Cars as this year, the Brush Cars are celebrating their 80th anniversary of their entry to service.  

A special service recreating the Cleveleys Flyers that this class of tram featured heavily on at various times of their lives operated on Friday afternoon and saw Brush Car 621 making its first appearance in service since 2004 after a recent overhaul and repaint into 1950's livery.   Also featuring Wartime Green and Cream liveried 623, which is on loan from Heaton Park, 90's liveried and refurbished 630 on loan from Crich and 60's liveried 631, which is part of the heritage fleet.    

The trams operated between 1.30 and 5.30pm between Pleasure Beach and Cleveleys on the following routes:

• A - 621
• B - 623
• C - 630
• D - 631

631 failed at Pleasure Beach with a controller fault before departure on its final journey of the day.   623 worked to Pleasure Beach and picked up 631's passengers and worked its journey.

Into the evening and out came the Illuminations tour trams.   733+734, 736, 737, 717 and 718 were out on tours operating 2 tours each.    Trawler 737 was held at Bispham for a while on its 2nd tour of the night.   After 20 minutes, the passengers left the tram while it reversed on the centre track and pulled onto the stop and reloaded, giving it's passengers the rare opportunity for a tour through the illuminations facing backwards!

Saturday 23rd September

Saturday was the first of the two 132nd Anniversary running days and display of rarely seen trams and depot tours.   At Rigby Road depot, Balloon 701, Centenary 642 and recently returned Centenary 645 were lined up at the Fitting shop wall, whilst Brush Cars 632, 634, 631 and 627 were lined up on the depot fan.   Balloon 711 was used as the shop tram at North Pier and Balloon 700 was used on the shuttle service running between Rigby Road Depot and Starr Gate Depot.   Trams that were used on the heritage service during the day were: 66, 600, 621, 623, 630, 648, 680, 700, 711, 713, 715, 717, 723 and 737.   737 replaced 717, which returned to depot around 11am, presumably with a fault as 717 wasn't back out in service again over the weekend.   Around noon, 621,623 and 630 were lined up one behind the other at Pleasure Beach.   723 and 713 were the last 2 heritage trams to depart Bispham around 5.30pm. 

Into the evening and 733+734, 736, 737, 718 and 723 were out on Illuminations tours operating two tours each.   715 operated on a Private Hire doing a round tour of the illuminations and then working to Cabin and depot.

Sunday 24th September

Sunday was the second of the two 132nd Anniversary running days and display of rarely seen trams and depot tours.   At Rigby Road depot, Brush Cars 634, 627 and 632 were lined up at the Fitting shop wall, whilst Brush Car 625, Engineering Car 754, Open topped Balloon 706 and Balloon 726 were lined up on the depot fan.   Balloon 711 was used as the shop tram at North Pier and Balloon 713 was used on the shuttle service running between Rigby Road Depot and Starr Gate Depot.  

The depot tour started at the depot fan and went to the Electrical Compound, passing Birkenhead 20, which was stabled just outside it.   In the compound were numerous spare parts as well as Boat 230 (604) and Railcoach 679.   Walking along the front of the fan, many withdrawn trams were seen including twin car 676+686, Coronation 304, Centenary 642 and Centenary 645.   Next the tour went into the Paint shop and Standard 147 was on display having been partially rubbed down for a repaint.   In the Body shop, Standard 143, Boat 227 (602) were stabled, 227 was receiving an internal tidy up and rewire.   The body shells of Lytham 43 and Glasgow 1016 were also in the Body Shop.   In the fitting shop Balloon 719 was there for a blown motor to be replaced and 703 was on display.   There was various trolley towers and trucks also on display.  Also visible was some of the panels removed from 621 while it was being prepared for service.   After a ride down to Starr Gate depot on 713 (via the tram wash) we were then shown round Starr gate depot.  004 and 006 were at the front of the sheds in case they were required for service, whilst 013 was on the body lift where its trucks were being removed to allow it's wheels to be replaced.

Trams that were used on the heritage service during the day were: 40, 66, 600, 621, 623, 630, 631, 648, 680, 700, 711, 713, 715, 718, 723 and 737.  

Into the evening and 733+734, 736, 737, 715 and 718 were out on Illuminations tours operating two tours each.  

My photos from the weekend (all 247 of them!) can be found at http://scottishtrains.zenfolio.com/p123308024