Blackpool Tramway
- Thread starter rjhowie
- Start date
nathanmallard
Active member
This has actually been on the cards for a while- the points leading off the main line have been in place since 2012 and it's just been a case of getting funding and planning permission. A Blackpool route on the DLS actually includes it.
Out of interest, are they still any active UK tramway modellers in Trainz? I started a Blackpool project a while a go but gave it up, because I didn't see the point in building an accurate route and then running innaccurate (and somewhat dated looking) trams on it.
Out of interest, are they still any active UK tramway modellers in Trainz? I started a Blackpool project a while a go but gave it up, because I didn't see the point in building an accurate route and then running innaccurate (and somewhat dated looking) trams on it.
Hi nathanmallard,
Good to know that the Blackpool extension is still on the cards. Oh and by the way the Blackpool Tramway now operates modern trams on it. Now I will further your question on Trainz tram fans on Trainz that you might hopefully find fascinating and interested.
Several years back I decided as my first attempt as a novice to build part of the former Glasgow tramway system sadly closed back in 1962. Managed to get a line drawing of the whole former system(very large sheet it was) and as I lived on the west side would do just that part of Glasgow. However when I reached the city centre decided to add that and stopped but as the North part was not so extended added that but each time I "finished" I got a temptation to do another part so the East came next. Off an on over nearly two years I had done every route north of the River Clyde. Was quite an effort and decided that was it and enough! But each time I went back to it I got frustarted at tramlines that I had done bridges over the Clyde for and nothing. So the South followed then the South East and finally the South West. I walked every former route and traced every terminus and depot. Glasgow had had the largest tramway outside of London and I tramped over 125 miles all told and even created a route planned in 1948 but scrapped! A trainzer created each of the Glasgow trams - Standard-Kilmarnock Bogie-Single decker-Coronation and the Cunarder.
If you visit my site listed below you will find maps of each area of the city and well beyond and there is in practice a great many hours of being able to explore what once was. I reckon my long crawling build is amongst the largest of actual tramways that once existed and sometimes wonder how I managed even with long breaks to even finish such an effort. There are slideshows for each area West-North-Central-East-Southeast-South-Southwest. Every depot is there. As a wee boy I loved the trams and my late mother would never get a bus into the city centre it was always a tram (she was a conductress at one time and an uncle a driver). Went back to the project to sort out mistakes at bridges and put in traffic on the routes as well. It is not (yet) on the DLS and I know it should be with all he giant eforts i put in going on and off it for so long and thinking I had taken on too much. Have a look (and any other tram fans) at the below link
Bobby www.glasgowtramsim.moonfruit.com
Good to know that the Blackpool extension is still on the cards. Oh and by the way the Blackpool Tramway now operates modern trams on it. Now I will further your question on Trainz tram fans on Trainz that you might hopefully find fascinating and interested.
Several years back I decided as my first attempt as a novice to build part of the former Glasgow tramway system sadly closed back in 1962. Managed to get a line drawing of the whole former system(very large sheet it was) and as I lived on the west side would do just that part of Glasgow. However when I reached the city centre decided to add that and stopped but as the North part was not so extended added that but each time I "finished" I got a temptation to do another part so the East came next. Off an on over nearly two years I had done every route north of the River Clyde. Was quite an effort and decided that was it and enough! But each time I went back to it I got frustarted at tramlines that I had done bridges over the Clyde for and nothing. So the South followed then the South East and finally the South West. I walked every former route and traced every terminus and depot. Glasgow had had the largest tramway outside of London and I tramped over 125 miles all told and even created a route planned in 1948 but scrapped! A trainzer created each of the Glasgow trams - Standard-Kilmarnock Bogie-Single decker-Coronation and the Cunarder.
If you visit my site listed below you will find maps of each area of the city and well beyond and there is in practice a great many hours of being able to explore what once was. I reckon my long crawling build is amongst the largest of actual tramways that once existed and sometimes wonder how I managed even with long breaks to even finish such an effort. There are slideshows for each area West-North-Central-East-Southeast-South-Southwest. Every depot is there. As a wee boy I loved the trams and my late mother would never get a bus into the city centre it was always a tram (she was a conductress at one time and an uncle a driver). Went back to the project to sort out mistakes at bridges and put in traffic on the routes as well. It is not (yet) on the DLS and I know it should be with all he giant eforts i put in going on and off it for so long and thinking I had taken on too much. Have a look (and any other tram fans) at the below link
Bobby www.glasgowtramsim.moonfruit.com
Very much agree Norm!
As a boy remember ours very well and was fortunate that I lived on a main road in the west where different routes converged and we had 6 that passed.Before WW2 transport vistors from across the world would come and visit Glasgow's system and very high standards existed in the staff. The Coronation tram was a beauty as my site shows. Unlike the traditional cars had doors that shut and the driver had a seat! Subdued lighting, warmer and very cumfy to be in. The later version called the Cunarder (due to Glasgow's previous massive ship building) was a later version of the Coronation but the original still beat it! Glasgow's population was bigger when the thing was closed in 1962 - around 1,089,000. It was estimated that even in heavy rain a quarter of the population turned out thickly on streets to watch the final procession. Passingly I would say the population is half that today due to new towns built and smaller families, etc.
Only one other man for years had a copy of my presentation of the massive tramway and he lived just outside a few miles so I got him to come along and he brought a HD to copy it over. He was really taken aback that someone would manage to do the whole system. Hope you enjoy my site nathanmallard and as I indicate there would literally hours to drive about the system as the size is obvious. Hope you and anyone else might think it high time I dusted it again and maybe put it on the DLS??
As a boy remember ours very well and was fortunate that I lived on a main road in the west where different routes converged and we had 6 that passed.Before WW2 transport vistors from across the world would come and visit Glasgow's system and very high standards existed in the staff. The Coronation tram was a beauty as my site shows. Unlike the traditional cars had doors that shut and the driver had a seat! Subdued lighting, warmer and very cumfy to be in. The later version called the Cunarder (due to Glasgow's previous massive ship building) was a later version of the Coronation but the original still beat it! Glasgow's population was bigger when the thing was closed in 1962 - around 1,089,000. It was estimated that even in heavy rain a quarter of the population turned out thickly on streets to watch the final procession. Passingly I would say the population is half that today due to new towns built and smaller families, etc.
Only one other man for years had a copy of my presentation of the massive tramway and he lived just outside a few miles so I got him to come along and he brought a HD to copy it over. He was really taken aback that someone would manage to do the whole system. Hope you enjoy my site nathanmallard and as I indicate there would literally hours to drive about the system as the size is obvious. Hope you and anyone else might think it high time I dusted it again and maybe put it on the DLS??
I had a notion to do something with trams a couple of years ago, got as far as laying out most of the Llandudno and Colwyn Bay but foundered on the scenery. At various times I looked at other prototypes but never really got beyond the drawing board. Of course one of the biggest projects that hasn't (AFAIK) been done in Trainz is the Manx Electric Railway. Of course to do it justice would really require gauge specific prototype trams.
I have also thought about doing my own interpretation of Blackpool but, despite having achieved this in both MSTS and Railworks, haven't been able to motivate myself. Some of the fondest memories of my childhood were family holidays to Blackpool in the 1960s and early 1970's where for me at least, the trams were the high point of the trip. So although it is good to see the system thriving, IMHO the modernisation and introduction of the "Flexitys" has in some ways ruined the tramway, turning a unique transport system into just another light railway system.
I have also thought about doing my own interpretation of Blackpool but, despite having achieved this in both MSTS and Railworks, haven't been able to motivate myself. Some of the fondest memories of my childhood were family holidays to Blackpool in the 1960s and early 1970's where for me at least, the trams were the high point of the trip. So although it is good to see the system thriving, IMHO the modernisation and introduction of the "Flexitys" has in some ways ruined the tramway, turning a unique transport system into just another light railway system.
My passing thought is when I look at the contents it lists 1 broken and 13 unknown?? Seems a pity as the Trainzer who did a great job of building the different types of Glasgow trams has passed from us. There are 5 Glasgow trams - Standard, Kilmarnock bogie, single-decker, Coronation, Cunarder. Because of the 13 queries I have the dashed project on my pc while I am doing another really big rail project. An even bigger groan for me was that at one stage I didn't know the free Metro newspaper had done an article on the Glasgow system and had left a message on my Glasgow site. Due to having left the thing for ages I hadn't know that and it would have been in the dashed paper! :'(
nathanmallard
Active member
Hi,
I have downloaded the route and I am in the process of collecting the dependencies. I am doing lots of important exams at the minute so I haven't got much time for doing this, but I will definitely check it out at some point. I have scale drawings for several types of tram if anyone is interested.
I have downloaded the route and I am in the process of collecting the dependencies. I am doing lots of important exams at the minute so I haven't got much time for doing this, but I will definitely check it out at some point. I have scale drawings for several types of tram if anyone is interested.
stagecoach
75377
Have you downloaded recently as I have all of Siversmiths trams and all are showing up fine. No errors or missing parts in Tane.
johnwhelan
Well-known member
I think Silversmith's models of the 5 different Glasgow trams are superb. When I once told him when I was building my Glasgow tramway that I once lived in an area called Whiteinch near the Clyde and was the base for the no 17 tram which ran from there all the way to Cambuslang from west in the city all the way to the far east he produced one with the no 17 and Whiteinch on the destination screens!
My only passing disappointment ion the excellent models was you could only drive them at one end. Way back then I assumed perhaps that down south some places the tram terminus might have been a loop rather than changing tracks as up here. So when putting in each Glasgow terminus with the change over track I added an invisible loop so you could still be driving the tram. At each terminus I have put a small board above stating there is an invisible loop beyond the end of tracks. Did the same for the depots of which there were several. If using the modern trams not a prob of course.
Considering the very long time with long breaks to buod the Glasgow network (closed 1962) and over 120 miles of routes it should be up on the DLS and overdue! One man did get it and he lived about four miles away from me so got him to phone me a few years ago and he drove down to get a copy so he is the only one with it. Considering with all the breaks a few years ago and the massive size I must admit it should be on the DLS. However I notice that there are 13 "unknown" items so not sure whether to try getting it up or whatever. Having as I said walked every single route and found where every former terminus street/road or depot had been people deserve to do some exploring.
www.glasgowtramsim.moonfruit.com
Bobby
ps. Also completed the whole of Ulster's modern rail system. Did N.Ireland Rlys as had many holidays over there and took camps there too. Was the worst of the home countries on rail depletion. Now working on the Belfast-Dublin over the Border and the 2 lines off it line off it to a north Dublin suburb (www.northernirelandrailwaysim.moonfruit.com)
My only passing disappointment ion the excellent models was you could only drive them at one end. Way back then I assumed perhaps that down south some places the tram terminus might have been a loop rather than changing tracks as up here. So when putting in each Glasgow terminus with the change over track I added an invisible loop so you could still be driving the tram. At each terminus I have put a small board above stating there is an invisible loop beyond the end of tracks. Did the same for the depots of which there were several. If using the modern trams not a prob of course.
Considering the very long time with long breaks to buod the Glasgow network (closed 1962) and over 120 miles of routes it should be up on the DLS and overdue! One man did get it and he lived about four miles away from me so got him to phone me a few years ago and he drove down to get a copy so he is the only one with it. Considering with all the breaks a few years ago and the massive size I must admit it should be on the DLS. However I notice that there are 13 "unknown" items so not sure whether to try getting it up or whatever. Having as I said walked every single route and found where every former terminus street/road or depot had been people deserve to do some exploring.
www.glasgowtramsim.moonfruit.com
Bobby
ps. Also completed the whole of Ulster's modern rail system. Did N.Ireland Rlys as had many holidays over there and took camps there too. Was the worst of the home countries on rail depletion. Now working on the Belfast-Dublin over the Border and the 2 lines off it line off it to a north Dublin suburb (www.northernirelandrailwaysim.moonfruit.com)
Looking through my old books about Blackpool, at one time the system was much more than just the promenade section then the "interurban" running to Fleetwood. Lines up to Marton, Central Drive, Layton etc. and a link along the coast with the Lytham tram system. Now that would be an interesting network to build even if transposed into a contemporary setting.
With regard to Bob's comments about turning loops, these were extensively used at Blackpool with both termini of the promenade route being so equipped and the turning circles at Pleasure Beach/Little Bispham. With a high frequency service, reduced the need for the conductor to wrestle the trolley pole off the overhead line and swing it for the return journey.
With regard to Bob's comments about turning loops, these were extensively used at Blackpool with both termini of the promenade route being so equipped and the turning circles at Pleasure Beach/Little Bispham. With a high frequency service, reduced the need for the conductor to wrestle the trolley pole off the overhead line and swing it for the return journey.
nathanmallard
Active member
Yes, the Blackpool system might not have closed entirely but it has still lost quite a bit of trackage over the years. I am sorry to hear of silversmith's passing- his models were getting better and better.
I apologise for the confusion rjhowie but it appears I have downloaded a Leeds tramway route by someomene else and not your Glasgow one! I have visited your website however and it is looking good. Perhaps it could do with some custom buildings however as many parts of Glasgow are quite distinctive. I am building my own fictional tramway right now based roughly on the nearest city to me- Hull- and I have downloaded quite a lot of buildings from the Google Warehouse where equivalents from the DLS were not available. How many people are still creating trams nowadays? Motorman1066 did all the Brisbane ones but I haven't seen him active for a while, and austin316hockey (I think?) did a gorgeous Toronto one.
I apologise for the confusion rjhowie but it appears I have downloaded a Leeds tramway route by someomene else and not your Glasgow one! I have visited your website however and it is looking good. Perhaps it could do with some custom buildings however as many parts of Glasgow are quite distinctive. I am building my own fictional tramway right now based roughly on the nearest city to me- Hull- and I have downloaded quite a lot of buildings from the Google Warehouse where equivalents from the DLS were not available. How many people are still creating trams nowadays? Motorman1066 did all the Brisbane ones but I haven't seen him active for a while, and austin316hockey (I think?) did a gorgeous Toronto one.
Hi Vern,
Once took a large party of Boys from up here to a Boys' Brigade Centre outside Kirkham beside the railway line and did get the chance to get into Blackpool and I took it on thinking back when the Glasgow trams were built it was possibly influenced by the English idea of loop hence the Trainz Glasgow trams only had drivers at one end (!). have always been curious about the earlier days of the tramways at Blackpool. Did know about the old extensions south but always wondered what the original tram maps might be like rather than just the run along the seaside, etc.
Once took a large party of Boys from up here to a Boys' Brigade Centre outside Kirkham beside the railway line and did get the chance to get into Blackpool and I took it on thinking back when the Glasgow trams were built it was possibly influenced by the English idea of loop hence the Trainz Glasgow trams only had drivers at one end (!). have always been curious about the earlier days of the tramways at Blackpool. Did know about the old extensions south but always wondered what the original tram maps might be like rather than just the run along the seaside, etc.
Should be able to look at the historical maps here http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=13&lat=53.9140&lon=-3.0050&layers=171&b=1
Just change the map the 1:25000 1937 to 61 has the loops on it transparency slider to the right to view the old maps.
Just change the map the 1:25000 1937 to 61 has the loops on it transparency slider to the right to view the old maps.