Picture: Out with the old and in with the new as work in Talbot Road progresses

Work to extend the tramway from the Promenade to the Blackpool North railway station is progressing '“ but history has to make way for progress, as this picture shows.
Workers are removing the old tram tracks buried beneath Talbot Road, Blackpool, to make way for new onesWorkers are removing the old tram tracks buried beneath Talbot Road, Blackpool, to make way for new ones
Workers are removing the old tram tracks buried beneath Talbot Road, Blackpool, to make way for new ones

In order to lay the new track in Talbot Road, the road is being dug up – and old tracks being removed.

The council’s roads boss, Coun Fred Jackson, said earlier this year he “didn’t expect the old tram tracks to still be there”.

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He added: “It’s a shame we can’t use them now, it would have saved us a lot of money!

Preparation work began at the end of last year for the ambitious and controversial project, which will see the track being extended from North Pier to the station, re-establishing a link which ceased operation in 1936.

A new tram terminal will also be built on the site of the Wilko’s store, which is moving to Tower Street as part of the second phase of the Houndshill Centre. And two new trams are also being purchased by Blackpool Transport to brings its Flexity fleet to 18 in total.