Broken Rail disrupts Tram Service

Flexity 009 just south of Ash Street crossing in Fleetwood, waiting while the PW gang repair the cracked rail

The tram service in Fleetwood was disrupted on the morning of Friday 1st March, with Thornton Gate being used as the northern terminus of the tram system, and a substitute Tram Replacement bus service operated between Thornton Gate and Fleetwood Ferry. The cause of the disruption was a cracked rail on the northbound line at Ash Street crossing in Fleetwood, which was discovered early on before the morning rush hour. The disruption to the service continued all morning until after the PW gang had effected a temporary repair to the rail, by clamping it together with fishplates and G-clamps and grinding the surface of the rail flush. Northbound Flexity 009 had stopped just before the damaged rail, and had to wait until the repairs were completed around 12:40 before it could continue on to the Ferry. Normal tram service was resumed again at this point.

Grinding the cracked rail surface flush after it had been temporarily clamped together

The newly joined and ground broken rail, with a Cumfybus Optare Solo passing by on route 80 to Preston

A close up view of the temporary repair to the cracked rail, effected with fishplates, packers and G-clamps

The crews of Flexities 007 and 010 with their trams at the temporary northern terminus at Thornton Gate in Cleveleys

Former Blue Triangle Dennis Trident 340 on the Tram Replacement service at Thornton Gate