Saturday 30 June 2012

Trident on the 17

Tridents were the mainstay of what is now the 17 when they were used on Line 14 from 2002 until 2010 when the route was diverted to Mereside in favour of the 17. Typically the 17 uses Solos but bigger buses often appear - especially at weekends. Tridents are relatively unusual - but not unknown. On Friday 324 worked the 1535 from Blackpool, seen here at Borough Boundary

Shortly after 324 swings from Blackpool Road into Leach Lane. From the 1970s this was the route taken by Fylde and Ribble's 193 until its demise in 1989. The 11C and later the 14/14A used Dawson Road as a cut through closer to St. Annes. When the longer Tridents arrived in 2002, the 14 was diverted from tight Dawson Road to the top of Blackpool Road and this is followed now by the 17. Blackpool Road continues to the left of the bus (as we see it) but ends abruptly  at the border of the Airport. The road used to continue to meet St. Annes Road at Halfway House and was used by route 11 from 1935 to 1940