SQUIRES GATE AND BEYOND

Ribble had a bus depot in the eastern suburbs of Blackpool and here is the yard sometime around 1975.

At Marton, in Blackpool's outer edges is Marton, with a great pub, The Saddle Inn.

Messrs Catteral & Swarbrick are delivering beer here in the 1920s.

Back towards the sea shore and we find the L&Y and LNWR joint station at Blackpool South.

Blackpool South is now the terminus of what is now a branch line.

The Corporation trams used to pass South station.

The trams also ran along Lytham Road, passing the Royal Oak pub, still open - but no real ale.

Back to the coast once again, to the Pleasure Beach stop of the Blackpool trams.

The Pleasure Beach once had a miniature railway.

The Pleasure Beach complex now houses that railway - and a monorail.

The Blackpool trams now terminate at Starr Gate.

Just inland is Squires Gate. Blackpool 'Palace' car 13 is seen at the Squires Gate terminus of the Lytham Road route circa 1918.

Squires Gate is the home of Blackpool Airport. Here are a couple of pictures from the early 1970s.

Now it's 1982 and here's a more modern aircraft.

This ex London Transport RF type was used internally at the airport.

Fylde Borough Transport's main depot was at Squires Gate.

An ex Hull Leyland Atlantean passes by.

Ribble MS also served Squires Gate.

Further south is the town of St Annes. Here is the Promenade and the gardens.

An old view of the pier.

St Annes railway station is still open, but no staff there these days.

There was once a miniature railway at St Annes.

The Lytham St Annes trams served both towns - and connected with the Blackpool system.

Fylde's blue buses could be seen in St Annes.

Blackpool's buses also served St Annes.

Coastal Coaches run a few tendered services in the area. This is St Annes Square.

Now for some beer. The Trawl Boat is the town's Wetherspoons.

There's also Number Fifteen (aka Fifteens), a free house with good beers.

Lytham will be our next stop, but in the next post. Follow the route here.