MORE......MORECAMBE

We're still in Morecambe. We're greeted by the town's most famous son.

The clock tower is also prominent on the sea front.

 A horse tram passes the clock tower.

The Tower and Promenade seen from Central Pier.

A more modern view of the beach - 2011.

The weather had turned in October 2021.

We can watch the dolphins at Marineland.....

......or take a trip on the boating lake.

Here's the Harbour Gardens, with the Midland Hotel as well.

The Midland Hotel was built to serve the Midland Railway's Morecambe station. Here's a look at the concourse.

The station building in 1981, before it closed.

Some DMUs at the old Morecambe station.

This collection of Airfix kits controlled everything.

The new station in 2011.

There was also a LNWR station in Morecambe.

Lancaster City Transport ran open-top buses along the seafront.

Stagecoach now run services in Morecambe. Three different colour schemes over the years.

Time for some beer! First stop, the Wetherspoons, named after Eric himself.

The Kings Arms overlooks the beach and is an early opener.

The New Inn was once a good boozer, but no longer has real ale.

The Palatine, near the Clock Tower. Lancaster Brewery beers are served.

The Royal, an excellent sea front pub, with good beers.

The Chieftain is where the locals go, with good reason.

Heading out of town, we come across the Morecambe Hotel. It seems to sell mainly Cross Bay beers. 

About a mile to the north is the suburb of Bare, where there's a great micropub.

That seems like a good place to conclude this post. The next one will feature camping coaches and a canal, plus plenty more.

A RETURN TO LANCASHIRE

Having left the Isle of Man behind, it's time to get back to the mainland, arriving in Heysham, Lancashire, aboard the SS Olive.

 

Here's an old view of Heysham Harbour with a dredger.

The Midland Railway operated the main station at Heysham Harbour.

There were extensive sidings around here.

The LMS installed camping coaches for holidaymakers.

Morecambe & Heysham buses served Heysham Harbour too. This AEC Regent III was photographed in 1974, just after Lancaster City Transport had taken over.

Heysham is well know for being the site of a nuclear power station (Creative Commons License).

Heysham village itself is some distance away. Here it is in the 1920s or thereabouts, with an early Morecambe & Heysham Corporation bus.

Ribble Motor Services also served Heysham village.

Heysham's church is dedicated to St Peter (Creative Commons License).

Beside the beach, some old graves, carved out of solid rock.

The Royal Hotel in Heysham, seen in the ownership of Mitchell's of Lancaster.

Lonsdale Coaches, based in Heysham, provided staff transport for power station workers.

Later, Heysham Travel did the same type of work.

We continue into Morecambe, arriving at a location called the Battery, where M&HCT had their depot. The town never had electric trams, but this petrol powered tramcar is seen on the turntable.

Inside the depot, in 1974, more AEC Regent V buses, now having 'City of Lancaster' fleet names.

Another one passes on the seafront close by.

In 1974, the Regent III buses were decidely ancient and this ex Maidstone Leyland was purchased to help out.

Also passing the Battery, the buses of Ribble and Lonsdale Coaches.

Time for a pint now, at this former Mathew Brown pub, the Pier.

The sun is setting over Morecambe Bay.....

.....and when darkness falls, the illuminations are switched on.

We'll see much more of Morecambe in the next post. Don't forget to follow the map here.