‘Passion Express’ aka Blackpool Belle

[jambutty]

I recently bought myself a CD of The Houghton Weavers and on it is the Blackpool Belle – a song about the ‘Passion Express’ from Blackpool to all stations to Colne. As I recall it took about an hour to get to Accrington and honest we did put the bulbs back in their sockets.

I remember it well. Does anyone else have memories of coming back from Blackpool on a Saturday night on the ‘Passion Express’?

[Tealeaf]

I take it this train service was not Virgin......

[jambutty]

Richard Branson wasn’t even born when the ‘Passion Express’ sped from Blackpool eastwards. Did I say sped? More like crawl because the dozen or so coaches pulled by a monster steam engine and crewed by an engine driver, fireman and guard knew that their charges were youngsters on a night out and they had to do their canoodling before getting home.

[Sara]

Oh it sounds straight out of a Mills and Boons novel, how romantic.

[mez]

ooo my mum used to travel on that one so she used to tell me,mmm didnt tell me wot went on though///

[Tealeaf]

I think Growler would have enjoyed it....

[jamesicus]

1948 -- Saturday night excursion from Burnley Bank Top (Central now) station to Blackpool I believe at 6 pm -- ticket included admission to Tower Ballroom -- return train leaving Blackpool Central station at 11 pm -- if you missed that train (some did) you had to wait for a train the next morning -- usually sleeping in a shelter on the Prom.

I missed it a couple of times, once walking back to Burnley through the night and early morning.

James Pickering
http://www.jp29.org/

[gillian]

To tell the truth,so my mother said.I Was conceived on the back of the passion xpress