rerouted to . Former services Blackpool North was on the InterCity network until 2003 when Virgin Trains West Coast and Virgin CrossCountry withdrew High Speed Train and Voyager services to London Euston and Birmingham. Former local franchise holder First North Western ran services from Blackpool to London Euston, but these were soon discontinued. However, in the December 2014 timetable change, Virgin reintroduced direct services to/from London Euston albeit only on weekdays and only one each way a day. As of December 2022, there are two trains a day to/from London Euston. Virgin CrossCountry used to run up to eight services per day to Blackpool North from Portsmouth Harbour, Brighton and London Paddington. The services were introduced by Virgin to increase the frequency of the CrossCountry trains and were introduced in 2000. They were withdrawn in summer 2003 by the Strategic Rail Authority to improve the general punctuality of train services. First North Western used to operate a Monday-Saturday boat train to/from Holyhead (which attached to a portion from Stockport) until 2003 and briefly operated a service between Blackpool and London Euston. In December 2008, the service to Manchester Victoria replaced the route to Buxton, though limited services still ran there. Until 1 April 2016, the service to Manchester Airport was run by First TransPennine Express. The service was part of the TransPennine North West division and was a express service, stopping at far less stations outside of limited services. There was a limited service to Barrow-In-Furness and briefly Glasgow Central in 2010. In May 2015, the Class 185 Units were replaced by loaned Class 156 Units and in April 2016, the route was transferred to Northern. Until late 2018, Class 185 Units were still occasionally used. Since 2016, more stations were added to the service overtime until December 2022. Northern services to Leeds and York on weekdays were temporarily withdrawn prior to the start of electrification work in November 2017, but resumed in May 2019. Weekday Manchester Victoria services also ended prior to the start of electrification work in 2017 and although the route is now completely wired, there are no direct services at all (the Sunday service ended at the December 2022 timetable change) - travellers have to change trains at one of Preston, Bolton or Salford Crescent. Tram interchange In 2017 approval was given for the construction of a new 550 metre, £21 million branch of the Blackpool