Blackpool Tramway 125

With the Anniversary events looming many enthusiasts have been getting worried due to the apparent lack of visiting cars arriving at Rigby Road over the past few weeks and months. However, two thirds of the visiting fleet are now in place following the latest two arrivals, with the remaining two cars expected imminently.

The trams in question are Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad ‘Rack’ 2 and Blackpool Corporation ‘Pantograph’ 167, both of which are normally resident at Crich Tramway Village, near Matlock in Derbyshire. They were loaded onto two low-loaders provided by Scott’s Heavy Haulage during the afternoon of Thursday 2nd September and were dispatched together the same day, arriving at Rigby Road Depot during the night and being unloaded earlier today.

The cars will now be commissioned (involving the refitting of lifeguards, trolley poles and other tasks) before driver training commences next week, ahead of the weekend of the 11th and 12th September which will see the trams – along with fellow TMS cars long-term loanee Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad ‘Box’ 40 and Oporto 273 and BTS-owned Standard 147 – operate a combination of tours and timetabled shuttles for ticketholders – more details are available on the website of the Fylde Tramway Society, http://www.fyldetramwaysociety.co.uk. Following these tours the cars are booked onto further tours during September, and will also hopefully appear on shuttles/specials during Anniversary week – however, it is not yet known how much use ‘Rack’ 2 will see, owing to health & safety concerns due to the open sides.

Neither of the trams are strangers to the resort, both being former Blackpool cars and having visited for celebrations in the past. With the exception of the home fleet, Pantograph 167 is the only car to have been present for all of the tramway celebrations to date (1960, 1985 and 1998), whilst Rack 2 was last here during the Fleetwood Tramroad Centenary in 1998.

The trams are expected to remain in Blackpool until October, when they will return to Crich.

We will keep you updated with the latest news regarding these cars and all of the other visiting cars for the celebrations – check back regularly!

Photographs: Lee Taylor

It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for – Manchester 765 has finally ventured onto Blackpool promenade! The tram arrived at the seaside town from Heaton Park on June 15th, but had spent most of the time since then sat in the depot gathering dust. However, the time finally came for 765 to be put into action on Thursday 5th August when it operated a crew training run during the afternoon. The tram reportedly ran from the depot to Bispham and back with various people in hi-vis jackets on board. This was its first outing on the promenade for almost 22 years; the tram previously visited between 1985 and 1988.

Now that 765 has finally made it out of the depot, let us hope that it won’t be too long to wait before this wonderful tram enters passenger service on the Blackpool tramway – the first of an expected eight preserved trams to come on loan from various museums for the 125th anniversary celebrations in the autumn.

Photograph: Scott Moore

It is with regret that we report that the planned visit of London County Council 106 to Blackpool for the September anniversary events has been cancelled, due to the tram developing a mechanical defect. This is the second of the original ten proposed visiting trams to miss out on the party, following on from the news that VAMBAC Railcoach 11 will also not be attending.

During the Tramway Museum Society’s Annual General Meeting on July 31st, it was announced that 106 had been withdrawn following the discovery of a loose gear wheel on one axle. This was confirmed by both John Shawcross, the TMS Board Member responsible for the workshop, and Society Chairman Colin Heaton. To repair this the tram would have to be lifted, and it is likely that some new parts would also be needed. Bearing in mind that it would have to move to Blackpool by early September, and that five other TMS cars need to be prepared for Blackpool, there is not enough time to carry out the necessary repairs, and therefore the decision was taken to cancel the loan of this car. As 106 was due to receive a major overhaul in the fairly near future anyway, it is expected that it will now remain out of service until this work can be accomodated in the busy workshop programme, and when funding becomes available.

On a brighter note, five other trams from the National collection are still expected to visit Blackpool shortly, including Blackpool 167 which has returned to service following completion of work on its bearings, which had delayed its return. Blackpool 40, Johannesburg 60, Oporto 273 & Leeds 399 are also scheduled to take part in the 125th anniversary celebrations.

With thanks to Richard Lomas who broke this news on his excellent web blog – http://www.tramways.blogspot.com/ – and who has very kindly provided us with further information to report to our readers.

Photograph: Jack Gordon