Tram Talk

John Woodman Blackpool's transport system has a history of working closely with tram and bus bodywork builders ever since the 1930s when the English Electric Company prevailed on the new Transport Manager to showcase its new 'rail coach' design at a professional conference held in the town in June 1933. This led in turn to a succession of contracts for the supply of similarly styled trams, both single and double deck, through that decade. Builders drawings and concept desig

John Woodman When it rains it pours. Like much of the country today gale force winds are causing massive transport disruption with especial problems in coastal areas of both the northeast, Scotland, the northwest and Wales (not to mention the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland). Even without the weather conditions Blackpool Transport is struggling to maintain a semblance of its regular posted schedule on the tram service to Fleetwood, The shortage of tram drivers is causin

John Woodman Just as the busiest time of the year begins to roll round (at least for residents of Blackpool) restrictions and impediments to travel to the town centre gain momentum. Closure of the road access between North Station and what will become the new Talbot Gateway tram terminus with its hotel and promised new restaurant is creating real difficulties for traffic in all directions. At the same time forced adjustment to bus stops on the busy Talbot Road corridor are

John Woodman The extended closure of the entire West Midlands light rail network and impact on opening recently completed extensions has rightly prompted the political leaders of that Regional Authority to call for an independent investigation. It now is reported that several other 'customers' of the CAF Urbos 3 model design have encountered operational problems - but this does not so far extend to the Lothian Region's premier light rail line. If anything the investigating b

John Woodman Yet again I am indebted to the knowledge of fellow enthusiast from those now far-off years, Derek Redmond. who has pointed out following my recent blog concerning North Station tram service - that the installation of the new automatic trolley reverser at the revised track terminus opposite the former 'Odeon' cinema was designed to take fixed trolleyheads as well as swivel type. I understand from Derek that this was the sole example on UK tram systems. It shoul

John Woodman Not many British tram enthusiasts will be familiar with this German transport engineer but his name became wedded to a unique design produced by the Essen tramway workshops in 1934. Essen in fact was noteworthy for the forward looking tram designs which emerged during that decade beginning in 1933. Just when English Electric was unveiling its own groundbreaking rail coach design for Blackpool in June that year the Essen system launched the result of testing a

John Woodman As the tram track extension onto the Talbot Gateway development site reached completion - it is worth recalling the very last Blackpool tram to have carried passengers to and from the original terminus at North Station. Brush car 290 carried out the final service run all the way to Fleetwood and then returned to Bispham Depot at the end of the Illuminations (final night) in 1963. At that time the original terminus had been set back from its position directly i

John Woodman It has been pointed out by the diligent eagle eyed Derek Redmond that the Lytham St Annes tram service finally succumbed to replacement by buses in 1937 and not 1936 as stated in my previous Blog. Much against the wishes and aspiration of Blackpool Manager, Walter Luff, Lytham St Annes opted to replace its solitary remaining tram route (from St Annes Square to Gynn), with all Leyland buses. The new Titans were given full front bodywork in deference to Blackpool

John Woodman A current update on the tram tours now being arranged for visitors to 'Tram Town' aka Rigby Road Tram Depot - reveals strong interest by visitors wanting to be shown around the former running depot and its eclectic gathering of trams; as well as the adjacent works and paint shops destined for redevelopment. The unsanitised collection of tramcars provides a revealing mix of units which once provided the base year round service on the seafront line and as far re

John Woodman Whilst there are oodles of Blackpool's traditional trams both preserved and stored to keep alive memories of the first generation system originating in 1885 - Blackpool's bus history has fared less well. This is despite the unusual centre loading designs which dominated the bus fleet from the early 1930s through to the 1960s as a result of the especial preference of the Transport Manager, Walter Luff. All of the trams and buses purchased for Blackpool between