John Woodman
- Jun 19, 2015

BLACKPOOL STANDARDS - 1

The sight of Standard car 147 rumbling along the Promenade is tangible evidence of a familiar tram that once upon a time was the mainstay of Blackpool's tram services. Some forty two examples were built to a conservative design produced by the Tramways staff in the aftermath of the Great War, when an urgent need to replenish many of the worn out tram fleet demanded action. Apart from seven cars bought in from Hurst Nelson, of which 147 was one, almost all of the class were built in the Rigby Road Car Workshops. Three prototypes were assembled in the confines of Blundell Street Tram Depot.

Seventeen of the Standard trams were subjected to further 'upgrades' with both the open driver platforms and the top deck open balcony ends being enclosed. A trio of the enclosed examples lasted up to the demise of this class in 1966. Their gradual withdrawal over the years, fortuitously allowed several to be the subject of preservation initiatives. For the record the seventeen enclosed Standards were :

Standard (sequence of top deck enclosed upgrade) * low height destination box

100 1930 Withdrawn 1952. Scrapped Blundell Street Depot 1954

159 1930+ Withdrawn 1966. Acquired by EATMS Carlton Colville Museum

38 1930 Withdrawn 1945. Scrapped Blundell Street Depot 1951

39 1930* Scrapped Blundell Street Depot 1951

41 1930 Scrapped at Marton Depot following derailment 1961

143 1930* + Modified 1958 to Engineering Car - Retained now by BHT

155 1930 Withdrawn 1952. Scrapped Blundell Street Depot 1954

158 1930 Donated to TMS and scrapped at Crich Museum

42 1938 Scrapped at Thornton Gate Sidings 1958

48 1938 + Acquired for US Trolley Museum. Now at Glenwood, Oregon

49 1938 + Donated to TMS and Crich Museum on Withdrawal 1962