What's the destination ?

Seeing trams indicating the Fleetwood tram Terminus this week is Fisherman's Walk due to track maintenance work on Bold Street reminds me of the ritual turning of the destination blinds on Blackpool's trams in days of yore (or is it yesteryear?). Digitising some of my images from those now far off days caught one rare destination on a rail coach heading south on Lytham Road - HIGHFIELD ROAD. There were many options to select from as Conductors and Drivers spent valuable minutes to find the correct destination for their next journey. And with four end blinds to do plus two over the centre platform doors - it was sometimes a stressful job during busy turnaround times. Nowadays the touch of a button on a programmed panel does the work..

Visiting Clitheroe this past weekend I was captivated by the destination on a bus heading through the main street 'Sorry I am Going to Bed' with the side destination reading 'I am Sleeping' and the rear panel read 'Night Night'. Obviously the manage-ment of Boomerang Buses in Rossendale have a great sense of humour. Well done.

Former times saw Blackpool trams heading to Squires Gate & Airport, South Pier, Oxford, North Station, Royal Oak via Marton, Central Station, Station Road, Marton Depot, Palatine Road, Highfield Road, Manchester Square, very rarely Rossall, Ash Street, Fleetwood, Thornton Gate, also rarely Norbreck, St Annes Road, Cabin, Bispham, Little Bispham, Cleveleys, and rarely again - Broadwater, Starr Gate and Pleasure Beach (of course) with a lot more via variants. Older blinds still retained Layton and Central Station via Marton recalling two former routes closed in 1936. Below : Lytham Road in better times and a tram on short working to Highfield Road crossover. Image : John Woodman