Blackpool tramway
Encyclopedia
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
to Fleetwood
Fleetwood
Fleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
on the Fylde Coast
The Fylde
The Fylde ; Scandinavian: "field") is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and is the only surviving first-generation tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The tramway dates back to 1885 and is one of the oldest electric tramways in the world. It is run by Blackpool Transport
Blackpool Transport
Blackpool Transport Services is a bus and tram operator running within the boroughs of Blackpool and Fylde and into the surrounding area, including Fleetwood, Lytham St Annes, Poulton le Fylde and Kirkham, Preston...
(BTS) as part of the Metro Coastlines network, owned by Blackpool Borough Council. The tramway runs for 11 miles (18 km) and carries 6,500,000 passengers each year. It is also one of only a few operational tramways in the world that operate using double-deck tram systems, others including the Hong Kong Tramways system
Hong Kong Tramways
Hong Kong Tramways is a tram system in Hong Kong and one of the earliest forms of public transport in Hong Kong. Owned and operated by Veolia Transport, the tramway runs on Hong Kong Island between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town, with a branch circulating Happy Valley...
and Alexandria Tram
Alexandria Tram
The Alexandria tramway network serves the city of Alexandria, Egypt. It consists of 38 stations. It is one of only 3 non-heritage tram systems in the world that use double-deck cars. The others are Blackpool in the UK and Hong Kong.- History :...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
History
The first part of the tramway opened on 29 September 1885, a conduitConduit current collection
Conduit current collection is a system of electric current collection used by electric trams, where the power supply is carried in a channel under the roadway, rather than located overhead.-Description:...
line running from Cocker Street to Dean Street on Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
Promenade. It was one of the first practical electric tramways in the world, just six years after Werner von Siemens first demonstrated electric traction. The inauguration was presided over by Holroyd Smith, the inventor of the system, and Alderman Harwood, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
The line was operated by the Blackpool Electric Tramway Company until 1892 when its lease expired and Blackpool Corporation took over the line. A further line was added in 1895 from Manchester Square along Lytham Road to South Shore
South Shore, Blackpool
South Shore is the southern coastal area of Blackpool, an English seaside resort in the county of Lancashire. It has a large local community and a number of tourist attractions....
. The tracks were extended to South Pier
South Pier, Blackpool
South Pier is one of three piers in Blackpool, England. Located on South Promenade in the South Shore area of the town, the pier contains a number of amusement and adrenalin rides. It opens each year from March to November and is owned by Six Piers Limited.-Construction and opening:The Blackpool...
and a line on Station Road connecting Lytham Road to the promenade in 1897.
In 1899 the conduit system was replaced by overhead wires and in 1900 the line was extended north to Gynn Square where it linked up with the Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad. In 1901 The Marton loop was opened, connecting Talbot Square and Central Station along Church Street, Devonshire Square, Whitegate Drive, Waterloo Road and Central Drive. A new depot was built on Whitegate Drive in Marton. A line was added from Talbot Square along Talbot Road to Layton
Layton, Blackpool
Layton is a district of the town of Blackpool on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England.-Geography:Located roughly in Blackpool's geographical centre Layton accounts for a relatively large part of the town's total area...
in 1902. By 1903 the promenade line had reached the Pleasure Beach
Pleasure Beach Blackpool
Pleasure Beach Blackpool is a family owned amusement park and resort situated along the Fylde coast in Blackpool, England. It is the most visited amusement park in the United Kingdom, and one of the top twenty most-visited amusement parks in the world with an estimate of 5.5 million visitors in...
.
In 1920 Blackpool Corporation took over the Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad Company gaining eight miles (13 km) of track and three depots, two in Fleetwood and one in Bispham
Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham is a village roughly one-and-a-half miles north of Blackpool town centre on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England.-Geography and administration:...
. The small Bold Street Depot in Fleetwood was closed and a loop constructed at Fleetwood Ferry.
The original Blundell Street Depot was replaced by a larger depot on Rigby Road in 1920. Along the line to Fleetwood, between Rossall
Rossall
Rossall is a settlement in Lancashire, England and a suburb of the market town of Fleetwood. It is situated on a coastal plain called The Fylde.-Early history:...
and Broadwater a more direct line was built in 1925. The final tramway extension was in 1926, along the promenade to Clifton Drive at Starr Gate
Starr Gate
Starr Gate is in the South Shore district of Blackpool in the county of Lancashire, England. It is located at the south-western end of Blackpool on the Fylde coast and is adjacent to the Squires Gate district of Blackpool....
where a connection was with Lytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes is a conurbation in the Fylde district of Lancashire, England. The neighbouring towns of Lytham and St-Anne's-on-the-Sea have grown together and now form a seaside resort...
tracks.
In 1936 route closures began with the Central Drive and Layton routes. Lytham Road closed in 1961, Marton in 1962, and the tramroad line on Dickson Road to North Station in 1963. Marton and Copse Road Depots closed in 1963 and Bispham Depot in 1966. This left the track running from Starr Gate to Fleetwood, which still remains. Blackpool Borough Council transferred the operation of the tramway and buses to Blackpool Transport Services Limited in 1986.
The network
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
Terminus in Fleetwood. Most of the route runs along the Fylde Coast sea front, turning inland at Cleveleys
Cleveleys
Cleveleys is a town on the Fylde Coast of Lancashire, England, about 4 miles north of Blackpool and 2 miles south of Fleetwood...
for the last few miles before ending at the coast in Fleetwood. The tracks consists of four different types:
- Street running, open to all traffic - along Lord Street and North Albert Street in Fleetwood. A short stretch on the Promenade in Blackpool behind the Metropole Hotel used to be in this form, but when the whole tramway was relaid in 2011 it was converted to Paved (see below).
- Paved reserved trackReserved trackIn tram transport terminology reserved track is track on ground exclusively for trams. Unlike track on streets and roads, reserved track does not need to take into account the transit of other wheeled vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists or horses...
alongside a road, open to pedestrians but not road traffic - along most of the route between Starr Gate and Gynn Square. - Reserved ballasted track, open to trams only - from Gynn Square to Rossall, and along Radcliffe Road in Fleetwood.
- Interurban style alignment, not following a road and open to trams only - from Rossall to Radcliffe Road, Fleetwood.
There are four loops, at Starr Gate, opposite the Pleasure Beach, Little Bispham and Fleetwood, and links to Rigby Road Depot.
Blackpool tramway today
Blackpool is one of the three surviving non-heritage tramways to use double-deck trams, the others being Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. They are, however, slightly outnumbered by single-deck trams, but the double deckers see the most use during the tourist season, with single deckers playing a much smaller role. Some of the single deckers are only used occasionally during the busier parts of the season to boost capacity. Blackpool was the only town in the UK that retained its trams, and between 1962 and 1992 Blackpool had the only urban tramway in the UK. The last English city to lose its conventional trams was Sheffield in 1960. The last in the UK was Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in 1962. The 1992 opening of the Metrolink
Manchester Metrolink
Metrolink is a light rail system in Greater Manchester, England. It consists of four lines which converge in Manchester city centre and terminate in Bury, Altrincham, Eccles and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The system is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester and operated under contract by RATP Group...
in Manchester heralded a revival.
The Blackpool tram fleet is diverse. Some of the 1930s trams are still in regular service in virtually unchanged condition. Others have had their bodywork rebuilt. Occasionally historic trams are borrowed from the National Tramway Museum
National Tramway Museum
The National Tramway Museum, at Crich, in Derbyshire, England, is situated within Crich Tramway Village, a period village containing a pub, cafe, old-style sweetshop, including the tram depots. The village is also home to the Eagle Press, a small museum dedicated to Letterpress Printing including...
in Crich
Crich
Crich is a village in Derbyshire in England. It has the National Tramway Museum inside the Crich Tramway Village, and at the summit of Crich Hill above, a Memorial Tower for those of the Sherwood Foresters regiment who died in battle, particularly in World War I.Built in 1923 on the site of an...
for public service.
Blackpool Illuminations
Blackpool Illuminations is an annual Lights Festival, founded in 1879 and first switched on 18 September that year, held each autumn in the English seaside resort of Blackpool on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire....
or on bank holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
s, start or terminate short at Cleveleys, Red Bank Road in Bispham, or the Pleasure Beach. This is to allow a more intensive service through the centre of Blackpool. During the Illuminations, specially decorated trams carry passengers on the promenade along the illuminated area, which runs from Starr Gate to Bispham. Fleetwood was the only town in England to retain trams running down the main street.
Following the Government's pledge to a build 25 new tram networks by 2010, a £1 billion bid for a Government grant was launched by Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire, England. It currently consists of 84 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, who won control of the council in the local council elections in June 2009, ending 28 years of...
in 2002 to expand the tram network to include St Annes to the south and new housing estates in Fleetwood to the north, with a possible further phase to include links to Poulton-Le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde is a market town in Lancashire, England, situated on the coastal plain called the Fylde. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 18,264. There is evidence of human habitation in the area from 12,000 years ago and several archaeological finds from Roman...
and Thornton
Thornton, Lancashire
Thornton is a village on the Fylde, in Lancashire, England, about four miles north of Blackpool and two miles south of Fleetwood. It is in the Borough of Wyre...
. In 2004 campaigners behind the bid expressed disappointment that nothing had been done to take the plans forward in two years. By November 2007 there was no further development.
For the first time the entire length of the tramway was closed in November 2007 for five months of essential repair work, the second phase of an £11,800,000 upgrade. In January 2007 the City Class 611 prototype "supertram" was being tested on the tramway when it caught fire as it approached Central Pier
Central Pier, Blackpool
-Location:The pier is central in the sense that it is located between the other two, but it is also close to the site of the now-defunct Blackpool Central railway station about 500 metres south of Blackpool Tower...
, causing extensive damage. The driver escaped when the electrical console in the cab reportedly blew up. The tram, manufactured by Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
based Tram Power
Tram Power
Tram Power is a merseyside based manufacturer of tram vehicles, notable for its production of the Citytram. The company is in the process of building a new factory at Preston, and has bid as a tender for the Galway light rail system....
, was being tested as part of a bid to replace the current trams. The tramcar was rebuilt at a cost of £150,000 but was not permitted to resume trials, the tram is currently scheduled to form part of a trial park & ride tram line in Preston. The same tram had derailed on 30 May 2006 at Starr Gate loop during previous trials. A Rail Accident Investigation Branch report stated that the derailment was due to wear and tear on the track with a contributory factor being the new type of running gear on the two-car prototype.
On 1 February 2008 it was announced that the Government had agreed to the joint BTS and Blackpool Council bid for funding toward the total upgrade of the track. The Government will contribute £60.3m of the total £85.3m cost. Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council will each provide about £12.5m. The Government's decision means that the entire length of the tramway from Starr Gate to Fleetwood will be upgraded and 16 Flexity 2
Flexity 2 (Blackpool)
Blackpool Council has ordered 16 Bombardier Transportation Flexity 2 trams, becoming the worldwide launch customer for the design. The modern 100% low-floor trams will replace the Blackpool tramway's tourist-focused and high maintenance heritage fleet, some of which will be retained for tourist...
trams will replace the current fleet.
The tramway resurfacing works and construction of a tram shed at Starr Gate meant no trams operated south of the Pleasure Beach from 2009 until the new trams enter service, scheduled for Easter 2012, and track work at Cleveleys halted services north of Little Bispham. A replacement bus service operated.
The Rigby Road depot is being retained for older trams, although some of those have been sold. Once the new fleet is running, the heritage fleet will operate on only 18 days a year, to be specified, between North Pier and the Pleasure Beach.
Blackpool tramway in popular culture
In 1989, Alan BradleyAlan Bradley
Alan Bradley is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street. He was played by Mark Eden.Alan is one of the most famous villains in the history of the Street. He made his first appearance in 1986 when his wife Pat was killed in a road accident...
, a character in the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
, was killed when he fell under the wheels of a Bispham tram (tram 710) outside the Strand Hotel on North Promenade.
Fleetwood Transport Festival
Each year the Fleetwood Transport Festival, known locally as Tram Sunday, is held on the third Sunday in July. The festival celebrated its 21st anniversary in 2005. The festival attracts thousands of visitors to the town and takes place on the full length of the main street, Lord Street. There are vintage tram rides from Fishermans Walk to Thornton Gate. In 2007, the festival, despite its popularity, was nearly cancelled due to a lack of support organising the day. A last-minute appeal for help resulted in the festival being saved.Overhead wiring
The tramcars are powered by 600 VVolt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
overhead wire
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
with electricity transmitted to the tramcars by pantograph
Pantograph (rail)
A pantograph for rail lines is a hinged electric-rod device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. The pantograph typically connects to a one-wire line, with the track acting as the ground wire...
and a few by trolley pole
Trolley pole
A trolley pole is a tapered cylindrical pole of wood or metal, used to transfer electricity from a "live" overhead wire to the control and propulsion equipment of a tram or trolley bus. The use of overhead wire in a system of current collection is reputed to be the 1880 invention of Frank J....
.
The system originally used the conduit system
Conduit current collection
Conduit current collection is a system of electric current collection used by electric trams, where the power supply is carried in a channel under the roadway, rather than located overhead.-Description:...
, in which trams took electricity from a conduit situated below and between the tracks. Electrical resistance was greater than anticipated and the voltage in portions of the conduit was far less than that generated at Blundell Street—230 V dropped to 210 V at the junction with the main line on the Promenade, 185 V at Cocker Street and 168 V at South Pier (then Victoria Pier). In addition there were difficulties during floods. Despite the difficulties, the conduit line was extended to Station Road in 1897. 550 V overhead wiring was installed in 1899, and the conduit removed. In 2011 the line voltage was raised to 600 V in anticipation of the arrival of the new rolling stock.
Tram depots
Over the years six depots were built to service the fleet:
- Bispham Depot was built in 1898 and extended in 1914 by Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad Company, to house 36 trams on six tracks. A substation was built to the side of depot. The depot was used to receive pantograph cars in 1928 and Brush cars in 1940. It closed on 27 October 1963 and was used as a store until the mid 1970s. The building was eventually demolished to make way for a Sainsbury's supermarket and the depot's headstone was installed at CrichCrichCrich is a village in Derbyshire in England. It has the National Tramway Museum inside the Crich Tramway Village, and at the summit of Crich Hill above, a Memorial Tower for those of the Sherwood Foresters regiment who died in battle, particularly in World War I.Built in 1923 on the site of an...
's National Tramway MuseumNational Tramway MuseumThe National Tramway Museum, at Crich, in Derbyshire, England, is situated within Crich Tramway Village, a period village containing a pub, cafe, old-style sweetshop, including the tram depots. The village is also home to the Eagle Press, a small museum dedicated to Letterpress Printing including...
.
- Bold Street Depot opened in January 1899 and had a capacity of four cars on two tracks. The depot was used only by the last two trams to Fleetwood in the evening and the first two trams in the morning. After Blackpool Corporation took over the Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad Company in 1920, the depot was closed. Wires were taken down in 1924 when the Fleetwood loop was built. After World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the depot was used by Fisherman's FriendFisherman's FriendFisherman's Friend is a brand of strong menthol lozenges produced by Lofthouse company in Fleetwood, Lancashire, England.- History :Fisherman's Friend was originally developed by a young pharmacist named James Lofthouse in 1865 to relieve various respiratory problems suffered by fishermen working...
. It was demolished in 1973 to make way for flats.
- Blundell Street Depot opened in 1885 to house ten conduit trams. It was extended in 1894 an 1896, and in 1898 when the roof was raised to accommodate overhead wiring. After extension, the depot housed 45 trams on five tracks. The depot became a store in 1935 when the new central depot opened at Rigby Road. The inspection pits were filled in after World War II and after 1956 the building was used as a bus garage. The depot was reopened for trams in March 1963 after the closure of Marton depot. A new entrance was built in July 1964 but capacity was restricted by the presence of an ambulance station in the building. Following damage to the central roof caused by a gale, the depot was demolished on 4 November 1982.
- Copse Road Depot was built in 1897 by the Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad Company with six tracks, capable of housing 18 trams. It was originally used as a store and service depot. After passing to Blackpool Corporation Tramways it was used to dismantle old trams. Between 1925 and 1949 a line connected the depot with the railway and was used to shunt wagons. The depot is now a car showroom and the substation still feeds the Fleetwood section.
- Marton Depot was built in 1901 to accommodate 50 trams. It was used for central routes but declined in use after the closure in 1936 of the Layton and Central Drive sections. The depot closed for tram use between 1939 and 1944 due to the war, and accommodated aircraft of the Vickers Aircraft CompanyVickers LimitedVickers Limited was a famous British engineering conglomerate that merged into Vickers-Armstrongs in 1927.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
. The depot closed on 11 March 1963, with the last car to leave the depot being Standard car 48. The front half of the depot was demolished with the rear half in commercial use. A petrol station is now on the site.
- Rigby Road Depot was built in 1935 and is the only depot still in use. It has a capacity of 108 trams. It was designed to replace the Bispham and Blundell Street depots and has been modernised several times. In 1955 tracks 15 to 18 were enclosed by a partition to be used as an electrical compound and in 1962 a tram washing plant was built, along with the replacement of the roller-blind doors by folding aluminium doors.
- Starr Gate Depot was built during 2011 as part of the complete network refurbishment, and cost £20m. Officially it will open in Easter 2012 and is currently storing the new tramsFlexity 2 (Blackpool)Blackpool Council has ordered 16 Bombardier Transportation Flexity 2 trams, becoming the worldwide launch customer for the design. The modern 100% low-floor trams will replace the Blackpool tramway's tourist-focused and high maintenance heritage fleet, some of which will be retained for tourist...
until they enter service in May 2012. It has a maximum capacity of 20 trams. It is being built to house the 16 new supertrams, an expansion public attraction to display heritage units is currently unfunded.
Tramcar fleet
The Blackpool tramway has a varied fleet of tramcars. The standard liveryLivery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
being introduced is one featuring purple fronts, with cream sides and a purple criss cross pattern on the lower sides. The tramcars also use the traditional green and cream livery of BTS, in various styles from the 1930s to the 1980s, and carry a number of colourful all-over advertisements. Some former trams
Tramcars of the National Tramway Museum
The National Tramway Museum in Crich, Derbyshire, has a large and diverse fleet of heritage tramcars, and aims to illustrate the complete development of the traditional British Tramcar. Where it is not possible to show this, tramcars from places as far away as Berlin, the Hague, Douglas, Halle,...
are in use and on display at the National Tramway Museum at Crich in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
.
The 6th November 2011 marked the last day of running for the traditional tram fleet. The tramway will now no longer be operational until Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
2012 when the new Flexity 2
Flexity 2
The Flexity 2 is a family of tram or light-rail vehicle manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. It is 100% low-floor, in order to easily accommodate wheelchairs and pushchairs. The trams are bi-directional, with cabs at both ends and doors on both sides, and are articulated with five sections...
Cars enter service. Members of the traditional fleet will be retained, either as part of the 'Heritage Fleet', or as part of the main fleet, running alongside the new trams. These cars are in the process of being fitted with new, enlarged doorways to allow the cars to operate with the new disabled access platforms.
The tram fleet, including the reserve fleet, for 2011 includes the following:
Balloon cars
| Name | Balloon Cars |
| Controller | 2 x EE Z6 |
| Chassis | EE 4' 9 |
Commissioned in 1933 by Walter Luff, the controller of the network, in a bid to modernise the tramway's fleet, they were intended to replace the Dreadnought cars that had been in service since the opening of the tramway. They were built by English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
during 1934 and 1935, the first being presented to Blackpool on 10 December 1934. 27 were delivered, of which thirteen were open-topped. Numbered 237-263 and used on both summer and winter services.
They had central doors and stairs, with a capacity of 84-94. Half-drop windows provided ventilation and art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
curved glass lights provided electric lighting. The enclosed-top trams had sliding roof windows and thermostat
Thermostat
A thermostat is the component of a control system which regulates the temperature of a system so that the system's temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint temperature. The thermostat does this by switching heating or cooling devices on or off, or regulating the flow of a heat transfer...
ic-controlled radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
s.
The closed top cars originally worked on the Squires Gate service, and it was during this time that they became known as Balloon Cars because of their rounded streamlined appearance. During World War II the need for the open-top cars fell significantly and cars 237-249 had their tops enclosed to look almost like 250-263. Also during this period the fleet was painted in a dark green and cream livery in order to conserve paint and time, as well as to reduce the chances of their being spotted from the air.
After the war years the Balloons were neglected slightly in place of the new Coronation Cars, as they were considered old fashioned and too slow to load. Blackpool Corporation soon changed its mind after experiencing the temperamental nature of the Coronations and the Balloons began to make a comeback in the late 1950s. In 1958 check rail was installed through to Fleetwood and the Balloons increasingly began to appear on market-day specials, as they were useful for moving the large crowds travelling north. The Balloons continued to run their normal Squires Gate service until its closure in 1961, and following this the entire class solely worked on the promenade service.
In 1968 they were re-numbered to 700-726. Between 1979 and 1982, Balloon cars 725 and 714 were totally rebuilt into two new Jubilee cars, 761 and 762. The reconstruction of 725 included moving the stairs to the end and extending its body length. However, 762 retained a central door. During 1980, an accident at the Pleasure Beach loop caused 705 and 706 to be withdrawn. 705 was scrapped and 706 was rebuilt as an open-topper, later named "Princess Alice". During the early 1990s a number of Balloons that had been retired from service were heavily modernised, re-emerging with flat ends and modern interiors known as Millennium cars.
In 2002 the Balloons were banned north of Thornton Gate due to the poor condition of the track. Following heavy repair work the Balloons were allowed back from 2005.
With the arrival of the Flexity 2 trams, some Balloon cars are being fitted with widened doors and other modifications to enable them to run alongside the new fleet (see below). Some others are being preserved: the first to leave, number 249/712, is preserved static (but with the interior open to the public as it was when withdrawn) in pre-war livery at the National Tramway Museum at Crich. One is remaining in operational condition at Beamish Open Air Museum, but as Sunderland 101 in a red and cream livery.
Millennium class cars
These are double deck cars which were rebuilt from Balloon cars between 1998 and 2004 to an in-house design. They have a much more rectangular shape which gives the upper decks increased capacity. The trams retain the numbers they carried in the Balloon series.
Jubilee cars
In the late 1970s, Blackpool Corporation decided that the tramway fleet needed modernising after the closure of the inland routes during the 1960s. Attention was drawn to two Balloon Cars, 714 and 725, which had been mothballed as they were in dire need of an overhaul. It was felt that these would be useful on the promenade during the summer due to their high seating capacity and reliability. So, with funds left over from their One-Man Operated (OMO) programme the corporation set about rebuilding these old Balloons into "Jubilee Cars". The first to be rebuilt, 725, was stripped down to its shell and had its under-frame and body lengthened, controller changed, doors and stairs relocated to the front and iconic pointed ends replaced with square ones. The bogies were replaced with fabricated ones able to accommodate "Metalastik" rubber/metal bonded suspension in the manner of the "OMO" vehicles and the tram officially entered service in 1979 after testing as Jubilee 761. Balloon 714 was later rebuilt in a similar fashion, except it retained its original central doors as well as the front ones in order to improve passenger flow at stops. 714 re-entered service in 1982 as Jubilee 762.Scrapped cars
Until 2009, only one of the cars (705) had been scrapped, however on October 15, Car 722 made a move into the body shop to begin the scrapping stage, and, as of May 2010, has been fully scrapped. More cars were expected to follow over the winter closure period, however, this didn't happen, as all the stored trams have been sold.Modernised cars
During 2011, a number of Balloon and Millennium class trams were modernised so that they could operate after the £100m refurbishment of the whole tramway. New widened doorways have been fitted, with driver operated doors which fit to the new platforms which have been built at tram stops for the new Flexity 2Flexity 2 (Blackpool)
Blackpool Council has ordered 16 Bombardier Transportation Flexity 2 trams, becoming the worldwide launch customer for the design. The modern 100% low-floor trams will replace the Blackpool tramway's tourist-focused and high maintenance heritage fleet, some of which will be retained for tourist...
trams. This means they are also now have level access for disabled passengers. Fixed seats and a new passenger information display has also been fitted to match the new trams. Speedometers have also been retrofitted to the driving console.
Boat cars
| Name | Boat Cars |
| Built | English Electrics 1934 |
| Capacity | 52-56 Passengers |
| Motors | 2xEE 327, 40 hp (17.5 kW) |
| Controller | 600, 607: 2xEE DB1 602, 604, 605: 2xEE Z type |
| Chassis | EE 4' wheelbase |
Built by English Electric in 1934, these cars are single deck open-topped models with central doors and gangway. They are numbered 600-607, originally 225-236 and have a passenger capacity of between 52 and 56. These cars are known as "the boats" due to their ship-like streamlined appearance and are one of the most iconic Blackpool trams. All cars are virtually identical, except for 600, which has shorter body panels.
The boats were first commissioned by Walter Luff in 1933, in accordance with his five year plan. The first prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
boat arrived in Blackpool during early spring in 1934 along with four other designs. After an initial trial period, company directors approved an order for eleven more production cars, which arrived in July and August 1934. These new boats were numbered 225-236.
Work began on the circular and coastal tours, replacing the original toastrack cars, which were considered dangerous and old-fashioned. They were stationed at both Rigby Road and Marton depots for ease of access and continued
there until the war years, when they were stored out of service due to the withdrawal of the circular tour and general lack of demand. This continued until 1946, when they returned to work on the promenade service.
The full twelve cars remained in regular service until the closure of the inland routes during 1963. The fleet was reduced to eight cars and renumbered 600-607, with 229, 231, 232 and 234 being mothballed and eventually scrapped in 1968. In the early 1990s the boats were refurbished and received a number of new liveries, including Routemaster
Routemaster
The AEC Routemaster is a model of double-decker bus that was built by Associated Equipment Company in 1954 and produced until 1968. Primarily front-engined, rear open-platform buses, a small number of variants were produced with doors and/or front entrances...
red, blue and yellow as well as a fictitious wartime livery. The fleet was converted from trolley pole to pantograph conductors. However, they were soon converted back, as passengers regularly complained at being showered by grease and dirt from the power line
Power Line
Power Line is an American political blog, providing news and commentary from a conservative point-of-view. It was originally written by three lawyers who attended Dartmouth College together: John H. Hinderaker, Scott W. Johnson, and Paul Mirengoff...
when it rained.
In addition to the cars at Blackpool, there are boats currently serving in the United States. Car 226 (601) has been at the Western Railway Museum
Western Railway Museum
The Western Railway Museum, in Solano County, California is located on Highway 12 between Rio Vista and Suisun. The museum is built along the former mainline of theSacramento Northern Railway...
, Suisun City
Suisun City, California
Suisun City is a city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 28,111 at the 2010 census. The city takes its name from the adjacent Suisun Bay, which in turn is named for the Suisunes, a Native American tribe of the area.-Geography:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
since 1971. Car 228 (603) was loaned to Philadelphia in 1976 for the United States Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
, and was then returned to Blackpool where it was stored until 1984, when it was acquired as a gift for the San Francisco Municipal Railway
San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
(MUNI) where it is still occasionally operated. Finally, car 606 was given to the Trolleyville Museum, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, in September 2000, in return for Standard 147, which has been restored to original condition.
Railcoach cars
Progress Twin cars
Single deck towing and trailer cars. 671–680 (towing cars) and 681–687 (trailer cars). The towing cars were rebuilt from English Electric cars between 1958 and 1962. The ends in particular were heavily redesigned to resemble the then contemporary Coronation cars. Powerless trailers, which look almost identical except for the lack of a pantograph tower, were built from scratch. Although originally only driven from the towing end, they were later converted to be driven from either end with driver cabs fitted to the trailers. They operate in regular pairs, such as 675 and 685, except for 678 to 680, which operate singly.Brush cars
Built by BrushBrush Traction
This article is about a British rail-locomotive maker. For the Detroit auto-maker, see Brush Motor Car CompanyBrush Traction is a manufacturer and maintainer of railway locomotives, part of the FKI group , based at Loughborough in Leicestershire, England situated alongside the Midland Main Line.-...
in 1937. 20 Single deck cars which closely resemble the original English Electric railcoaches. Numbers 621-638, originally 284-303. Car 633 has been rebuilt into the illuminated Trawler and is now number 737.
Centenary cars
Wage
A wage is a compensation, usually financial, received by workers in exchange for their labor.Compensation in terms of wages is given to workers and compensation in terms of salary is given to employees...
down.
Centenary cars were built by East Lancashire Coachbuilders
East Lancashire Coachbuilders
East Lancashire Coachbuilders Limited was a manufacturer of bus bodies and carriages founded in 1934 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England.In 1994 the company expanded in to new premises and commenced a programme of development that resulted in a range of single and double deck buses which was the...
in 1985, the tramway's centenary year, hence their name. Originally intended to replace the OMO cars which were suffering from metal fatigue, twelve were ordered. However, due
to cost cutting only seven were ever built. The cost cutting continued as, although the bodies chassis and bogies were brand new the motors and wheelsets were pre-war, refubished from various withdrawn cars. The bogie design continued the theme of the "O.M.O." and L.T. Underground cars, having "Metalastik" rubber/metal bonded springs.
Vintage cars
The tramway owns or borrows a small number of trams which are preserved from previously withdrawn fleets. They are not used in normal service and are normally seen during the busy seasonal weekend and illuminations tours.
Standard cars
A total of 55 cars built between 1923 and 1929 by Blackpool Corporation Transport Department. They are double deck, originally with open balconies and a capacity of 78 passengers, with 32 seats on the lower deck and 46 on the upper deck. The four-window design came from the 1902 Motherwell trams. They were 33 in 10 in (10.31 m) long, 16 in 7 in (5.05 m) high and 7 in 2 in (2.18 m) wide. They had Preston McGuire bogieBogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s with 4 in 1 in (1.24 m) wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
and 30in diameter wheels, BTH B510 motors with hand and rheostatic
Dynamic braking
Dynamic braking is the use of the electric traction motors of a railroad vehicle as generators when slowing the Locomotive. It is termed rheostatic if the generated electrical power is dissipated as heat in brake grid resistors, and regenerative if the power is returned to the supply line...
brakes. All were built as the "open balcony" type, but in later years some were enclosed. Standard 40, now preserved and operational at the National Tramway Museum at Crich, became the last double-deck open balcony tram to operate commercially in Great Britain. Until 2000, no standards survived in public service in Blackpool until boat 606 was given to the Trolleyville museum in the United States in exchange for Standard car 147, which has been restored to its original 1924 condition and can often be seen operating in Blackpool during the busier seasonal weekends and illumination evenings.
Pantograph cars
One now survives in Blackpool, as the illuminated trailer to the illuminated Western Train, which received a £278,000 Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
grant to restore both the entire tramcar units which first ran in 1962. It was withdrawn from service in 1999 and stood derelict at the Rigby Road depot.
The sole surviving true member of the class, car 167, is preserved at the National Tramway Museum at Crich. It returned to Blackpool for the 125th Anniversary celebrations in 2010.
Coronation cars
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
's Coronation Year, 1953
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
only three members of this class of car remain. They were built by Charles Roberts Ltd at their Horbury Junction works, nr. Wakefield
Wakefield
Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001....
. Two were preserved under the private ownership of the Lancastrian Transport Trust (LTT). The sophisticated Variable Automatic Multinotch Braking and Acceleration Control (VAMBAC) control system of these vehicles proved to be their achilles heel
Achilles Heel
Achilles Heel may refer to:* Achilles' heel, a metaphor for a fatal weakness in spite of overall strength* Achilles Heel , music by Pedro the Lion* Achilles Heel , off Antarctica...
as it was unreliable in service. Thirteen of the class had their VAMBAC systems replaced by conventional controllers during the 1960s, prolonging their comparatively short service life to 1975, when they were withdrawn. The unmodified examples were withdrawn from service in 1968.
Blackpool Coronation 304 (later 641), the first of the fleet, was bought for preservation and achieved celebrity status in 2002, when it was the subject of the seventh episode of the second series of Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
television programme Salvage Squad
Salvage Squad
Salvage Squad is a television programme in which the "Salvage Squad" faced the challenge of restoring an item of classic machinery. The task was usually against a tight deadline, such as a public unveiling at a vehicle rally...
. It was returned to working order by Salvage Squad and LTT members and unveiled to the public on 6 January 2003 when it was filmed carrying out test runs along Blackpool Promenade.
Illuminated cars
Blackpool Gazette
The Blackpool Gazette is an English evening newspaper based in Blackpool, Lancashire. Published every day except Sunday, it covers the towns and communities of the Fylde coast...
in 2006 to get one of the illuminated trams, Western Train, back on track, resulted in a £278,000 Heritage Lottery Fund
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
grant to restore the tramcar which first ran in 1962. It had been withdrawn from service in 1999 and stood derelict at the Rigby Road depot. The tramcar returned during the 2008 Illuminations Switch-On. In January 2008 it was revealed that another iconic illuminated tram, the Rocket tram, which had been in service between 1961 and 1999 but which had since then stood idle, is also due to be restored with expectation being that it would return to service for the Illuminations in 2009 at a cost of about £150,000 and with the help of a newly created Friends of the Illuminations group.
Flexity 2
As part of the upgrade of the entire tramway, 16 new Flexity 2Flexity 2 (Blackpool)
Blackpool Council has ordered 16 Bombardier Transportation Flexity 2 trams, becoming the worldwide launch customer for the design. The modern 100% low-floor trams will replace the Blackpool tramway's tourist-focused and high maintenance heritage fleet, some of which will be retained for tourist...
trams have been ordered, for use on the tramway. The worldwide launch of the tram, including showing the first new tram occurred on the 8th September 2011 at the new Starr Gate depot in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
.
They feature many new improvements over the heritage fleet, including step free access and faster acceleration.
These will be accommodated at a new depot built at Starr Gate by Volker Fitzpatrick.
Accidents
There have been several accidents where pedestrians have been hit. Most recently a pedestrian, Maureen Foxwell age 70, was struck down and killed by a speeding driver at a designated crossing on 5 August 2009. The driver who was travelling at thrice the speed limit was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Only two very serious collisions between vehicles have occurred since operation began in 1885. These are:- 6 July 1980 - Balloon trams 705 and 706 collided head-onHead-on collisionA head-on collision is one where the front ends of two ships, trains, planes or vehicles hit each other, as opposed to a side collision or rear-end collision.-Rail transport:...
on the turning loop at the Pleasure Beach. 705 was bound for Starr GateStarr GateStarr Gate is in the South Shore district of Blackpool in the county of Lancashire, England. It is located at the south-western end of Blackpool on the Fylde coast and is adjacent to the Squires Gate district of Blackpool....
whilst 706 was stationary on the loop. 705 was led onto the wrong line due to the pointsRailroad switchA railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
being incorrectly set and went straight into 706 which was about to depart for FleetwoodFleetwoodFleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, lying at the northwest corner of the Fylde. It had a population of 26,840 people at the 2001 Census. It forms part of the Greater Blackpool conurbation. The town was the first planned community of the Victorian era...
. Both trams were severely damaged by the collision; 705 was scrapped, the only balloon to meet this fate until 2009 when 722 was scrapped. 706 was rebuilt as an open-top. A subsequent County Court judgement in 1982 found that Blackpool Corporation were 80% to blame for the collision.
- 13 March 2004 - Centenary tram 644 derailed and collided into a wall on the promenade near Gynn Square. One of the poles from the IlluminationsBlackpool IlluminationsBlackpool Illuminations is an annual Lights Festival, founded in 1879 and first switched on 18 September that year, held each autumn in the English seaside resort of Blackpool on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire....
had been deliberately placed in the groove of the left-hand rail of the northbound line. 644 narrowly missed a pedestrian walking along the promenade and went through the wall, knocking debris onto the walkway below. The tram was balancing on the wall, but was certain not to fall off it.
See also
- Light Rail Transit AssociationLight Rail Transit AssociationThe Light Rail Transit Association is a non-profit organisation whose purpose is to advocate and encourage research into the retention and development of light rail and tramway/streetcar systems...
- List of town tramway systems in the United Kingdom
- Maley & TauntonMaley & TauntonMaley & Taunton is a defunct tram and tramway engineering company. It was situated in Wednesfield in Staffordshire, England.Maley & Taunton exported globally, with its trucks used in the Lisbon trams and in the UK on the Blackpool tramway...
- Scottish Tramway and Transport SocietyScottish Tramway and Transport SocietyThe Scottish Tramway and Transport Society was founded on 27 June 1951. Until 1983 it was known as the Scottish Tramway Museum Society. The Society was originally formed by tramway enthusiasts, mainly living in the Glasgow area, with a view to preserve a Glasgow "Room and Kitchen" type single deck...
- Trams in EuropeTrams in EuropeEurope has an extensive number of tramway networks. Some of these networks have been upgraded to light rail standards, called Stadtbahn in Germany, premetros in Belgium, sneltram in the Netherlands, and fast trams in some other countries.- Overview :...