Blackpool Tramway 125th Anniversary Events September 2010

Blackpool's Tramway is 125 years old in September and a week of events has been devised by Blackpool Transport in partnership with local enthusiast groups. Below is the official confirmed info about the anniversary week events:

A week of events will take place between Thursday 23 and Wednesday 29 September.
Ten visiting trams are coming from museums around England, plus examples from
the Blackpool Transport and the Lancastrian Transport Trusts vintage
collections. About 20 vintage trams will be in use during the week – as well as
`normal' fleet – most of which are in their 70s!

The celebrations are launched on the Thursday with a "Welcome Evening" in the
conference room at Uncle Tom's Cabin featuring presentations, a quiz and a Hot
Pot Supper with time to socialise at a cash bar.

Friday 24th is turned over to the enthusiast groups who are putting together a
package of tram tours. The Friday also sees the World Fireworks Championships
and museum trams are expected to join the famous Illuminated Trams on tours of
the World Famous Illuminations. Local preservationists, the Lancastrian
Transport Trust will be organising one of its popular `Beer and Buses' events
out into the Fylde countryside.

Saturday 25th will see the biggest vintage tram operation ever attempted in the
town with up to 10 vintage cars rostered on a special service operating up to
every ten minutes during the day.

Sunday 26th will provide a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes at Rigby
Road Depot – including the 75 year old tram depot, the workshops and the bus
garage. A selection of trams will be on display at the front of the tram depot;
while the bus yard will showcase the vintage bus collection of the Lancastrian
Transport Trust and other preservations – plus of course the modern fleet of
Blackpool Transport. Inside the bus depot will be entertainment, tram models and
transport memorabilia stalls.

Sunday will also see a repeat of the vintage tram service and a shuttle service
to/from the tram depot will also be in operation.

Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th will see further events organised by the enthusiast
groups. Wednesday 29th marks the anniversary of the official opening and will
feature a short parade of Blackpool trams, further tram tours and the week will
conclude with an Anniversary Dinner at the Chequers Plaza Hotel.

The vintage trams expected to feature in the event – subject to availability –
include the following Blackpool cars:

Marton Box Car 31 of 1901 from Beamish Museum
Fleetwood Box Car 40 of 1914 owned by Crich Tramway Village
Standard 143 from LTT
Standard 147 from Blackpool Transport
Open Boat car 600 of 1934 from Blackpool Transport
English Electric Open Top Balloon 706 of 1934 from Blackpool Transport
English Electric Balloon 717 of 1935 from Blackpool Transport
English Electric Railcoach 279 of 1935 from Lancastrian Transport Trust
English Electric `Marton VAMBAC' 11 of 1939 from East Anglia Transport Museum
Two Coronation Cars 304 of 1952 from Lancastrian Transport Trust and 660 of 1953
from Blackpool Transport
Blackpool OMO car 8 from Lancastrian Transport Trust

And the following cars from other systems:

Stockport 5 of 1901 c/o Stockport 5 Tramcar Trust and a Blackpool resident
Bolton 66 of 1901 c/o Bolton 66 Tramcar Trust and another Blackpool resident
Manchester 765 of 1914 from the Manchester Transport Museum Society (Heaton Park
Tramway)
Liverpool `Priestley Bogie' 762 of 1930 from Merseyside Tramway Preservation
Society (Birkenhead Tramway)
Sheffield 513 of 1950 also a Blackpool resident on long term loan from Beamish

Up to six visiting trams from the Crich Tramway Village (home of the National
Tramway Museum) will also take part – full details of these have not yet been
finalised. [since this was written Crich has announced Blackpool Standard 40, Pantograph 167, Johannesburg 60, LCC 106, Porto 273, Leeds 399 as agreed)

Shortly www.blackpooltramevents.co.uk will go live with details of the events
and other bits and pieces through the year.

Hope this is of interest.
Paul

 

Thanks a lot for that post Paul- well informed and accurate as ever ! It's going to be a special time in Blackpool lets hope the weather behaves !

 

The bus has been booked into Rigby Road for the transport festival for over a year already

2010 looks a busy year!

 

This event is going to be a "must" for those of us wanting to re-live some memories.

Last time I rode on a Sheffield "Roberts" car in ordinary service?-- Summer of 1960 from Vulcan Rd to Beauchief on the last remaining Sheffield service.

Thanks for the advance detail Paul.

46118

 

Just to let you know that the offical event website for the 125th Anniversary of Blackpool Trams has gone on-line sponsored and set up by Trams Magazine. It can be found at http://www.blackpooltramevents.co.uk/ It includes short profiles of the visting trams and news releases from the event committe will be uploaded as they are released.

Regards
Paul

 

Paul - excellent - thanks

Had a very long chat tonight with a friend who is in touch with these things about the number of cars sold into preservation since November - its like 1968 and Black Fives all over again.

If 706 looks vulnerable in the cull, then I do not wish to be told - as I would be duty bound to intervene.

 

I suspect 706 would be secure one way or another, if not retained there is probably a lengthy queue of interested parties in a high capacity o/t decker!
There is not actually that much that has been sold so far:
Boat 605, Brush 632, Balloon 703 and 715 to LTT (plus 687 for bits)
Brush 634 to Andy Ashton
and that's it. A few more are earmarked though the interested seems to have waned from some folk when it came to the crunch. Buying is easy - moving and storing very difficult.
For those wishing to have the cachet of (part) owning a Blackpool tram the easiest way is to buy a share (or two...) in 715 http://ltt-news.blogspot.com/

Paul

 

Hi,

You make an interesting point about all the Black 5s everywhere. Quite a few of there are not running and probably wont run or have a very 'in doubt' future.

This has to be an advantage with the Blackpool Tram 715 option? This means that for very little you can help save a tram in collection which allready has proven itself to know what it is doing. Therefore meaning that 715 can stay in good operable condition and therefore not end up rotting somehwere which is more serious for a tram car than a steam loco.

Give it some thought!

Smiler

 

Paul - six since November ain't bad going!!

I am currently committed - over five figures already - to an ongoing restoration of my own that I would like to see completed this spring - just so's I can recover control of my budget.

Once I know where I am up to there, we'll see about anything else.

And yes - whilst I am not an LTT member, I like what I read - a well set up operation with credible aims and delivering reputable results.

Carry on the good work

 

I saw a couple of 'Balloons' out today - polishing the track after the winter close down - it must be Easter already!

 

Going off-topic, but I think Frank was referring to all of the Black Fives bought straight from BR in the 1960s. All 12 that were bought straight from BR have run in preservation and there is a strong chance that 9 of them will be running this year (and I don't think the futiure of the other three is "in doubt"). In contrast, 6 were bought from Barry scarpyard and only one has steamed in preservation, with another to follow probably later this year - I can't comment on the other 4.