We have a fascinating image from October 1962 for today’s Picture in Time as we take a look at Rigby Road Depot with many long gone trams visible.
Originally opened in 1935 as part of Walter Luff’s famous modernisation scheme Rigby Road Depot is a location which many of you reading this website will be very familiar with and some of you have probably spent many hours standing outside taking photos of the comings and goings during the day as specials return to depot after a busy day on the Prom. Nowadays there is no public access but go back a few years and you could easily walk into the depot and take some unique photos and this image is no exception to that.
It is October 1962 and as well as the common sight of Railcoaches there is a Coronation, a Twin Car and on the far right a Balloon can also be seen. But amongst all those trams your eyes can’t help but be drawn towards the Illuminated Gondola. This would actually be the last month that the Gondola would operate as it was withdrawn from service at the end of the 1962 illuminations with this feature car being supplanted by the new breed of illuminated trams offering significant chances for the public to have a ride on board. The Gondola had been built on the underframe of Marton Box 28 in 1925 and after withdrawn in 1962 was sent to Plumtree in April 1963 where it was sadly stripped for parts.
Photograph by Bob Hodges