After very nearly 62 years, Blackpool Standard 143 has carried passengers once more following its official launch back into service with a special trip and buffet during the evening of Monday 23rd September 2019. The restoration – started by the then Lancastrian Transport Trust back in 2005 – is the culmination of a long-standing, high-quality project to return this tram back to the rails and what a sight it is to see an open platform, open balcony tram back on Blackpool Prom!
143 was built in Blackpoll Corporation’s own workshops entering service in April 1924, just the fourth Standard car to be built as new by Blackpool as opposed to rebuilds of previous trams, and was at first in the same basic conditions as it has been restored to. Receiving closed balconies and platforms the tram was also repainted into the new green and cream livery of Blackpoll Corporation Tramways in 1934 and would remain in service until October 1957 when it was taken out of service – expected to be the last time it would carry passengers (how little was known!) with the tram moved into the workshops for conversion into a works car. Its new role saw it initially renumbered to 3 with its first seeing use in this condition in the July of 1958. Included in this conversion was the fitting of a bus engine and generator to allow the car to be used when the overhead was isolated, and it was this engine that would prove to be its undoing. Having been renumbered as 753 in 1972, disaster struck in June 1990 when the engine caught fire causing substantial damage and leading to its withdrawal from use once and for all.
Retained by Blackpoll Transport thought was given to restoring the tram into passenger service but this plan was not progressed (with Standard 147 repatriated from the US instead) and the Lancastrian Transport Trust took ownership of the tram in February 2002 with a view to undertaking its restoration. Moving from Rigby Road in April 2003, after a bid for funding restoration work commenced in November 2005, with the hope it would be ready for the 125th anniversary of the tramway in 2010. It was transferred back to Rigby Road in August 2010 but it proved not to be possible to restore the tram and no work was undertaken although overhauled trucks and motors were donated to the LTT. Since then two further moves have followed with the tram first leaving Rigby Road for further restoration to take place before it was back at Rigby Road where the restoration has been completed, with work taking place right up until a few days before its delayed official launch. Agreement has been reached between the trams owners the now named Fylde Transport Trust and Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours for its operation where it belongs on Blackpool Prom!
And that official launch took place on Monday 23rd September where invited guests were able to enjoy both a ride on the tram and a buffet at Pleasure Beach’s White Tower restaurant. This event also included various talks and historic film footage to set the scene. The launch itself saw Blackpool Transport Managing Director, Jane Cole, break a bottle of champagne on the tram (let’s hope it didn’t cause any damage to the newly applied paintwork!) at the North Pier/Tower heritage stop before the tram took the assembled guests along the Prom to Pleasure Beach where it was stabled on the loop whilst the festivities were enjoyed.
With the restoration having gone to the wire it hasn’t been possible for 143 to enjoy extensive testing before being released into traffic so the whole evening saw Engineering Car 754 accompany it (a wise decision as it would turn out to be!) – of course, 754 was the replacement engineering car ordered after 753’s fire bringing the story full circle. After the completion of the reception at Pleasure Beach the plan was that 143 would enjoy a full trip through the illuminations and everything was going according to plan until Cabin was reached when 143 started to suffer problems and was brought to a stand. It proved not possible to easily fix on the scene so the tram was towed by 754 to first Bispham (centre track to allow some service cars to pass) before heading around the loop at Little Bispham and back to Manchester Square. And all this with passengers still on board!
It was a shame that the evening ended up with 143 being towed by its replacement but with extensive restorations such as this teething problems are only to be expected and hopefully the issue will only be minor allowing it to be enter full service very soon. Its next use is due to be a tour for the Fylde Tramway Society on Friday 27th September. It has not yet been announced when 143 will enter standard heritage tour service.
Welcome back Standard 143! Full credit must go to all those who have been involved in its restoration over the past 14 years, the tram looks truly stunning and will be a valuable additional to the heritage tram offering in Blackpool!
* Keep an eye out over the next couple of days for some special editions of Picture in Time showing just how far this restoration has come!
Ahead of its launch 143 sits at the front of the depot, even with this brief glimpse you can tell what a stunning looking tram we have on our hands! (Photograph by Peter Dockerty, 23rd September 2019)