One of the most historically significant sections of tramway in Britain has been rendered unuseable, following the removal of the overhead wires above it. The line in question is the emergency access to Blackpool’s Rigby Road depot, which is connected to the main line via pointwork at Foxhall Square. However, the wiring at this junction has now been disconnected, with the wires over Princess Street and Blundell Street likely to follow imminently.
Early on April 15th, Blackpool Council staff were employed to disconnect the wires at the Foxhall junction, thus ending any remote possibility of trams using this line to gain access to and from the old depot. This included removal of the overhead frog. Although not used since 2005, the points here had actually been relaid some years ago when plans existed for a new depot to be constructed on Blundell Street, in which to house the new low-floor trams. Of course, these plans were eventually scrapped and the new fleet were housed at Starr Gate instead, meaning that these brand new points have never been used. It is expected that they will be lifted at some point in the future, and the overhead works undertaken would certainly support this belief.
Once the wires along Princess Street and Blundell Street are removed, this will end the possibility of trams running along this stretch, which is credited as being the oldest section of British street tramway still in existence. The route dates back to the town’s original conduit tramway which opened in 1885. Pleasingly however, the rails themselves are expected to remain in situ, at least for the forseeable future, even though they will be of no use to the tramway anymore. This is with the exception of a short stretch on Blundell Street, which should remain available for access to the Fitting Shop through the north end entrance. The whole section was last used in the early part of 2005 when trackwork forced the Foxhall line to be re-opened so that trams could leave and enter the depot, and this included a one-off special event day which saw trams such as Standard 147 and Coronation 304 carry passengers along this track. Prior to this the tracks were last used for another enthusiast event, the 1998 depot open day, although this was spoilt by a series of minor derailments.
It is quite ironic that this development has occured so soon after a ghost from the past was sighted in the vicinty, in the shape of some old rails which served the long-lost Blundell Street tram depot. After being covered over with tarmac when the building was demolished, the car park on the former depot site has now closed, and the area has been cleared in readiness for the expected construction of new houses. This has revealed some of the old tram tracks, showing that although Blackpool is still very much about ‘progress’, reminders of the town’s rich history keep appearing, sometimes in the most unlikely circumstances.
Some small glimpses of the old trackwork, and alignment, leading from the Southbound promenade tracks to the inland Marton route at South Pier have started to appear across from Pablos restaurant due to the deteriorating road surface.
Such a shame. Blackpool’s motto is ‘PROGRESS’
Like so many towns & cities these days they don’t care about their heritage.
Anyone know if there are plans for Blackpool to re-instate an inland tram route.
Phil H
What a insult to all the hard work Bryan L & Others have put into the heritage fleet for us. What absolute disgrace you are. Furious that anyone would spout such utter clap trap.
Honestly the way some are carrying on you would think Blackpool transport had set fire to rigby road
All they have done is disconnected a piece of life expired trac that the alignments were off for the last two years rendering it useless
Hardly seems the end of the world….
They are leaving the actual track as a reminder…
To
My sincere apologies to anyone I may have insulted.
It’s just that this is the only section of original street tramway left in Blackpool and ever the whole country. They could have just switched of the power and left the wiring in place.
Another thing I think they should consider is to put back trolley poles on the balloons instead of the ghastly pantographs which really look out of place and swing over seats. Also when they need bodywork maintenance to put the balloons back as near to original as possible like on 700 (257). 717 also looks great apart from one thing, it needs it’s original spring bumper back on.
A lot of these things wouldn’t have happened to these old trams if Derek Hyde or Walter Luff would have still been in charge. It’s just that I like to still see the original thing.
Phil, you’re absolutely right about one thing: we wouldn’t be seeing modifications like centre porches, plug doors and rubber bumpers on the Balloon class if Walter Luff was still running the tramway – because he’d have had them all scrapped years ago. Remember he wanted an all single-deck fleet and intended to replace the Balloons with the Coronations… needless to say that didn’t quite work out as planned! I suspect Luff would hate the fact that these trams are still playing any sort of role on the tramway after nearly 80 years, although I’d like to think that he would be impressed with the Flexities and the impact they’ve made on the system.
It is remakable that the track lasted so long, but surely it must have been replaced some time between around 1900 (when they went over to ovehead from conduit) and the 21st century?. If the new depot had been built there the track would have needed to be re-laid to modern standards anyway. Overhead needs maintenance and I expect it was considered too expensive to maintain wires that had not been used for years.
Whilst it is a shame for such an historic section of line to be rendered unusable, it did have to be removed for resurfacing work to be properly completed. However, what was more worrying perhaps, was that the council official in charge of the project, told me that the intention is to remove the entire street section in the not too distant, up as far in fact, as is stated, to the fitting shop.
Obviously, it is as yet unknown what level or amount of resurfacing work of the surrounding streets will be necessary to cater for the many new houses that are being built shortly, but if even a short section of the original alignment could be “preserved” I think this should be at least considered.
However, to keep it truly “original” relating to the 1885 stretches, it would ideally need to be a section from the mouth of the original 1885 depot to along Princess St towards the prom.
Otherwise, if it must sadly go completely, perhaps the Civic Trust might consider some form of “Blue Plaque” to at least advise where it used to be.
Or if it gets pedestrianised, as in Murraygate in Dundee, where there is a gap in the retained tracks, that they thankfully have made into something of a feature, they could possibly put in a line of different coloured bricks in the pedestrianised area, that follows the line’s original path.
Whilst fully appreciating that “Progress” must still continue, we should still try, if we practicably can, to equally hold on to that which reminds us of our past. Though, that said, it is not lost on me at least, that in Blackpool, we are the only “new era” tramway that we now are, that can still (currently) also run cars from it’s past, which I for one, feel that we should be eternally grateful to BTS and the Council for. Long may this uniqueness last!