In a shock development, the Lancastrian Transport Trust have agreed to transfer an incredible NINE vintage trams into Blackpool Transport’s care. Following a period of negotiation, the LTT and BTS have agreed to merge their collections, to create the ultimate fleet of historic Blackpool trams, to be made available for potential future operation on the Blackpool tramway! These will ultimately be cared for by a new charitable trust which will be managed by representatives of both organisations, and in the meantime BTS will act as the custodians of the LTT trams.
The trams concerned are: OMO 8, Standard 143, Permanent Way Brush car 259, English Electric Railcoach 279, VAMBAC Coronation 304, Brush Railcoach 632, Balloon 704, Balloon 715 and the illuminated Rocket 732. The majority of these trams were sold to the LTT between 2002 and 2010, although Coronation 304 was preserved way back in the 1970s. The first of the trams is expected to be moved back to Rigby Road imminently, with priority being given to those vehicles currently in less than ideal outside storage. These should be followed by Standard 143 and Railcoach 279, both of which currently reside at the LTT’s Brinwell Road premises, later in the year. The Rocket is expected to be the last to move, as it is effectively on loan to the Illuminations Department at present, although when this loan deal expires the iconic tram will be able to rejoin its old friends at Rigby Road.
The Lancastrian Transport Trust have been facing an increasing number of challenges
over the last few years. Funding for its proposed museum has still not been obtained, and difficulties in finding suitable accommodation for its growing collection led to the majority of its trams ending up in open storage last year. Although this was initially intended to be a temporary measure, almost a year later little has changed, prompting the Trust to urgently review its future. At the same time, Blackpool Transport have been making great progress in the drive to build a viable future for the operation of its own heritage trams in the town, which led to the decision that both organisations should join forces to enhance the heritage fleet on the tramway, and secure the future of the LTT’s priceless trams. This will also allow the newly streamlined LTT to focus its efforts on its equally valuable collection of vintage buses, which are obviously much easier to store and operate than the trams.
LTT Trustee Eric Berry said of the development: “Now that the tramway upgrade has been completed we have witnessed Blackpool Transport, and Blackpool Council’s, outstanding commitment to retaining and operating a working heritage tram fleet in the town. We now feel it only correct that the trams which we had saved for the future should return
to their home tramway and into the care of the new charity.” Key representatives of the LTT will now work closely with BTS to create a brand new charitable organisation to oversee the historic tram fleet, which will hopefully open up more funding opportunities to ensure that these trams are well cared for on their native system, although the trams will remain part of BTS’ own running fleet.
Head of Blackpool Transport’s heritage tram operations, Bryan Lindop, commented: “I am thrilled that the Lancastrian Transport Trust has recognised the work that Blackpool Transport has done to secure a firm future for the best of the heritage trams in Blackpool. The creation of a new charity for the combined collections will allow us to build on our strengths and fill in the gaps in each collection, allowing us to develop a truly world class collection of heritage trams, right here in Blackpool!”
Bryan continued: “What we now need to do is to work together to mobilise tram enthusiasts, supporting groups and other interested parties into helping us to achieve our aims, for the benefit of all. To see these trams back running on Blackpool’s famous seaside tramway would be fantastic, but it will come at a price!”
Clearly the implications for Blackpool Transport’s heritage tram fleet are massive. Whilst it is tempting to speculate about the future prospects of the former LTT cars, it should be stressed that no firm plans have yet been confirmed for any of them as yet. However, for most, if not all of these trams the future now looks much brighter, and hopefully the potential of an OMO car and an open-balcony Standard car, amongst others, in the heritage fleet will be realised and at least some of them can now look forward to a triumphant return to their rightful place on Blackpool’s promenade before too long.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish the Lancastrian Transport Trust well with their future plans, although obviously their bus-related activities will come outside the scope of this website. We would also like to thank the LTT for taking this decision, which will surely benefit the vehicles, which is what tram preservationists should be all about. Eric Berry said: “We have always seen the Blackpool tramway as the logical home for our collection of Blackpool trams, and are delighted that the creation of the new charity will make this possible and allow transport enthusiasts and the public the opportunity to
experience travel on the transport of yesteryear, which has always been the Lancastrian Transport Trust’s main aim.”
Our congratulations and thanks also go to Blackpool Transport for stepping in to ensure the continued survival of nine more trams, at least in the short term, and we look forward to finding out what they have in store for them all!
Having missed out on the Blackpool 125 celebrations, the LTT/BTS merger will hopefully allow Standard car 143 to run in Blackpool again. The tram is pictured at the Rigby Road depot open day, held on 26th September 2010.
1970s liveried Balloon 715 seen at North Pier on the last weekend of the 2011 season - which was expected to mark the end of its working life in Blackpool.
At last some good news from the LTT. Congratulations to all involved!
Well this is great news, but I thought there was no room for these trams at Rigby Road due to BTS wanting to use part of the depot for other purposes. Will the new arrangements mean that events like the loan on 304 to Beamish will not be possible in the future? I presume it also means that the plans for Thornton Gate have now been abandoned. Still the main thing is that these valuable vehicles will be under cover, although I do hope that the agreement will not lead to any of them being scrapped.
Now, we do need to see 279 completed so that we can see an E.E. railcoach in original condition – something which along with an original Brush railcoach sadly is completely missing from the tramway scene!
I think there is enough room for these nine trams at Rigby Road; you have to bear in mind there will still be far less trams in that depot than there were 3 years ago. It’s like Bryan Lindop says in his statement, they are saving the best of the old fleet and I for one think that they have achieved this. As for the scrapping of trams, well to be honest I could cope with that as long as the most important ones survive. It doesn’t take a genius to see that some trams will need a lot of work doing before they can run again. I’m sure BTS will announce more in due course, but as this has only just been negotiated I expect a lot of decisions haven’t even been made yet! As for tram loans, I would imagine that BTS and the new charity will be open to negotiation – don’t forget that BTS loaned 706 to Heaton Park in 2010. The possibilities are pretty much endless and I have no doubt that the best is yet to come!
Yes, things can obviously only get better, at least all the LTT trams will be under cover pending whatever decision is made as to their future, rather than that decision being made for them due to decay. It is excellent news that BTS and LTT have overcome their differences for the sake of these valuable vehicles, and I’m sure that once again much of the credit will be due to Bryan Lindop.
Thank you for your comments. Just to clarify, there is no decision pending for their future. That decision has already been made. They have been acquired for preservation and there is a plan for all of them. Why would I go to all the trouble of selecting and acquiring vehicles and moving them at a cost to the Company, only to scrap them. They are now part of Blackpool Transport’s conservation fleet. The only reason I decided to take 704 was to ensure that its wasn’t broken up. In all reality, did I really want to add a sixth balloon to the heritage fleet, when four examples is probably overdoing it? Probably not, but quite frankly I have loved these trams since I was a boy and I couldn’t live with my conscience knowing that I had a chance to save it and didn’t, so it’s now included in the collection and yes, I now have a plan for it! It may take 10 to 15 years to complete the conservation work on some of them. But we’ll do it! You can help financially. The more we raise per project when the fundraising starts, the quicker we’ll get them on the track! Let the challenge commence!
Excellent news Bryan and I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to post your comments on this website and I’m pleased that you appreciate the comments being posted. I sincerely hope that readers of this site will support all your efforts to keep these trams running, and I for one cannot wait to see all of these plans unfold over the months and years ahead!
Fantastic!!! I’ve always wanted to ride on an OMO car, Coronation 304 all the way to Fleetwood and ride on an unrefurbished Balloon and Brush car after the introduction of flexities! Please post as soon as any of these trams are returning to service!
There is also one other group of people that I think that needs to be thanked and that is every person who has ridden on the heritage fleet this year, as without those people this deal would not of been done!!!!!!
Congratulations to all parties for recognising that big and generous decisions needed to be made, and then for doing just that!
Blackpool is its heritage trams in exactly the way that San Francisco was always the cable cars, but is now just as much the world renowned Market Street line – any chance of a PCC car to Fleetwood eh??
Going to buy us one then Frank and ship it over? Donate one and deliver it and we’ll probably say yes!
I am proud to have been one of those people who rode on the heritage tram service on many occasions this year and contributed to help make this happen! Maybe the acceptance of some of these fine tramcars is a good enough excuse for the heritage tram service to run every weekend in 2014 considering the large number of trams classed as heritage, ether LTT or BTS owned.
Now all we need is a balloon with twin blinds and open top form to compliment 706……….704!
This is great, if totally unexpected news. I think that it was the only way forward for the LTT’s trams; I am pleased that sense has prevailed and that, just maybe, the criticism aired a few months ago in this blog has helped to focus the urgent need to resolve the situation.
Well done to both sides-credit where it is due!
D. Butterworth.
Well don to everybody
3
It can only be good decision to bring the preserved trams back onto the line so they can run again where they belong.
Interesting thread this! Thank you all for your support. This latest exercise in first class cooperation is a very positive step towards ensuring that there will be plenty of good things happening on the Fylde Coast for many years to come.
Now it’s time for everyone to work together. I’m sick to death of years of griping and brick throwing. We all want the same thing; to ride on a traditional tramcar along the Blackpool seafront, just as our parents, our grandparents and our great grandparents did before us. If you come and support us by riding on them, then we can cover our operating costs and if we can do that then we can keep running them.
Everyone can play a part in this. We’re all in this together and only together can we make this work! So let’s get cracking! Thank you all… We’re winning!
Bryan your enthusiasm and drive is infectious. You literally are Mr Heritage. No words will ever describe how much you have done. Every time another shock announcement or another trick up your sleeve the excitement builds. Your making Blackpool great again. You and your fantastic team should be so proud of yourselves.
Thank goodness! Finally, LTT’s collection is secure, and look forward to riding on them! But what about 704 and 279…they are in fairly bad condition and havn’t run for a while.
I think 259 presents the greatest challenge. It currently resembles a Meccano kit! 279 is a work in progress and far further advanced than you might suppose thanks to the excellent work done by the Trust. Yes, 704 looks a bit ropy, but you’d be surprised! It was only withdrawn with a leaking roof at the time, then became mothballed. We then gutted the upper deck pannelling to restore 717. The rest of it is structurally very sound indeed, so I wouldn’t worry too much Nathan if I were you.
A wise and sensible way forward opening a bright and exciting future for the heritage and history of the Blackpool Tramway – well done to all concerned!
Me thinks the next tram should wear the name ‘Bryan Lindop’… Just saying! Keep up the good work Bryan, you’re doing a fantastic job.
Nice to hear good news from Blackpool regarding the enlarged heritage fleet. I’ve known and loved the traditional trams since I was a lad and look forward to riding on them many more times. Congratulations to Bryan Lindop.
Thank you all once again for all your very generous comments. All the comments about me are more than a bit embarassing, but I am very flattered. None of this is about me, I’m just a conduit for change; getting people together and driving things forward. The latest deal couldn’t have come about without a lot of goodwill on both sides and Blackpool Transport will play its part in honouring our commitment to becoming custodians of these tramcars for the benefit of future generations. Forming a new charitable trust will be another major step forward for Blackpool Transport in achieving those aims. These are exciting times and I think it’s wonderful that everyone is out there, supporting us and encouraging us on to greater things. And God willing there’ll be a lot more to come! Believe me, this is only the start!
Excellent news looking forward to seeing these trams running in their rightful place down Blackpool prom!!!!
Way back in 2010 & 2011 I wrote to Mr Roberts and to a councillor Mr Evans to suggest that a revitalised Rigby Road in possible conjunction with others including the LTT would be of huge benefit to Blackpool. It is so pleasing to see that this vision has now been started.
What might compliment this for the future might be something on the lines of a “Friends of Blackpool Tramways”. This could involve an annual membership, gift aide supported, whereby supporters could be given opportunities to ride on heritage trams, special running days, opportunities to visit Rigby Road etc.
This attraction will one day rival the York Railway museum, after all Blackpool has the only working traditional tram depot in the country complete with workshops and smithy. Traditional skills should be maintained and passed on to future generations.
One day soon we might even see co-operation with Crich to see the likes of Leeds 602 or even 600 running along the prom. What a draw that would be!!
Good luck to all involved in this exciting development.
Thanks Mr Robinson. You may be interested to know that “The Friends of Blackpool Tramway” DOES exist and has done since 1971! It’s called The Fylde Tramway Society. If you check them out you’ll find they already do all those wonderful things you suggest! PS Blackpool Transport is proud of the excellent working relationship that we have always enjoyed with Crich, Beamish and Heaton Park and NEETT amongst others. We all work together and support each other. I do believe anything is possible, but while the will and the enthusiasm is there, we need the finance to go with it. We can all dream, but you also need to have both feet firmly on the ground at all times. Thanks for your enthusiasm. We need you in the FTS!
This is such brilliant news. Great credit to all involved. Blackpool is now the home to such a fantastic collection. I reckon the decision to limit the heritage operation to a few selective weekends, and operating to a theme, must certainly have worked wonders and has surely turned the heritage operation around and looking at the payloads it appears to prove it. That should definitley keep the funds flowing in at a steady rate. All that remains now is for the charitable trust to be set up so that we can all ‘chip in’ to help give the trams some TLC and get them all repaired, restored and running!
Thanks for the mention of Heaton Park Bryan! I know that ourselves, and I am sure the other Tramway Museums and preservation groups, are very much looking forward to continuing to work with and support Blackpool Transport in ensuring that Blackpool’s Tramway Heritage has a bright future.
JOhn
Does anyone have a contact email for Brian Lindop please?
Same goes with this as it does with the Fleetwood Tram Sunday story. The subject has been done to a death and no more comments will be published. If you do have something positive to say on the topic please let us know and we can re-open the comments but don’t expect the same old rubbish to be published!