We move on a couple of months since our last photo from Blackpool for “Picture in Time” as we make another trip in October 1977.
In this photo we see the very first of the Brush Cars, which by 1977 had been renumbered 621 from its original number of 284. As can be seen it retained its double destination indicators (it would be the last Brush Car to get single indicators in 1980, although some wouldn’t ever get single indicators having been withdrawn/converted to works cars before this work took place) and the trolley fitted car is running through to Starr Gate not long after departing Fleetwood Ferry.
The tram is heading south on North Albert Street and is just coming through some track and road works. Some new tarmac patches can be seen in the background abutting the track, while it looks as though the rails where the crossover intersects with the southbound running line may also be receiving attention. A “Slow – Permanent Way Track Repairs” sign is visible propped up behind the Land Rover.
621 is now part of the Fylde Transport Trust collection and is on operational loan to Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours.
Photograph by Donald Brooks, October 1977
By this time 621 had received a plain green roof (as had 622 while retaining double destination blinds, that car having been converted to single blind by 1975 with the Tigeriffic advert). All the same, it still looked very much a traditional Brush Car from the front – maybe it was a pity it didn’t retain the double blinds at least until beyond the 1985 celebrations as it may then have been a better candidate for the Centenary Cavalcade, rather than 636. It would be good to see this feature restored on the present 621, especially with the 1930s livery it carries.
The heavy Coronation Cars may have been to blame for pot holes that often appeared around rail joints, due to the hefty clanking they produced. It was possible that this damage to the road surface had been waiting a couple of years (the Coronations last ran in service in 1975 with 655 and 661 being the final two) and finally had just been sorted. It would be another couple of years before the ubiquitous rail surface corrugations were addressed by means of the ribbon welding process early in 1979. Until then the trams would have continued to run rather noisily through the streets of Fleetwood.
636 did not run in the 1985 Centenary procession. 621 did, but by accident rather than design! 621’s currently livery is based on the 1950s style, not the 1930s.
I do recall seeing 636 in its rather iconic Warburton’s orange livery on Centenary Day – presumably it just happened to be in service coinciding with the Cavalcade as were one or two other trams which got mixed in on the return journey south to Pleasure Beach. To be honest my attention was focused on the mainly visiting vintage cars such as 167 and Standard 40.
So many Blackpool Transport trams which took part in that procession are no longer even in Blackpool now – 606 in the USA, 726 at EATM and 762 at Crich (awaiting maintenance work/repair), to name a few examples. Therefore it is good to note that OMO 8 and 679 (now 279) are still in the FTT collection at Tramtown. The return to service of the latter is keenly awaited and maybe OMO 8 will be able to run again one day, possibly for the 150th Anniversary as a lot can happen in 12 years. Of course, it’s highly unlikely that 59 will carry passengers again in most people’s life time if ever, but it would be wonderful if it could make it to the Exhibition Hall in Crich for 2035, then at least it could be viewed by those who recall the 1985 events and evoke fond memories,