Blackpool Transport have announced that plans for an upgrade of the Rigby Road Depot site – which is due to include the installation of new equipment for the introduction of electric buses as well as the restoration of the tram shed to become the Tramtown visitor attraction – continues to evolve and that there are currently “no firm plans committed to any designs”. The latest development (which seems the wrong word when its probably the opposite at the moment!) comes after a board meeting in November of which the minutes were released in mid-December.
Before we get to these latest developments we’ll go backwards in a time a bit to what we had been expecting to happen. With much fanfare the Rigby Road Depot site was announced to be redeveloped which would see the existing tram shed restored and upgraded (becoming Tramtown), see the workshop facilities moved into the main shed and the original workshop buildings (paint shop, body shop, fitting shop) demolished to make room for infrastructure needed for the introduction of electric buses (the other areas of the bus side of the depot would also be redeveloped for the new electric buses).
The Tramtown project would be split into several phases, the first of which had been expected to be started in the short-term and would see work on a third of the roof (a known area of concern for some time). A Crowdfunder had been launched for this work to take place and when this didn’t raise enough funds it was announced that Blackpool Transport/Council were to give £800,000 to allow the works to commence.
Things probably started to get a bit muddy when areas of the depot were put under a notice from the ORR which limited access and then in September 2023 the workshops and tram depot were cordoned off to allow Blackpool Transport to bring in surveyors to look at the condition of the buildings and what work would be needed for repairs and/or demolition. Following this a statement from Blackpool Transport confirmed they remained committed to the Tramtown project and that further updates would follow.
Move forward to November 2023 and a board meeting of Blackpool Transport agreed the following: “To endorse retaining the Fitting Shop and Paint Shop, the retention of South Garage and not to repair the Tramshed roof at this time.” With the minutes from the meeting released and no other comment at the time this obviously led to various comment online and a few days later a statement was released by Blackpool Transport – this is provided in full below:
“We want to address recent speculation circulating, especially on social media, regarding the Rigby Road site and the electric bus project. Here’s an update on where things stand:
“Blackpool Transport and Blackpool Council are collaborating on redesigning the Rigby Road site for the electric bus project. However, it’s crucial to clarify that there are NO firm plans committed to any designs at this time. The project is still in a fluid state, and discussions are ongoing.
“There has been speculation on the minutes of a Shareholder meeting held in November 2023. We want to emphasise that the project remains dynamic, and no definitive decisions have been made regarding the site’s design.
“Initial discussions involved seeking authority to reduce the number of charging points for electric buses and retain the fitting shop. However, plans have evolved, and further details for the Rigby Road site are still being refined.
“The tram shed roof is undergoing a comprehensive survey by Blackpool Council to determine repair costs. Until the survey results are known, Tramtown tours will remain temporarily closed. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
“To ensure the longevity of our assets, the Heritage operation will be suspended from January 2024 until March 2024. This period is earmarked for essential maintenance work.
“We understand the importance of keeping our community informed. Further updates will be provided once a firm project plan is in place for the Electric bus scheme and ongoing Heritage operations, including Tramtown.
“Your support is invaluable as we navigate through these dynamic developments. Stay tuned for more information, and thank you for your continued understanding.”
The gist of this seems to be that although plans have previously been announced they are now being reviewed and no actual decision has been made as to what the future Rigby Road site will look like – both on the bus and tram side of operations. The survey of the closed off areas of the depot continues and this looks set to help decisions to be made on what is feasible for the areas of the depot which we are concerned with on the tram side of things.
We’ve known about the temporary suspension of Heritage Tram operations from January-March 2024 for some time, so in that regard little changes for the immediate future and once Illumination Tours and Mini Festive Tours conclude at the end of December there will be a hiatus of heritage trams on the Prom for a few months. During this period there is due to be maintenance work but with areas of the depot still closed whether this will be impacted remains to be seen.
There will be more updates as and when they are received.
I would be willing to put some money into funding development of Tramtown if I had the confidence that they could see past the ends of their own noses and that the final design was not about an extension to a bus depot and would show the trams off to their best advantage rather that just creating another theme park.
Yet another reason to delay decisions and defer work on both trams and buildings, leaving a collection of static heritage trams out of reach behind the usual begging bowl. No doubt the three month heritage tram suspension will be considerably extended to further discourage our interest. Amid all this gloom, is there any chance of the LRV service finally reaching North station and a summer service frequency any higher than that of midwinter?
Let’s hope money doesn’t run out halfway through and the heritage trams never run again. It has been known to happen. Tramtown may yet become Batterybusville.
“Dynamic” – a process characterised by constant activity and progress, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. I’m not entirely sure any of those words accurately describe this situation.
It is difficult to understand the relevance of this press release without knowing what was discussed in the meeting. The mood on here seems very gloomy, Blackpool Transport and the council are going to have to make visible progress if they want to restore people’s faith.
Ten years and more ago I stated clearly and definitively that the heritage operation should be removed from Transport control and handed over to the Tourism department.
The purpose and objectives of the two operations are not compatible and in some ways run counter to each other,and frankly, modern vehicles of any sort have little appeal to me – or most tourists for that matter.
Now, a decade later the consequences are all too clear. The heritage operation has lost its way. The heritage fleet is becoming shabby, looks neglected, and lacks appeal Its guiding light has been silenced and the variety and appeal of activities and events on offer has become such that I hardly ever visit the town now and certainly see no appeal in tram watching – and therefore fare paying – any longer.
The town council and its poor calibre politicians need to collectively get their act together on so many fronts or they will go the way of Fleetwood and Morecambe – yesterdays towns, ignored by the tourist and leisure market who will opt for the steps of a 737 instead.
The Tramtown concept is a brilliant idea – but only if it is fully funded, resource and developed. Look at what LSL has one on the railway front. Blackpool could o likewise – but not with the current outlook.
I totally agree that the aims and needs of the daily tramway service and those of the fairground ride heritage operation are incompatible. Leaving the transport department to own the infrastructure and operate the daily service via its contract with BTS makes sense. The heritage operation is a bit more difficult to pigeon hole. The tourism department could well take on the Tramtown function and possibly make a success of it.
But how to manage the operation of a few heritage trams by a second body alongside the BTS daily operation whilst complying with the current ROGS regulations could be difficult. Two operators each with their own safety management systems and business plans would increase costs way beyond the present situation.
There can be no doubt that those involved in managing the heritage side of things have seriously underestimated the job that they have taken on and overstretched their resources by taking on far too many trams. There doesn’t seem to be a clear vision of where the operation wants to be.
I get the overall impression that there is a willingness to run some form of heritage service for the foreseeable future. However, I do fear that it may have to be scaled back a good deal on an ongoing basis, with a return to the 2012 situation, where it was envisaged that just a small representative collection of the older generation trams would remain for future use. The Illuminated Cars would make up a substantial proportion of these and they would no doubt still be seen as money spinners. While hardly ideal, this would most certainly be better than nothing.