Blackpool’s Tramtown visitor attraction has been closed for the past couple of weeks because of an electrical fault, but should be able to open again in the future after funding was given to repair this issue.
Tramtown last opened on Saturday 24th January but following that the electrical fault was identified and it has been closed since. Initially no public reason was given for its closure but it was later confirmed that it was down to an electrical fault, although no plan for repairs was announced.
But Chris Webb MP (Labour, Blackpool South) has now provided £50,000 worth of funding from the Pride of Place Fund which will allow the fault to be repaired.
Tramtown Volunteer Coordinator Cllr Paul Gallery (Conservative, Anchorsholme) has also said in a statement that this is just the first step towards securing the future of the attraction. This will include it becoming part of the Blackpool Heritage Museum Trust charity (who were involved in the creation and opening of Showtown in the centre of Blackpool).
The Charity Commission for England and Wales website says that the Blackpool Heritage and Museum Trust’s purpose is “To promote the education of the public in relation to the history of Blackpool by the operation, maintenance and preservation of a museum in Blackpool known as ‘Showtown: the museum of fun and entertainment’. To promote the history and heritage of Blackpool and the maintenance and preservation of the Blackpool heritage collections.”
The charitable objects are also given as: “The charity’s objects are specifically restricted to the following:- 3.1 to promote the education of the public in relation to the history of Blackpool principally, but not exclusively, by: 3.1.1 the operation, maintenance and preservation of a museum in Blackpool known as ‘Showtown: the museum of fun and entertainment’; 3.1.2 the operation, maintenance and preservation of heritage transportation; and 3.1.3 the delivery of associated facilities and engagement programmes, fostering knowledge, understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the history and heritage of Blackpool and the maintenance and preservation of the Blackpool heritage collections.”
It is also said to be eight days overdue in charity reporting.
Would the money not be better spent on moving the workshop? I’m sure it would go a very long way towards that!
And where was the magic 50k when they needed money to get Trams running last year? And the roof repair before that?
As I understand the situation, the £50k comes from the ‘Pride in Place’ Fund, which was only created late in 2025.
Thank-you for the detail of the grant for repairs to the Tramtown Workshop Gareth, which is very illuminating.
For those that are interested in more detail, the Blackpool Heritage and Museums Trust is a ‘Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee’ and is registered with both Companies House (Company No: 14012661) and the Charity Commission (Charity No: 1205103).
The charity was registered in 2022, and submitted and financial returns for the years ending March 2023 and March 2024 have been submitted to Companies House. For year ending March 2023, only micro-accounts were submitted, showing assets of £3,600 with no other detail. A full set of accounts was submitted for y/e March 2024. BHMT registered office is Showtown in Blackpool, and runs the attraction. The turnover does not look high for that year, taking into account staff and other running costs. It would appear the charity at the time of accounts submission is dependent on donations and a grant from Blackpool Council for continued operation. Financial returns to the Charity Commission do not seem to have been made since incorporation, and the last 5 accounting periods have been missed. The latest submission is 9 days overdue.
It would seem there is a great deal to be done before BHMT is in a position to take on the assets of the Heritage operation, and be able to apply for grants for the major building and infrastructure work that will be required to establish Tramtown. Grant and funding bodies require a number of things, including demonstration that the charity has a firm financial foundation. It looks like BHMT has some way to go before it would be in that position, in addition to having a business plan and people in place that can manage a major project and ultimately manage the operation ongoing.
It’s reasonable to assume any heritage operation for the foreseeable future will be limited and dependent on Blackpool Transport and Blackpool Council putting the resources into preparing a small number of heritage trams for limited operation.
What I don’t understand is why this money is being spent on a building that had been earmarked for demolition before this issue was even identified? If the plan to knock it down has been changed, then for goodness sake tell us!
I do think this £50,000 would have been far better spent on getting a small selection of heritage trams into a condition that allows them to run again for some years to come and secures their place in the running fleet. The Western Train was sorely missed last year and needs to be a priority, closely followed by at least one open Boat car. 717 would also benefit from some serious attention, including a complete repaint. Surely this would give a more solid foundation for these trams’ futures than effectively putting a big sticking plaster over a dilapidated workshop/visitor centre? Plus having at least three ‘good’ operational trams would allow them to earn some money!
Without a workshop, it is improbable than any maintenance or repair work can be undertaken on any heritage tram. The £50k is simply intended to fix an electrical issue within the workshop.
Starr Gate has a state-of-the-art wheel lathe, modern compliant workshops pits and raised platforms modern welfare facilities for staff. Since the upgrade Starr Gate has seen three heritage repaints (711,719 Vinyl & Painted Ends & Fully Re-Painted 631 (including body work and light clusters), 602 significant electrical work, multiple trams have used the wheel lathe and for extended periods they have operated and maintained at Starr Gate.
Let’s be clear when they originally envisaged building a museum within Starr Gate loop the vision was most of the heavy heritage engineering would have been within the LRV Engineering Bays in the main shed. The importance of the former Fitting Shop continues to be overstated for political theatre. The equipment inside it is life-expired with better far safer and efficient alternatives on the market. Its not in use whilst been used as “visitor experience” either.
Starr Gate is perfectly capable of working on Heritage Trams. 631 was remodelled and repanelled there and they have done electrical work in the past. Long term and for heavier work somewhere dedicated is needed.
But on this site about a week ago, it was reported that seven of BTS’s 18 car fleet were out of service, presumably due to overdue maintenance? What Starr Gate can potentially do, yet what they are actually able to do, are two different issues, seemingly.
From what I’ve seen here in other articles, the staff at Starr Gate can’t even keep half the fleet of LRVs on the road, let alone learn the skills needed to maintain the heritage fleet. The problem is that 20 years ago, what is now the heritage fleet (and more besides) were in regular daily service and profitable. It’s gross mis-management by both Blackpool Council and BTS that have got the system into this whole mess.
And in what world does it cost £50,000 to repair an electrical fault? Perhaps it costs more like £5000 to fix the fault and £45,000 to allow someone to say “oh dear, that old workshop is definitely too expensive to maintain!”
My understanding is no actual work has taken place on Heritage trams in the Workshop since the maintenance staff were made redundant, Geoff. It would seem the £50k will be used for electrical repairs to what is at the moment just a visitor centre. It will not contribute to enabling any of the Heritage fleet to return to operation, which presumably, if it happens, will have to undertaken at Starr Gate?
As Andrew and Chris C says, it is difficult to understand why public money has been allocated to repairing a building that is scheduled for demolition, is dilapidated, and does not figure in the longer term strategic plan. No doubt the Tramtown volunteers will be pleased, and the visitor centre will possibly continue for a while longer. But will it in anyway contribute to getting a heritage operation up and running in 2026 or anytime in the foreseeable future? I don’t think so!
I’m afraid this seems another example of politicians, local and national, reacting to perceived but ill-informed public outcry, and not being prepared to show leadership and make the right but initially unpopular (to some!) decision.
‘It would seem the £50k will be used for electrical repairs to what is at the moment just a visitor centre. It will not contribute to enabling any of the Heritage fleet to return to operation.’ The funding comes from the Government’s ‘Pride in Place’ initiative, which was introduced in, I believe, September or November of 2025.
The Initiative is intended, according to GOV.UK, to ‘deliver real improvements that matter to local people. This is led by local people and backed by the UK government.
Communities will be able to spend the funding on what matters most to them – from improvements to pavements and high streets to investing in culture and green spaces.’ This would not seem to include funding works on Heritage vehicles in the mandate.
Without making the Workshops accessible again, it would not would not be possible to restore any of the heritage fleet. As last weekend seven of Blackpool’s eighteen flexities were out of service due to outstanding issues, it would seem unlikely that any of this work could be carried out there.
Out of interest, what do you think WOULD ‘contribute to getting a heritage operation up and running in 2026 or anytime in the foreseeable future?’
Doesn’t the Chinese proverb say, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step?”
The operation of Heritage trams is not dependant of Tramtown being open or not. BHTT run the Heritage operation, not Tramtown. People are missing this important difference. All current maintenace on operational heritage trams will be done at Starr Gate, not Tramtown, as was the case for 717 and 736 during the Illuminations.
What would contribute, in my opinion. to getting a Heritage operation up and running in 2026, would be the main stakeholders working together towards the goal of having a small number of heritage trams up and running by the main season and into the illuminations period. As with 2025, they would operate and be maintained at Starr Gate.
I would see the main stakeholders as Blackpool Council, Blackpool Transport, BHTT (the volunteer department responsible for heritage operation) and the Tramtown volunteers. Seeing the Heritage trams operating throughout the season would keep them in the mind of the public and visitors far more than any Visitor Centre. A limited operation was achieved in 2025. and if the main stakeholders collaborate together, no doubt a slightly expanded operation could be made to happen on 2026.
The problem is the furore around the proposed closure and demolition of the Workshop proved a distraction, with the message going out “Blackpool Council closing the Workshop means they intend to scrap the Heritage fleet”. In other words, without Tramtown a Heritage operation is not possible. Not true of course, but this misleading message was allowed to gather momentum, and those intentionally or unintentionally promoting this message were slow to correct this view. The trouble is those same national and local politicians are now putting the message out about “cross party collaboration…” finding funds to repair the workshop electrics and reopen Tramtown. Knee jerk reaction which won’t do anything to move a viable heritage operation forward, but no doubt seen as an opportunity for political capital.
The problem is cross-party collaboration is fine if the main stakeholders are focussing and working on the right objectives ie in this case heritage trams running for the public to enjoy? Will it happen in 2026? I’m not holding my breath!!
I fear that the febrile atmosphere has contributed to this reactive decision. The reality is the longer they take to knock it down the more it is going to cost. I think they have caved to pressure and made a poor knee‑jerk decision to release £50,000 of public money into a building earmarked for demolition. This building does not even feature as part of the already hopelessly ambitious proposals. This just looks like a very expensive sticky plaster. They could have used this money to accelerate the business case and re‑activate (operating out of Starr Gate) the National Lottery Heritage Fund Illuminated Western Train. Starr Gate depot is perfectly capable of maintaining and operating a small number of trams in the interim.
But your ‘Small number’ would be three or, perhaps, four. Probably three if the Western Train were to be one.
No one has ‘caved in’ to pressure. The £50k has been allocated from the ‘Pride in Place’ fund set up by the Government late in 2025, and was a result of the initiative of Mr. Chris Webb, the Blackpool South Labour MP and a Sandgrown’un himself.
The fund is intended to encourage a sense of belonging and community-led regeneration in deprived areas, not to be used to promote ‘business cases.’
Moreover, why is it ‘febrile’ to wish to preserve a unique part of the heritage of Blackpool in particular, and of the North West of England in general?
‘Febrile’ seems a good word to describe the threatening social media postings that were generated following the announcements the Workshop housing the Tramtown display would close. The erroneous statements that the closure of the Tramtown display meant the end of the Heritage trams was wrong as this was not the Council’s intention. The reaction brought little credit or credibility on the tram enthusiast movement. The slow response by Councillor Galley to issue corrective statements, which when they came seemed a bit lukewarm, did not seem to help either.
Geoff, the allocation of this money to TT doesn’t allow ANY Trams to be reactivated and run so Chris’ comments about it being used for a small number would be far better use of the cash. Its being thrown away on a building which will still be demolished in all likelihood!
The £50,000 is from a specific source, the ‘Pride in Place’ fund introduced late in 2025. It is money provided for a specific purpose. This is how GOV.UK describes it :-
‘With Pride in Place, residents, businesses, and community groups will deliver real improvements that matter to local people. This is led by local people and backed by the UK government.’
Communities will be able to spend the funding on what matters most to them – from improvements to pavements and high streets to investing in culture and green spaces.
It is not a ‘use as you please’ present.
In this case, the intention is to re-open the building by resolving electrical issues. What happens thereafter is not yet determined.
A case could equally have been made for ‘Pride of Place’ monies being allocated to refurbishment of a selected number of heritage trams to be made operational for the 2026. This would seem to fit the criteria for allocation of money from the Fund, and residents, businesses, visitors would have seen real benefits from the Heritage trams running again.
Arguably more benefit than a visitor centre with static exhibits.
From what I saw last October, Starr Gate depot is quite literally not even capable of changing a light-bulb! Check out any p[hotos of the frigate in service if you don’t believe me!
It is rather insulting to suggest that the staff at Starr Gate are that useless… bear in mind that they presumably had quite enough work to do maintaining the Flexity2 fleet, before the decision was made to lay-off the heritage tram engineering staff. In most workplaces, you can’t expect to increase the workload without increasing the number of staff to match!
The Frigate probably didn’t look any worse last year than it has previously when it was maintained at Rigby Road by heritage staff, anyway. Perhaps the issue is that the lights being used on it are cheap rubbish rather than the staff being to blame?
Sorry, James B, but if you believe that, then I fear you are in error. You refer to ‘visitors’ when the Fund is not aimed at ‘visitors,’ but at local residents. Moreover, without access to the Workshop, volunteers can do nothing in, nor can visitors support, Tramtown.
The idea of refurbishing some cars at Starr Gate is, it seems, a far fetched one. Starr Gate, if reports are to be believed, cannot even maintain the current flexity fleet. Do you seriously think BTS will devote already inadequate resources to Heritage cars?
There is a difference between the facility being able to and the staff being able to……….