The first completed tram, seen on display in Princess Street, will soon be making the journey from outside storage in a good yard to a safe and secure home in the new Gogar depot, joining the tram which has recently arrived. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

More tangible signs that the troubled Edinburgh tram project is back on track has recently occurred with the commencement of the delivery of its fleet trams to the Scottish capital.

Previously, only one example had arrived in Edinburgh, the demonstration model, which had spent some time on display to the public in Princess Street but which has been stored, in a dismembered state, in a good yard for the last few months. The other 26 trams which had been ordered have been constructed but had remained stored within the premises of builder CAF while the various problems with the project were ironed out.

Now, following the recommencement of work by contractor Bilfinger Berger, which has finally seen the depot at Gogar made ready to receive the new tram fleet, the first tram has made the long journey from Irun in Northern Spain. Shipped via Amsterdam, the tram arrived in Edinburgh after a lengthy road journey from the port of Newcastle, split into seven sections and carried on three separate low loaders. Following unloading and re-assembly, the new tram is expected to shortly undergo testing at its new home, after the overhead power lines around the depot were recently made live. A test track is also expected to be commissioned in early December to allow more intensive testing of the new tram.

Plans also exist regarding the fate of the other 26 vehicles which formed the original order. The pioneering vehicle is expected to make the journey from outside storage to Gogar in the next few days and then the delivery of the outstanding trams from Spain will commence. It had previously been expected that some of these would not be arriving in Edinburgh, as the truncated route now being constructed does not require the full fleet of 27 trams to be in operation. It had been hoped to lease or sell up to ten of these to another operator, but, so far, interest has not been forthcoming. The rejection of these trams by Croydon has been followed by a similar failure to interest any other tramway system, despite a world wide hunt for a suitable market. However, it has been realised that delivering these surplus trams to Edinburgh, despite a reputed £11,000 shipping cost per vehicle, actually represents a saving over keeping them in storage in Spain. Therefore, although the initial route will only require seven trams to meet service requirements, it is the intention to commission all 27 vehicles and use them in rotation, until such time as a potential buyer can be found for the ten which are for sale.

Hopefully, with the delivery of these trams, the time when they can be seen fulfilling their purpose and gliding through the streets of Edinburgh in their smart madder and white livery, serving the population who have so patiently awaited their arrival, can not be too far off. As work progresses in Edinburgh, hopefully the problems of the past can be forgotten and the benefits of a modern tram system finally appreciated.

Balloon 707 stands within the confines of the new Starr Gate depot, in the area occupied by the wash plant which will be used by the Flexities upon returning to the depot after a day on service. This line is a continuation of the former passenger loop and leads ultimately to the track fan in front of the new depot.

The stretch of track between Pleasure Beach and Starr Gate, supposedly closed until the advent of the Flexity service next year, has seen a surprising amount of use lately, as trams continue to breach the divide and operate along currently unfamiliar territory.

Apart from the new Flexity 001, which has made the journey between Pleasure Beach and Starr Gate several times recently in order to begin accumulating test mileage, many members of the traditional fleet have also been noted using this section of the line, some of which, with withdrawal looming, may never get the chances to venture beyond the Pleasure Beach again.

Jubilee Car 762 enjoyed a number of runs along New South Promenade on November 1st, when, having been recalled from service and replaced by Balloon 718, it was boarded by several members of the Tramway Museum Society, its new owners, who took the opportunity to use the track south of Pleasure Beach to familiarise themselves with its intricacies ahead of its expected transfer to Crich. This was the first occasion that a member of the Jubilee class had traversed this section of line since its initial closure in September 2009 and, with their withdrawal coming in only a matter of days, it is expected to be an isolated occurrence.

Balloon 715 makes what could potentially be a final journey ever to the southern terminus. The tram is stabled on the former passenger loop, which will now see use only by trams terminating or returning to depot. The large figure in the Crazy Golf course has long been a familiar landmark in this area and soon it will be casting its eye over a new generation of Blackpool trams.

The following day it was the turn of three Balloon Cars, 707, 715 and 718, to make the journey to the southern terminus. All three trams made several circuits of the new trackwork around Starr Gate depot, their use believed to be in connection with familiarising drivers with the revised layout at this location. The use of Balloon 715 on this duty was especially appropriate as, again, with the tram facing withdrawal it is unlikely to ever again be seen in this location.

Since the track initially closed for reconstruction in September 2009 a surprisingly large amount of trams have used this stretch. Although many journeys have been rather surreptitious, making an exhaustive list difficult to compile, it is known that the following trams have now made the journey towards Starr Gate: Flexity 001, Standard 147, Brush Cars 630, 632 and 636, Centenary Car 646, Coronation 660, Balloons 700, 707, 711, 713, 715, 717, 718, 720 and 723, the Western Train 733+734, Jubilee Car 762 and Engineering Car 754 with Reel Wagon 750. This encompasses most classes of traditional trams, with the exception of Boat Cars and Twin Cars, with the latter being the only one unlikely now to ever be seen at the new southern terminus.

Despite the track and overhead being completed, and the use of trams in service for the Flexity launch, it is disappointing that Blackpool Transport have not even considered opening up this stretch for limited passenger service, or allowing enthusiasts tours to venture along this line. However, from Easter 2012, with the coming of the Flexities, passengers will finally be able to board a tram on New South Promenade once again after an absence of two and a half years.

The service changes have relegated the Centenary Cars and Brush Cars to use only on specials in their last week of service, if they see further use at all. Seen here on their last day of timetabled service, Brush car 632 running on the Little Bispham service, passes Centenary car 647 reversing on the short working North Pier shuttles.

In a year characterised by unusual decisions adopted by Blackpool Transport, the events of the final week of the season have proved that the company have managed to maintain their contradictory approach to the operation of the tramway right up until the closing chapter of the 2011 season.

The core timetable in operation throughout the busiest period of the year has involved the use of single deckers for the bulk of the day on both the Little Bispham and North Pier diagrams, with the former then swopping to double deckers for the evening service, supplemented by specials, while the North Pier trams return to depot after the early evening peak. This has ensured that the higher capacity trams are in use during the evening, which is traditionally the busiest part of the day, although it has often resulted in capacity issues during the morning when North Promenade generally experiences a high volume of demand, far in excess of the capacity of the single deck service.

The shortage of trams during certain periods of the day was highlighted most acutely during the recent October half term holiday, which is always Blackpool’s busiest week. However, despite some expectations, no opportunity was taken to substitute double deckers for that period, with the previous single deck daytime service remaining in force.

However, with one week remaining before the tramway closes down for its long winter hibernation, the opportunity has taken to substitute single deckers on all service journeys with higher capacity double deckers. It has been a long established trait of the Blackpool tramway that the final week is one of the quietest of the entire year and this season has been no exception to that general rule, meaning that the higher capacity trams have been utilised during a time of less demand. As expected, this has led to trams running around virtually empty; the extra capacity provided being completely unnecessary when matched with passenger levels.

The return of the double deckers has seen more extensive use of the Jubilee Cars in their final days on the tramway. Here, Jubilee Car 761 arrives at Pleasure Beach ready to embark on another run to Little Bispham, with Balloon 718, running the North Pier service, waiting patiently behind.

An even more bizarre feature of the new scheduling has been the retention of the operating procedures from the previous service. Previously the changeover from single deck to double deck was affected by the smaller capacity tram running to Pleasure Beach, where a double decker would be waiting to continue the journey north to Little Bispham. The single decker would then run a short Pleasure Beach to Manchester Square journey in order to access the depot. With full double deck operation now in force it was expected that the trams allocated to the Little Bispham service would simply continue in service into the evening but, on the first day of the new service, the daytime trams were duly swopped over. This gave the absurd scenario whereby one Balloon Car was dispatched to depot, only to be replaced by another Balloon Car! To make matters even more complicated, some of the trams which ran to depot early were then dispatched back into service to relieve another of the daytime routes!

On the first day of this overly complicated service, the daytime Little Bispham service used Balloons 707, 723 and 724 and Jubilee Cars 761 and 762, all of which were swopped over, with the replacing trams being Balloons 709, 719 and then 723, 724 and 762 which re-appeared fresh from the depot again! Apart from the obvious pointlessness of a like-for-like swop, the unrenumerative journeys from Pleasure Beach to Manchester Square would have been avoided will the simple expedient abandoning this practise and allowing the morning trams to remain in service throughout the evening.

One unfortunate by product of the switch to double deckers for enthusiasts is that it may mean the premature end of some of the single deck trams, such as the Centenary Cars and Brush Cars, all of which were expected to face withdrawal at the end of the season anyway. If the double deck service remains in force throughout the final week, some of these trams, unless required for use on specials over the final weekend, may have already run their final journeys in Blackpool. However, conversely, the revised scheduling has given a new lease of life to those double deckers also expected to be withdrawn, which include Balloon Car 723 and both Jubilee Cars 761 and 762, all of which are now appearing in service daily, as a final swansong to their careers in Blackpool.

Two future Crich acquisitions meet up at the Pleasure Beach. Jubilee car 762 is seen having a crew break on the disused main line towards Starr Gate, whilst Brush Car 630, on its last ever day in service, passes alongside.

The ongoing saga of the potential additions to the national tram collection from the ranks of the redundant Blackpool cars is continuing to cause confusion, with the situation regarding potential acquisitions appearing to change frequently.

The original intention was to acquire a total of six obsolete Blackpool trams, the majority of which were historically important and which would have been worthy candidates for inclusion in the fleet at Crich. Of the ones initially proposed, Balloon 712 made the journey to its new home early in 2010 and is currently ensconced within the Exhibition Hall but the other five, Brush car 630, Boat 607, Twin Set 672+682, Centenary Car 648 and Jubilee Car 762, have, so far, remained within Blackpool’s Rigby Road depot. Apart from the Boat, which was withdrawn back in 2004, the other four have seen extensive use throughout the current season, before becoming available for collection by the Tramway Museum Society.

Unfortunately, however, the process of acquiring the Blackpool trams has not been a smooth one, with many twists and turns occurring and the fate of the potential exhibits altering frequently. Several months ago it was announced that, due to a lack of space in the museum, Jubilee Car 762 had been rejected for inclusion in the collection, leading a widespread outcry that this important tram, which represents the last traditional double deck tram to be constructed in Britain, would not be making the journey to Derbyshire. In order to house the newly acquired Blackpool trams, the Tramway Museum Society had originally planned to build a new depot, which would have been merely a storage shed with no physical connection to the main running line and, in order to raise funds, an appeal was launched. However, this was a surprisingly low key affair, being given little publicity and was recently declared a failure, with insufficient money raised to realise these plans, leaving the society with the dilemma of accommodating the potential new arrivals within the current depot facilities.

This has resulted in several re-thinks amongst senior members, as efforts have been made to prioritise the Blackpool trams and acquire only those which are seen as being the most significant, in order to capitalise on the limited space available. Although no official announcement has yet been made by the Tramway Museum Society, it is widely believed that these decisions have now been finalised and, as a result, only three more trams are expected to escape Rigby Road for a new home at Crich. Both Twin Set 672+682 and Centenary Car 648 have now been rejected, leaving Brush Car 630, Boat 607 and Jubilee Car 762 to join the national collection.

Centenary car 648, displaying its original specification front end appearance, retained at the insistence of the Tramway Museum Society, is seen unloading at Bispham on a journey to Little Bispham in October 2011. With the tram’s rejection by Crich, its future is now less than secure.

Although the difficulties of housing these trams, following the failure of the depot appeal, must be recognised, the decision as to which trams can be accepted appears to have shown a surprising disregard for the historical significance of the various Blackpool trams on offer. The role of the National Tramway Museum is to tell the story of the evolution of the British tram and, in this context, the most significant of all of the trams offered to Crich must surely have been Centenary Car 648, as an example of the final traditional class of tram ever built for a British tramway and the only completely new trams to have been built in the period between the arrival in Blackpool of the final Trailer in 1961 and the delivery of the first Metrolink tram in 1992. Therefore, its rejection appears very short sighted, especially when compared with other vehicles, notably Brush Car 630, which add little to the story of the British tram.

Although the rejection of the Twin Set is also unfortunate, denying Crich the opportunity to portray an example of the UK’s most successful application of the trailer concept, it is the elimination of 648 which has aroused the strongest feelings. This car was specifically given a sympathetic overhaul by Blackpool Transport in 2006, retaining the original appearance of the Centenary class, in contrast to the other members, at the insistence of the Tramway Museum Society, with a view to future acquisition of the tram and now, with this latest decision, it appears that this effort was in vain. The TMS also acquired the original bogies fitted to 648 during its time as a GEC Test Car, when it was numbered 651, and these will now presumably also be surplus to requirements following the rejection of the tram. In years to come the absence of a Centenary Car will be a major gap in the collection at Crich and it is wondered if future generation will look back at the decision not to include one with regret.

The end of an era. As dusk falls on October 30th, Brush Car 630 calls at Manchester Square on its last ever southbound journey. Upon arrival at Pleasure Beach, the tram was dispatched to Little Bispham, before returning to the depot for the final time.

Of the three trams which are now expected to make the journey to the museum, Boat 607 is still under overhaul, being currently based on the Body lift at the back of the depot and is not expected to transfer to Crich until all the work required is completed by Blackpool Transport, whilst Jubilee car 762 is the last of the three to remain in service, with final withdrawal expected at the end of this week.

Brush Car 630 has now run its final journey in Blackpool, being allocated to Little Bispham service on October 30th and ending its 74 year career in the resort with a final journey from Little Bispham to depot as darkness fell. Thankfully, the tram was given a rousing send off with several enthusiasts on board to record its poignant last run, with many photographs taken as the car trundled down Lytham Road bound for the depot for the very last time. The following day the tram was transferred to the Paint Shop to have its long running advert livery for Karting 2000 replaced by a coat of green and cream. This is expected to be in the 1990s style, complete with a green skirt, replicating the condition in which it ran from 1995 to 1998. Upon completion of its repaint, 630 is then expected to move to Crich to join the operational fleet.

A taste of things to come. Brush Car 630 is seen within the depot on November 4th 1995 alongside current Beamish resident Balloon 703, having just been released from the Paint Shop after a repaint into the 1990s style green and cream fleet livery. This scene is expected to be re-enacted soon, as the tram once again assumes this livery style, prior to departure for Crich.

Although the decision to repaint 630 is an excellent one, confusion still exists as the ultimate purpose of acquiring this particular tram. Ever since the acquisition of this particular vehicle was announced, rumours have been circulating that its ultimate fate is to be scrapped and parts used to aid the restoration of sister car 298, which currently exists at Crich is a semi-restored state. This speculation has never been officially confirmed or denied by a statement from the Tramway Museum Society who have remained characteristically tight lipped about the reasons for obtaining this particular tram. Bearing in mind the space constraints at the museum, the luxury of having a second Brush Car which will, ultimately, be almost a duplicate of 298 is hard to justify, especially at the expense of more valuable exhibits. However, the decision to repaint the tram means that, at least in the short term, it is being considered as part of the core collection. On the one hand this is a good move, especially as the tram is particularly reliable and, with fully working heaters, will be an excellent winter car for the museum. However, if the ultimate plan is to scrap the tram, then the expense of repainting appears to be an unusual use of resources. It also must be considered as to how valuable 630 will be as a source of spare parts, as the underframe in particular received only minimal attention during its last overhaul in 1995 and now must be in a far from perfect condition and also, with the extensive alterations undertaken on the tram during its life in Blackpool few, if any, parts will now be compatible with 298.

The lack of an official statement by the Tramway Museum Society as to the purpose for which 630 has ultimately been accepted has led to intense speculation recently and has done little to endear enthusiasts to the museum. Similarly, no announcement has yet been made regarding the rejection of 648 and 672+682. Hopefully, this will be forthcoming soon as the ongoing silence from the museum will make it more difficult for others to step in and save these trams, with the deadline for all cars to be removed from Rigby Road getting closer.

With seemingly more twists and turns than a detective novel, it could be that a last minute reprieve will be forthcoming for those trams now not being considered for inclusion within the museum collection but, at the moment, the prospect of seeing and riding on 607, 630 and 762 at Crich during 2012 will be an exciting one for followers of the Blackpool tramway and the Tramway Museum Society should be congratulated in that, even in a difficult climate, at least some of the valuable history of this unique tramway is being kept alive for future generations.

The Queen and Prince Philip are seen alighting from the specially prepared Melbourne tram 158 at the end of their historic tram ride. Photo courtesy of Buckingham Palace News.

An ordinary tram from the Melbourne fleet was given a special honour when two very unusual passengers opted to have a ride on October 27th. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, on an official visit to Australia, chose a tram ride as part of their itinerary during a tour of Melbourne, with the royal couple boarding the specially prepared vehicle and travelling along part of St. Kilda Road in order to reach the Shrine of Remembrance.

Tram riding is still an unusual experience for the royal couple, although they have experienced this type of travel before, with the Queen having been conveyed along Douglas promenade in the Isle of Man on board Horse Tram 44 and having also paid two visits to Manchester Metrolink, once to officially open the system and then again during the Commonwealth Games in 2002. Prince Charles has also been a tram rider, having experienced the delights of Glasgow 22 during the 1988 Garden Festival.

On this latest occasion the chosen tram was number 158, one of the Z3 type cars introduced in Melbourne between 1979 and 1984. 115 of these trams were introduced into service and all but one still survive today. Number 158 was given a special red, white and blue livery in order to look smart for its royal role, with the destination blind specially changed to read ‘Royal Tram’, while the side screen displayed the letters ‘E.R.’. The interior of the tram had also been given a special face lift in order to make it more suitable for the special guests.

Wearing a rather lurid, blancmange looking pink outfit, the Queen, accompanied by Prince Philip, had to first purchase a ticket before being allowed to board the tram, although a member of staff was given the job of handling this transaction. Held up by crowds of well wishers, the tram was late setting off and Prince Philip was heard to urge the driver to start, mirroring the comments made by commuters throughout the world.

The tram ride was one of a number of successful engagements carried out by the royal couple during their 10 day tour of Australia and hopefully has helped raise the profile of tram travel throughout the world.

Balloon 710 is already stored in Fleetwood awaiting the creation of the new museum to give it a permanent home. Seen here awaiting departure from Rigby Road for the last time, the tram was the star attraction at this years Tram Sunday festival.

Exciting plans have been revealed by the ‘Friends of Fleetwood Trams’, who had announced their intentions to open a museum to celebrate the traditional Blackpool trams several months ago. In order to provide exhibits they have already purchased seven of the trams made redundant by the upgrade, of which one, Balloon 710, has already left Rigby Road for outside storage in Fleetwood.

For many new owners of Blackpool trams the difficulty that has arisen is of finding suitable accommodation but is appears that the Friends of Fleetwood Trams have succeeded in identifying a suitable base for their new museum and have announced their intentions of utilising the former tram depot at Copse Road in Fleetwood. This building, which was built for the opening of the tramway to Fleetwood in 1898, is the only former depot building which still survives intact and, as such, is an excellent choice for the new museum venture. Currently the building is home to the Fleetwood Car Centre, a car showroom, but it appears that the intention is to have the property transformed into its new role as a tramway exhibition centre in time for Tram Sunday next year. Therefore it is probable that the trams acquired by the Friends, Brush Cars 621 and 627, Centenary Cars 641 and 646, Railcoach 678, Balloon 710 and Jubilee Car 761, will move into their new home shortly in order to be ready for the expected July opening.

The prototype Brush Car 621, having lain derelict since withdrawal in 2004, is also expected to make the journey to the new Copse Road museum. The car is seen here approaching the Tower during 1993, when it wore a plain half green and half cream fleet livery.

This will be the first time that a tram has entered this building since it was finally vacated by the transport department and sold in October 1963, with the last tram to leave being Box Car 40. Ever since construction, the role of Copse Road has primarily been a store for unwanted or irregularly used trams, with former residents including Dreadnought 59, Rack 2, Pantograph 167 and the Electric Loco, all now resident at Crich. Ironically, there have been proposals previously to turn the building into a transport museum with an initial scheme proposed in the 1960s but which ultimately failed to materialise and therefore the latest scheme re-writes history and returns this building to a use for which it was originally designed.

The Copse Road museum is expected to cost around £240 000 to initiate, with a bid for lottery funding expected to be made to help finance the proposals. Ambitious future plans include the creation of a further two attractions by the group within Fleetwood, although not based on trams, which will help re-vitalise the tourist industry in the town.

Amongst the collection of the Friends of Fleetwood Trams are two currently orange trams, Centenary Car 641 and Jubilee Car 761. The cars, which are both historically important as the prototypes of two new classes of tram, as seen together at Manchester Square during 2010.

This excellent development has come at a very opportune moment, following the news that all sold trams have to be removed from Rigby Road by the end of November, which had led to widespread fears that the majority of the unwanted rolling stock would be facing scrap. Hopefully, the creation of the new museum at Copse Road will be a resounding success and may even lead to the group extending their exhibits to include further examples of Blackpool’s rich tram heritage. At a time when the other local transport group, the Lancastrian Transport Trust, are facing a crisis over the future of their tram collection, the news from Fleetwood is a welcome boost for those who are keen to see as much of Blackpool’s tram fleet saved as possible.

The last two Balloons awaiting widened doors are 711 and 719. Seen in their last season in unmodified form, these two trams are expected to be amongst the last to receive major attention at Rigby Road. Both trams share the Pleasure Beach loop in this view taken in May 2011.

The last few weeks have not been a particularly good time to be an employee of Blackpool Transport, with two recent decisions by the management having negatively affected many of the people they employ.

Perhaps the most unfortunate has been the announcement that around nineteen positions within the engineering and maintenance department are shortly to become obsolete, leading to many long term employees facing redundancy. This has come about due to the differing requirements of the new upgraded system and the consequent reduction in the number of heritage trams operated, which will result in less people required to maintain them. A similar reduction in the bus fleet has also impacted on the decision to lose these positions, although the management are looking, in the first instance, at re-deployment of the surplus staff before considering compulsory redundancy.

These job losses are an unfortunate by product of the desire to upgrade the system and it is particularly unfortunate that it will result in the loss of employees with valuable experience in looking after the fleet of heritage trams. The reduction in the tram maintenance capacity is likely to see all future work undertaken at Starr Gate depot with little or no facilities for trams to receive attention in the current Rigby Road workshops. Any work undertaken on the tram fleet over the coming winter, such as the completion of the overhaul to Boat 607, the fitting of widened porches to Balloons 711 and 719 and the retro-fitting of standard plug doors to Balloon 720, is therefore likely to be the last undertaken at Rigby Road, ending a tradition of maintenance in this area which stretches back to the early 1920s.

However, perversely, despite the upgraded system resulting in the loss of these nineteen jobs, the new system is expected to also generate up to ninety new positions, with around 40 drivers and 50 conductors being required to operate the tramway from next year. Many of these positions are expected to be filled by currently seasonal staff, the training of which is expected to begin as soon as the season ends.

A further unfortunate decision by Blackpool Transport has seen the management withdraw the offer of free travel during the winter to its seasonal conductors. Previously, those conductors who left the company’s employment at the end of the year and who had served for at least five seasons were allowed to retain their free pass over the winter period. However, a recent communication with staff has made it clear that this agreement will no longer by honoured and that all free passes must be returned by the last day of the season or the staff will not receive their final pay cheque. This has understandably caused a great deal of resentment amongst previously loyal employees, who are already facing a winter of unemployment before the new system begins running at Easter. Many have responded by refusing to undertake any overtime which, during the evening of October 25th, resulted in a severe shortage of trams being rostered and consequently huge queues throughout the system. Blackpool Transport must inevitably have lost a fortune in revenue on this one evening alone and, unless the decision to withdraw the free passes is rescinded, it is possible that the severe shortage of trams will continue throughout the remainder of the season.

Balloon 715 and Brush Car 632, the two LTT owned trams which currently remain within the operational fleet at Blackpool, are both expected to see their last use in less than two weeks time when their future will be less certain. The two trams are seen together at Pleasure Beach earlier this year.

A major row has erupted in Blackpool between the Lancastrian Transport Trust and Blackpool Transport, which could see the future of the LTT collection of trams, built up mainly in the last few years as the cars rendered surplus by the upgrade have been offered for sale, placed in jeopardy.

The LTT collection currently consists of seventeen redundant Blackpool cars, of which thirteen are currently located within the existing depot at Rigby Road, whilst four have been moved out to pastures new, with Balloon 703 resident in Beamish and Coronation 663, Railcoach 279 and Brush Car 622 all currently stored within the Trust’s own facility at Brinwell Road. When the original sale agreements were negotiated, which in many cases was over 18 months ago, all of the new owners of former Blackpool trams were informed that their purchases would need to be removed from Rigby Road by the end of November 2011.

Several trams have already left, including Balloons 702 and 710 and Brush Cars 623 and 634 but, so far, the LTT have been unsuccessful in their hunt for alternative accommodation and, with the deadline for removal rapidly approaching, the very real danger exists that, if new homes cannot be found, the trams will either be offered for re-sale to other organisations or simply scrapped as Blackpool Transport are keen to evict as many trams as possible in order to begin to redevelop the Rigby Road site. This is expected to see the majority of the depot pits filled in over the winter in order to accommodate buses, with only six roads retained for the trams expected to survive into the new Supertram era.

The most iconic of the LTT fleet is undoubtedly the Illuminated Rocket 732, which was withdrawn in 1999 and has been in LTT ownership since 2002, although since this time it has lain untouched at the back of the depot. Seen in happier times, the tram is standing alongside Blundell Street awaiting darkness to depart for another illumination tour.

The thirteen LTT trams currently based at Rigby Road include Brush Cars 632 and 637, former Permanent Way Car 259, OMO 8, Coronation 304, Twin Set 676+686, Trailer Car 687, Balloons 704 and 715, Boat 605, Standard 143 and the Illuminated Rocket 732. Apart from 632 and 715, which are currently in regular use, the remainder are withdrawn and unlikely to see further use in Blackpool, although Standard 143 was originally expected to be one of the trams retained within the heritage fleet but, with the restoration of this tram having been stalled since it arrived in Blackpool last year, this now seems increasingly unlikely.

With the clock ticking towards the November deadline for removal, the LTT have attempted to secure an extension to the deadline or negotiate a deal whereby the trams can remain in situ within Rigby Road but this has been rejected by Blackpool Transport, a decision backed by the Council, with BTS accusing the LTT of reneging on their original agreement as relations between the two organisations deteriorate. Other attempts to secure alternative accommodation have also, so far, failed, placing a huge question mark over the survival of the trams, which represent the largest collection outside of Crich. This is only the latest in a string of misfortunes to befall the LTT, which suffered last year when their planned tram restorations fell behind schedule, but it is, arguably, the greatest threat to the future survival of a significant proportion of the current Blackpool tram fleet. Of the collection, fivetrams stand out as particularly historically significant, OMO 8, Coronation 304, Railcoach 279, Boat 605 and the Rocket, and, it is hoped, that should the worst case scenario be realised, that efforts are made to prioritise the survival of these trams in particular, as their loss would be a major blow to the tramcar preservation movement.

Two of the most historically significant trams in the LTT collection are seen together whilst on tour in November 2010. OMO 8 had only recently returned to active use whilst Coronation 304 is unique in preservation. This run turned out to be the last time either of these trams graced the promenade.

One glimmer of hope is that Blackpool Council have offered help in finding alternative accommodation for the fleet but, with the current lack of co-operation between BTS and the LTT, it is hoped that the threat to begin scrapping the trams as soon as the deadline for removal expires is not exercised. With the LTT attempting to galvanise support via the Blackpool Civic Trust and local media, the future of the trams currently hangs in the balance. Other tram owners will also be facing the same November deadline for removal and it remains to be seen how many of the current fleet escape on the back of a low loader and how many end their days being cut up and leaving the site, which has been their home for, in many cases, over seventy years, in the back of several skips.

Two of the beautifully restored trams which provide the service on the Birkenhead tramway. Wallasey 78, the unique Bellamy roof tram, is seen passing Liverpool 762 at the Woodside Ferry terminus of the line during the recent popular Tram and Bus Show.

Sad news to report is that the heritage tramway in Birkenhead is facing a lengthy shut down throughout the coming winter, due to cuts being made by the operator, Wirral Borough Council.

The closure of this popular attraction will be a sad loss to the tramway scene this winter and has been caused by Wirral Borough Council being unable to finance the appointment of a permanent electrician to help service the trams, which will therefore remain depot bound until this position is filled. The last day of regular operation will be October 30th, when an intensive service will be provided due to a Model Railway Exhibition being held in Pacific Road. An exception is expected to be made for the advertised Santa Special event on December 17th, when the tramway will spring to life once more.

The decision by Wirral Borough Council to close the tramway throughout the coming winter will no doubt be a major blow to the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society, who’s collection of beautifully restored trams are the star attractions on the line. However, their depot and museum at Taylor Street will remain open and visitors will still be able to see the trams and view the latest progress on the restoration of Liverpool 245 and Warrington 2, which will be ongoing throughout the winter.

It is hoped very much that the tramway will re-open next year, although no definite date has been announced for this, being very much dependant on the ongoing negotiations to take over the running of the line. Merseytravel are still believed to be interested in acquiring this asset, but negotiations to reach a deal, which have now been ongoing for over a year, have still not reached a successful conclusion. Without their involvement, it is possible that the tramway will remain dormant in 2012, but it is sincerely hoped that this worst case scenario is not realised.

The tramway at Birkenhead was traditionally one of the few places in which it was possible to enjoy a winter ride on a vintage tram in Britain, with the National Tramway Museum and East Anglia Transport Museum both closing down for a prolonged spell over the winter and the tramways of Blackpool, Seaton and the Isle of Man also not providing any regular winter operation. It will therefore be left to the heritage tramways at Beamish, Summerlee and Heaton Park to supply visitors with their fix of vintage tram action over the coming winter. The Black Country Museum may also be providing a winter service as, although it remains open throughout the winter period, tramway operation is currently suspended whilst the regular service car, Wolverhampton 34, receives some essential maintenance.

It is sincerely hoped that Birkenhead is able to overcome the present difficulties and, hopefully with the involvement of Merseytravel, enjoy a brighter future as the loss of this line would be a major blow to tourism in the area. The MTPS have worked hard to ensure the tramway has been a success and hopefully their efforts will not have been in vain.

Paddlebox 16

Showing a remarkable level of organisation and forward planning, details of the planned services which will operate on the two electric tramways on the Isle of Man during 2012 have already been released, together with the list of special events which it is proposed to hold throughout next season. Although it is stressed that the timetables released are only provisional, they give a very good indication of the level of service which it is intended to provide in 2012.

For the Manx Electric Railway, the season will begin on Saturday March 17th, with a basic timetable in operation, involving four daily departures from Derby Castle. Like the past two years, the operating year will be covered by separate timetables, with more journeys added as the season progresses, until the peak requirement is reached during the height of the summer, when fourteen daily departures from Derby Castle are scheduled. For the first few weeks in March and again at the end of October, the railway will be closed on Mondays and Fridays but otherwise a full seven day service will be run throughout the year. The most intensive period of operation is expected to be early June when, with the TT races in full swing, fifteen departures a day are provided, including a tram at 9.10am from Derby Castle to Laxey, the earliest a tram is scheduled to operate in the entire year.

The Snaefell Mountain Railway has continued to delight visitors to the island since its opening in 1895 and will hopefully enjoy a busy 2012 season. Car 2 and 3, two of the six trams which operate on the line, are seen at Laxey Station, awaiting customers before beginning another ascent of the mountain.

One major improvement in the timetable proposed for 2012 is the extension of evening services, which will now be provided on most Wednesday and Friday evenings, with the latest journey of the day leaving Laxey at 10.25pm and arriving back at Derby Castle at 10.55pm. Apart from a coupler of weeks in June, the Friday evening service begins on May 11th and runs every week until early September, whilst the Wednesday evening journeys commence on June 13th and again run through until early September. The extension of evening services is a very welcome move and reverses a trend of recent years, which saw the majority of the evening provision withdrawn and services curtailed to run only during daylight hours.

The Snaefell Mountain Railway is provided with a similar timetable to the coastal line, with a basic frequency maintained in the early season and rising to a peak during mid summer. The railway will begin operation on Wednesday April 4th, although for the whole of April, much of May and the last month of the season it will be closed two days out of the week, Mondays and Tuesdays in the early season and Mondays and Fridays towards the end. The minimum requirement will be for seven departures from Laxey daily, although this rises to twelve for the busiest months, and thirteen during the TT period. Evening services will again operate on the mountain, tying in with the extremely popular Sunset Dinners, with the last tram timed to arrive in Laxey at 10.20pm, in time to catch onward connections back to Douglas. These will begin in May and operate on the majority of Wednesday and Friday evenings until early September.

With no winter service expected next year, the Manx Electric Railway will close after service on Sunday November 5th, with the Snaefell line beginning its winter shutdown a few days earlier, running for the last time on November 1st.

Also unveiled is the provisional lost of special events planned for 2012, which will see even more focus placed on the tramways this year. With the upgrading of the Blackpool system, the lines on the Isle of Man now stand alone as true representatives of the first generation British tramways and, as such, are likely to see even more enthusiast support in the coming years, making an extension of special events a very welcome move, which will hopefully be justified by increased attendances. After several events focussing on the steam railway, the electric lines grab the limelight on April 8th, when the Easter bunny will be in attendance at Laxey station, handing out free Easter eggs to those who have travelled by tram, followed by the option of an Easter lunch at Snaefell summit.

Two historically themed events are also planned to take place at Laxey and will naturally involve both the MER and SMR. Over the weekend of May 26th and 27th there will be a swinging 60s event being held, with appropriate music, entertainment and vintage vehicles on display while June 30th and July 1st sees the return of the Victorian extravaganza. In between, June 17th is billed as Dad’s Day out on the MER in honour of Father’s Day.

The highlight of the year will be, as usual, the annual Manx Heritage Transport Festival, being held between July 25th and 29th. Although further details of the separate events being held as part of the festival have not yet been released, visitors can be assured of a plethora of unusual workings and special journeys on both the tramways and railways of the island during what is generally an action packed five days. Finally, to end the year off, November 3rd sees a new event, billed as ‘Winter photography on the Manx Electric Railway’, which should see some unusual line ups provided and the chance to photograph some rare pieces of rolling stock at a time when the majority of the fleet have usually begun their winter hibernation.

With an interesting selection of special events and the chance that further pieces of rolling stock, including the pioneering cars 1 and 2 and Tunnel Car 5, will be returned to active use, the year should be a good one for enthusiasts who visit the island and hopefully the unique tramways will be well supported and enjoy a bumper season in 2012.