R.o.B Tramways
Including:
The Illuminated Cars
The Blackpool and Fleetwood Single deckers: When the Corporation took over operation of the Fleetwood tramway on 1st January 1920 it also received 41 varied styles of single deck tram though with 2 main types. There were 15 saloons or 'Box cars' with the other cars 'Racks' being open-sided roofed cross bench cars giving them their name with three trailers of similar design. The cars were designed and built for speed and comfortable ride quality which the route needed. These vehicles have often been described as American in style with the 'Box' cars having a very similar look to those used on the Manx electric railway.
The Racks: These were originally numbered 1-10 and were built by Milnes in 1898 especially for the opening of the tramway. These cars had long bodies and wheel bases suitable for running on segregated track which also allowed a wider body, a problem that was to stop their use in town. These cars were numbered 126-135 under Blackpool corporation ownership. These cars were still in use up to 1939 though some carried on longer when they were taken to the works department for works vehicles number 2 having been converted to a snow plough surviving for preservation in 1960 when it was purchased for the Crich Tramway museum; this car also participated in the 75th anniversary of Blackpool's tramways.
The Box cars: As was previously mentioned these vehicles look very similar to those still used on the Manx electric railway today. Between 1914 and 1915 the Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramroad Company received delivery of 4 of these cars from the United Electric car company based on the earlier type of vehicle that the tramway had received prior to its opening. They operated on Mountain and Gibson type trucks made by Dick Kerr. These latter 4 company numbers 38-41 were the last cars that the tramway was to purchase before it was taken over by the Blackpool Corporation tramway in 1920. Car 40 which has today been preserved was withdrawn in 1939 being allocated to the engineering department and in 1960 it was restored and participated in the 75th anniversary of the Blackpool electric tramway and is now based at Crich.
B and F Tramroad Box Car No.40
The London United Tramways cars: The Blackpool tramway also used other trams on its routes purchased 2nd hand from other tramway companies. In July 1919 with the desperate need for more trams as their own were in a bad condition the corporation bought 6 open top cars from the London United Tramways company of west London. This was the first company in London to run electric trams from Twickenham to Kingston, two of the former tram sheds are now bus depots at Fulwell in Twickenham and Stamford Brook in Chiswick, I worked at both the former as a bus driver and the latter as an allocations officer. These trams became Blackpool nos.93-98 and these were the only 2nd hand car the corporation operated apart from the former B&F cars. They remained in use on the Leyton and prom routes until 1933 becoming some of the first to be withdrawn with the modernisation of the 1930's.
Perhaps one of the most famous institutions of Blackpool is the illuminations, thousands of people flocking to the town for the last 119 years to see models and displays lit up at night in October of each year. It was actually the tramway that started the development of the 'Blackpool Illuminations' in 1897 when the Tramways department fitted out 5 cars with lights and patriotic slogans to celebrate the Diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria. The lights on these cars were actually powered by batteries as the trams running lights were oil powered at that time. This display was a huge success but was sadly not repeated until 1902 with the coronation of King Edward VII when the Blackpool and Fleetwood tramroad also illuminated some of their cars to celebrate the occasion. With the success of the illuminations in that year it was decided that they should be a regular event and have been since that time, though they only really took off from the visit of Princess Louise and the opening of the Princess parade in 1912 when the newest tram to be illuminated at the time was car No.68 'De-Luxe' which was illuminated with 3000 bulbs and ran around Blackpool's tramways as well as out to Lytham St Annes and was withdrawn in 1936. Worthy of a small note is one car that was made to look like Anne Hathaways cottage and even had a thatched roof though it did not last long in this guise as the roof kept getting blown off in bad weather.
The Illuminated Trawler
With the onset of world war one in 1914 the illuminations ceased until they were re-introduced in 1925 with purpose built cars being used, the idea was for the illuminated cars to take on a shape different to normal cars over the years ranging from a Gondola shaped car to an American train and coach, previously the cars having been standard cars fitted with bulbs. The withdrawl of many services through the 1920's and replacement in the 1930's by new cars made this possible the withdrawn cars given a new lease of life as the illuminated cars. Today the illuminations are still on and still prove very popular though today there is a great usage of cars and Coaches as well as trams running along the prom the illuminations running for 6 miles from Starr Gate to Bispham. They are normally turned on at the beginning of September and remain lit until the beginning of November each year. Sadly only two illuminated cars now operate on the tramway doubling up through the year as service vehicles, these being the Illuminated trawler formed from former Brush car 633 which was withdrawn in 2001 due to structural problems and the re-built HMS Blackpool that was withdrawn in 2003 but returned to traffic the next year.
The Gondola: The Gondola car was the first of the purpose built illuminated cars introduced in 1925 and based on the frames and 4 wheel truck of a withdrawn 1901 standard car built by the Midland Railway carriage and Wagon Company for the Marton route, No.28, the gondola had, according to the 'Trams in Colour' book, a 'shapely prow and an awning with appropriate Venetian atmosphere, the car could hold 20 passengers that had been specially invited with the tram crew being dressed as Venetian Gondoliers all of whom had to board by climbing a ladder propped against the side of the car. This car was withdrawn in 1962 along with the 'Progress' and 'Lifeboat' cars the three being replaced by 'Tramnik one' and the 'Santa Fe'.
The lifeboat: The next illuminated car was the lifeboat which was built in 1926 and was based once again on the frames of a withdrawn standard car, no.40 which had a 4 wheel truck the car dating from 1901. The illuminated car was boat shaped and equipped with sails that had lights all around them with lights at skirt level to imitate the sea.
The Bandwagon/Progress: In 1934 the Bandwagon illuminated car was introduced and was supposed to look like a tram from the year 2937. Its exterior appearance was of a Balloon car one of the modern streamlined Double Decker cars and was based on the frames of one of the Blackpool Rack cars, No.141 from 1898. It appears that its Bandwagon design was not very popular with the general public so during the war the opportunity was taken for it to be stripped of its illumination status but was used as a means to raise money for the war effort. In 1949 the car was re-introduced with the renewal of illuminated services with its windows outlined with bulbs. The light displays on the sides were different each year some of which were an impression of the tower and welcome slogans to visitors. The car was withdrawn in 1958 after the previous year a Mayflower motif had proved too heavy for the frames.
The Illuminated Standards: Not only did the tramway operate purpose built themed cars they also operated Standard cars that were fitted with lights. The two chosen for this were cars 158 and 159 from the new build of Standard cars from the 1920's. These were not only dedicated to night services but also ran during the day giving visitors something to ride on. These cars were built by the Corporation in 1927 with open balconies later becoming enclosed along with the rest of the standard fleet. It was in 1959 that they were illuminated with lights along their sides and round their windows with illuminated stars on their ends. They were both withdrawn in 1966 one going to the East Anglia Transport museum, and the other sold to Crich tramway museum for spares.
The Blackpool Belle: This car was introduced for the autumn 1959 season and was the first of the really elaborate designs of car. This was in the form of a Mississippi paddle steamer and had gangways and lifeboats to suit. The lights gave the effect that the paddle was actually turning as the tram progressed as did the sea. The car used about 1500 light bulbs to give the full effect, with the funnel fitted to hide the trolley pole base. The passengers could sit on any of the 36 benches on the outside of the car 'on the deck' though this must have been pretty chilly, though this was later enclosed with windows. The tram was 45 feet long and was only 8 feet wide though it had a height of 17ft. It was built on the frames and bogies of car 163 which had been an open toast-rack that had once done the circular tours of the town.
Tramnik one: This car was built in the time when travelling to space was all the rage with Blackpool's tramways having the same idea. This car with the shape of a rocket was introduced in 1961 with a pointed nose and flared tail and was illuminated with 3000 bulbs. The actual Rocket is mounted at an angle with the passengers having to climb up to their seats with windows running the length of the saloon. To get on to the car passengers had to join through the rear as with the ship trams, the car being able to seat 46 passengers. The passengers cab is sited beneath the nose of the rocket, the whole being sited on the bogies and frames of former pantograph car No.168 of 1928. By the 1990's may of the Illuminated cars were experiencing wear and tear and the corporation was in a quandary what to do with them. Sadly Tramnik one was withdrawn in 1999 though is now in the ownership of the Lancastrian Transport Trust.
The Santa Fe train: Perhaps the most ambitious of the illuminated cars to operate on any tramway in the world is this one which is actually formed of two cars. To make this possible the frames of a former streamlined single Decker No.209 from the 1930's is used for the engine and tender while the frames of former Pantograph car No.174 are used for the coach. The idea behind the Santa Fe is that of the classic American western films that were popular in the 1960's the engine having the spark arrester chimney, headlamp, cow catcher and bell synonymous with American trains those days. To illuminate the car it used over 5000 bulbs with the driver controlling movement from the smokeox though if the unit needed to move backwards there were separate controls at the rear. The tender also carries passengers as well as the carriage being able to hold 35 people the carriage holding another 60. Well worth a mention about this car was that at Christmas it would regularly travel to Fleetwood on Santa specials as well as filming work. Sadly along with the Tramnik one it was withdrawn from service in 1999.
The Hover tram: Another tram specific to the interests of the 1960's was the hover tram with hover boats being introduced previously. The tram car was illuminated with over 4000 bulbs though I have to say looked more like a ferry than a hover boat though still impressive. It was built on the frames railcoach No.222 with passengers entering the double deck car from the rear. The lower saloon had seats either side of a central gangway the lower saloon able to hold 57 passengers with a staircase on the rear off side to allow access to the top deck which had a side gangway with seating for 42 passengers. The reason for the imbalance in seating less on top than normal was due to the top deck being slightly tapered upwards and narrower than the lower deck. The overall length of the car was 48 feet. Though the car is single ended driving wise there was a controller at the rear of the tram that controlled the main controller by remote control. Sadly this car was withdrawn form service in 2001.
HMS Blackpool: This car was unveiled for the 1965 illuminations season of the tramway and was made in the Blackpool transport workshops on the frames of former Pantograph car No.170 with the appearance of a ship. When in service this was the Corporations longest tram at 54 feet long with people boarding and alighting through the trams rear with seating inside for 70 passengers on former bus seats. For visibility the tram had 8 portholes on each side with the driver in a separate cabin to the front of the car. The car even had guns, searchlights, funnel, masts and rigging all picked out in bulbs. There was even a radar scanner and crows nest which hid the bottom of the trolley pole! This car along with the Hover tram was withdrawn from service in 2001 though returned to service in 2004 after a major re-fit and is one of the two remaining illuminated cars in service today becoming the "Frigate".
