Depot Open Day 31 October

Sunday 31 October is the your last chance this year to see behind the scenes at the LTT Depot. The depot is open from 1200 to 1600 with a range of vehicles on display and trade stalls from LTT and Ribble Enthusiast Club - admission is just £1. Further vehicles will be on display outside and a free bus service will run to/from Blackpool Town Hall departing from there at 1200 and every 20 minutes to 1600.

See LTT Depot Location for directions.

OMO8 on Driver Training

OMO 8 was released for initial driver training on Wednesday 13 October and operated between Pleasure Beach and Bispham. There are still a few tasks to complete on OMO8 before passenger carrying is sanctioned, but it is planned to hold an enthusiasts' tour with 8 on Saturday 6th November.

Five years ago...

Five years ago, this is the sorry state that OMO car 8 had deteriorated to after thirteen years in store at the back of the tram depot. It's platform doors had been stripped off, all glazing had been cannibalised, seats were missing and all light bulb units, plus motors and compressor. We never imagined then that five years later that it would capture the limelight in the 125th anniversary procession.

Cinderella goes to the ball!

All eyes were on OMO tram No.8 for the 125th anniversary tramcar procession this afternoon, Wednesday 29th September. After remaining behind closed doors during the earlier anniversary tours and the Depot open day, Blackpool Transport staff worked hard to ensure that this tramway cinderella was able to star in the procession. Given that the creation of the OMO cars in 1970s secured the tramway's future, it was rightly the star of the show!

8 operated Depot - Foxhall - Pleasure Beach - Bispham - Depot, driven by a member of the workshop staff. The tram has not been signed off for passenger carrying and there remains issues to be resolved before this is possible.

It was only sixteen days previously that 8 returned to Rigby Road depot. Motors and a compressor were quickly refitted but electrical work was delayed due to other commitments, particularly commissioning refurbished Open Boat car 600 and on-going problems with Fleetwood 'Crossbench' car 2. Work re-commenced on OMO 8 after the depot open day and a morning test run took place prior to the 125th anniversary procession.

May 1992 was the last time 8 had ventured onto the Promenade - over 18 years ago. It was repanelled and painted in autumn 2005 before transfer to the LTT's Brinwell Road depot. A small number of volunteers have put the effort in to put 8's interior back together this year and seeing 8 turn under its own power once more after all these years certainly makes this effort worthwhile! Thanks to Blackpool Transport staff for the finishing touches that made this possible.

LTT displays at BTS Depot Open Day

Blackpool Transport held an open day on Sunday 26 September as part of the tramway 125th anniversary celebrations. LTT trams 143 and 304 were on display, whilst OMO car 8 was in the electrical compound for continued preparation work.

Buses from the LTT collection were also displayed in the depot yard, with Leyland PD3 529, AEC Swift 570, Routemaster 521 and City Pacer 575 joined by PD3s 390 and 501 and various other preserved vehicles. It was the first public outing for the AEC Swift and City Pacer for several years and it is hoped to prepare both buses for increased use in 2011. Routemaster 521 has also been returned to use, following its successful MoT Class VI pass, having been off the road since October 2008.

Ghosts from the past...

One of the outcomes of the recent extraction of OMO car 8 was the need to shunt buses around the depot to access car 8. One bus which was able to see daylight once again was Blackpool centre-loader 246 seen here getting wet in the depot yard. Another bus extracted was Lytham Leyland Lion 34 and it is hoped to get this bus roadworthy again for 2011.

Balloon 703 leaves for Beamish

Next job for Scotts Heavy Haulage was moving preserved Balloon car 703 to its new home at the North of England Open-Air Museum in Beamish, County Durham disguised as Sunderland tram 101. In return, Blackpool 'Rebuilt Marton Box' car 31 will travel south to join in the 125th anniversary events.