Coronation 304 to visit Beamish!

We are very pleased and really quite excited to announce that the Lancastrian Transport Trust's superb 1952 Blackpool Coronation tram No.304 will be paying the Beamish Tramway a visit this autumn. We are still firming up the details (so usual caveats apply), but it is hoped to have 304 here and commissioned in time to take part in our October 6/7 enhanced transport weekend (which as mentioned elsewhere is the hoped for public debut of No.18 in steam as well as possibly one other new railway resident at the Museum - watch this space!).
The outline plan is then to operate 304 each weekend for a total of five weekends, making its final appearance on November 3/4 (the November enhanced transport weekend). It may appear at other times but at this stage its operation is subject to successful commissioning and driver training, this being another VAMBAC car (see posts on Blackpool 11 for information on this sophisticated control system). Passengers (and crews!) can therefore look forward to a smooth ride and powerful acceleration! This is a big tram, at 50ft long, and we will have to undertake some careful gauging to establish whether it can utilise the full route at Beamish (clockwise offering clearance advantages through the town vs counter-clockwise running).
Understandably there are the usual ifs and buts regarding the commissioning process and testing before entry into service, but hopefully this visit will give enthusiasts a wonderful reason to visit Beamish this autumn, LTT members a chance to see three of their trams in operation and 304 will give our visitors a real flavour of 1950s public transport and just what a brave new World it promised to be...

304 at its temporary storage site following the "great tram exodus"

The transfer of 304 to Beamish will ensure this valuable tram moves from its current temporary outside storage as soon as possible, and upon its return it is planned that 304 will move direct to undercover accommodation.

The great tram exodus

This week has seen our six remaining trams leave Blackpool Transport premises which for some has been their home since they were new. I am sure many enthusiasts and supporters of the LTT are asking why and the logic in them being moved to temporary outdoor storage.
Back in January 2012, BTS agreed under pressure from Blackpool councillors to sanction continued storage of our trams at Rigby Road depot for 12 months at a cost of £1,000 per month plus VAT but BTS inserted a clause into the agreement that if their was no progress on the proposed future home at Thornton Gate within 6 months then the trams would be evicted and, if not removed within one month the ownership of the vehicles still removed would pass to BTS for them dispose of as they saw fit. This clause was contrary to the Council's stated position of a 12 month tenure.
Of course, subsequently there has been no progress at Thornton Gate - the tramway contractors are still occupying the site, so no lease has been forthcoming (a requirement of lottery funding) and we can make no preparations for our proposed transport heritage centre on the site. At a BTS Board Meeting in July, the Directors apparently agreed unanimously to therefore evict the LTT trams and we made arrangements to hurriedly find alternative accommodation.
Our Brinwell Road depot is awaiting a future upheaval and shunt around of vehicles and it was hoped that temporary undercover accommodation could be secured in ther adjacent new bus operating garage of Classic Bus North West. Unfortunately, the turning arrangements precluded this (after a try with Brush Railcoach 287/624) and so our fallback option of outside storage in a secure, CCTV and security guard protected site has become the home for our trams.

Too much of a tight squeeze. The length of the low loader precluded temporary storage at the CBNW bus operating depot and against a deadline for removal of the trams it was decided for expediency to revert to our fall back option of storage in a secure yard opposite the former Busworks' site.

Whilst many may feel that this is a retrograde step, readers should be aware that the last eight months has not been easy - Coronation 304 has had some seat cushions slashed, 632 was damaged in a shunting accident and 715 too was damaged and a very poor repair done to the cab end, 704 has had controller parts and further glazing robbed from it whilst the Rocket's platform had already been crushed in a shunting accident some years ago. We have kept tight lipped about this until now but we were getting increasing concerned about the conservation of our trams - which we were no longer allowed access to.

632 after being damaged in a shunting accident  - we were never informed about the accident but found out about the damage a few weeks later. It was subsequently repaired by BTS but only after we witheld storage fees.

Of course, Classic Bus North West (CBNW) financially supports the LTT - a necessity in these times of austerity when the LTT's costs continue to increase whilst regular donations have plumeted in recent years - it is generally recognised that we are living through the hardest financial climate since the 1930s and many charities are recording significant reductions in income. The LTT is no exception which is why it has supported CBNW's operation of the "SeaFront 12" bus service. Where did our supporters expect the £1,000 tram storage costs would come from in addition to the LTT's other expenditure??
The move to outdoor storage is a temporary measure and plans are already in hand to move them indoors before the onset of winter. It is a great pity that our relationship with BTS under the present management has deteriorated to the extent that it has - and now we have no ties whatsoever with the organisation we have enjoyed a constructive relationship with until 2010, we are free to develop our plans without constraint.

Rocket lights the night sky

Today, the Rocket was illuminated for the first time since appearing on the roundabout at Gynn Square and it looks superb! It is the first time that the tram has appeared fully illuminated in public since 1999. Still to be added is the astronaut that will be suspended above the tram to add to the 2012 featured display.

Swift 570 on the move

Former Blackpool AEC Swift 570 has been on the move recently and is pictured here ready for transfer back to Brinwell Road depot. It is displaying service 22 - a route to be revived by Classic Bus North West from September 2012.

Rocket lands at Gynn Square

After a rapid makeover by the Illuminations Dept team, the illuminated Rocket landed during the early hours of Tuesday 14 August on Gynn Square roundabout! The tram has been treated to a complete repaint and external rewire with the advert panels rewired with fluorescent lighting and LED bulb coloured lights. Over the next couple of weeks, the feature will be completed and the Rocket will be amongst one of the most high profile displays for the Centenary of Blackpool's illuminations.

Philip Higgs, Trustee said "Richard Ryan and his team at Blackpool Illuminations have been great to work with and it has been great to see the tram transformed from its years of neglect at the back of Rigby Road tram depot to an eye-catching display for 2012".

Tramnik One lights up

Blackpool's Illuminations Department have made excellent progress with the refurbishment of the our preserved Rocket tram (732) which they are overhauling for static display during this year's illuminations. The Rocket is set to make its return to Blackpool's Promenade as the centrepiece of a 'space theme' display which will occupy Gynn Square roundabout this year, returning the tram to prominence for the centenary of Blackpool's illuminations.  

Progress so far has seen the tram stripped of most of its external illuminations (although not yet those from the nose cone, as seen here), which will be replaced, whilst the lighting circuits to the headlamps and advertising panels have been repaired and energised. The cab has received a repaint in dark green, carried by the tram in its latter years in use and replacing the original blue, much improving its appearance.

The lower skirt panels and rear fins, removed to assist with transportation of the car from Rigby Road, will be replaced by removable sections to allow for future movement of the tram.

To boldly go where no tram has gone before!

Today saw a major step forward with Blackpool Rocket 732. Having been in the trust's care for 10 years the rocket was moved from Rigby Road to the lights dept at Squires Gate.

This is so further progress can take place on plans for the Rocket to be static in the lights Centenary in Blackpool this year.

As can be seen a lot of work was needed to be able to move 732 including the removal of the rear platform. This was badly damaged in various shunts over recent years and so with the impossible task of moving the tram with this on the decision was made to remove this, as well as the skirting which would foul the low loader. This will be replaced on removable sections for future transportation.

The controllers etc will be recovered and so can be displayed in the future.

A big thank you to David Umpleby who has supervised the move from the LTT's perspective and to Richard Ryan, Illuminations Director for making this happen.