A trip by Tram in Blackpool and visit to Rigby Road depot
Google Maps
Rail Map Online Select "Historic Tramways" in Layers to see the abandoned routes.
1932 Map
I started at Blackpool North station and the recently opened tram extension to the station. The new tram terminus does infact sit on the original mainline station site. The current station occupies the site of what were excursion platforms used only in the summer season and their 1938 built concourse. This became the main station for Blackpool when Blackpool Central closed in 1964. In 1974 the main part of the station was closed and services were relocated to the former excursion platforms. Originally it had been proposed to close Blackpool North rather than Blackpool Central but the change of plans was due to the better value of the Blackpool Central station site for redevelopment. The 1932 map shows the station as Talbot Road, it was renamed Blackpool North that year. Note from the map the several tram routes that used to exist. Today just the routes along the coast to Fleetwood and Starr Gate survive.
Below - Tram 006 in the new North Station tram terminus.
From North Station I went to Central Pier. Just south of the stop was the junction with the route in to the Rigby Road depot from the north at Foxhall Square. When the route was recently upgraded with modern trams a new depot was built at Starr Gate. Though the Rigby Road depot remained in use for the vintage fleet this connection to the depot was disconnected.
Below - The former junction for the connection to the depot.
Below - The rails are still set in to the road along Princess Street and the masts can be seen.
Below - The view across Rigby Road to the north. The tracks and masts can be seen. Part of the depot site is being redeveloped to the right of the line along with land previously occupied by earlier housing on the left.
Below - The former Corporation Tramways head offices still in use with Blackpool Transport.
Below - The workshop buildings, these days accessed from the other end.
Below - A floral display at the entrance to the depot.
Below - An outbuilding with ramps to upper and lower levels.
Below - Two of the vintage fleet outside the depot. The roof of the depot has been condemned so movements in and out can only be done with special authorisation and hard hats. Starr Gate can accommodate four of the vintage trams, at the time of my visit these were ones used in connection with the illuminations. These two are enclosed vehicles so are kept outside where they are readily available for heritage tours.
The hope is to rebuild the depot as a museum under the name of Tramtown so these tours may be the last chance so see a big tram depot of one of the original tram networks in its original state.
Below - the main depot building was sealed off due to the state of the roof so these pictures are taken through the wire fence seen in the above picture.
Below - One of the Unimog maintenance vehicles used in place of the Engineering tram (which has a diesel engine for when the power is off) seen in the above shots.
Below - Note the sign on the building directing buses to the left and trams to the right (I thought that was the job of the tracks!) The buildings on the other side are still in use for the bus fleet.
Below - The workshop and stores building.
Below - A former Bolton tram which is part of the operational heritage fleet and is kept in the workshop where it is under cover but readily available.
Below - Some of the workshop equipment.
Below - In the foreground a complete new chassis is under construction for one of the vintage trams.
Below - Forge in the workshops.
Below - One of the open "boat" cars, again kept under cover in the workshop to be readily available for heritage tours.
Below - Tyre pit used for re-tyring wheels
Below - Lathes used for profiling wheelsets.
Below - The remaining entrance to the depot site from Hopton Road.
Below - The juntion with Hopton Road and Lytham Road. Trams once continued up Lytham Road, although the depot line goes from one to two tracks here it just serves as a depot access until it joins the main tram route along the promenade now.
I continued by tram from The Manchester to South Pier
Below - Next to South Pier a remnant of the junction with the line along Station Road.
From South Pier I continued to Starr Gate, the current southern terminus of the Blackpool system and now home of the main depot.
Below - A tram and rail grinder in the siding used to shunt vehicles within the depot site.
Below - The rail grinder.
Below - The modern tram depot.
Below - One of the vintage trams in use with the illuminations is shunted around the depot site.
Originally a balloon loop here allowed trams running along the promenade to turn back but part of the loop is now used to access the depot and trams now change directions and cross over just south of the tram stop. A junction here used to take trams along Squires Gate Lane where they continued to the mainline Squires Gate station (now on the Blackpool South branch line) and on to the route along Lytham Road. Another depot stood to the west of Westgate Road, the site of this is now occupied by houses.
I returned by tram to North Station for my train home.
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