Blackpool 130th - Rigby Road Depot

Engineering Car 754 seen on Blundell Street while it was being used to shunt display trams into postition on Sunday

As part of the Tramway's 130th  celebrations, a series of depot tours were organised for both the Saturday and Sunday, with these having to be pre-booked in advance. All the tours were completely sold out well before the event, with several heritage trams being strategically positioned around Rigby Road depot especially for the open days. On Sunday the depot tour first visited the electrical compound, where Balloon 700 was stabled, waiting to take up its duties on the depot shuttle service. A visit to the paint shop saw Dennis Trident 333 in grey primer paint before being painted into fleet livery, OMO Car 8 was also on view in the paint shop, although this tram is very much a long term project due having a fractured underframe, and it could be 10 years before it re-enters service again. Next door in the body shop, preserved Leyland Atlantean 364 was awaiting attention, alongside it was unvestibuled Standard Car 143. Standard 143 had a significant amount of restoration work done to it while under the care of the Lancastrian Transport Trust, and there is a possibility that this tram's restoration could be finally completed over the coming winter in time for it to enter heritage service in 2016, if the necessary finance is made available. Moving on to the fitting shop there were two more long term projects on display, Brush Car 259, the former permanent way tram, and Railcoach 279, which is to be restored back into its original streamlined English Electric configuration.

The main storage shed at Rigby Road, with Unimog 938 and the red rotary snowbroom attachment off Unimog 939

OMO Car 8 was on display in the body shop, this tram is now a long term project due to a fractured underframe

Dennis Trident 333 in grey undercoat in the Paint Shop as part of a full repaint into fleet livery

Leyland Atlantean 364 and unvestibuled Standard 143 on display in the body shop

Former PW Brush Car 259, this very long term project could see the recreation of a Brush Car in original condition

English Electric Railcoach 279 in the fitting shop, showing the work that had been undertaken on the tram by the LTT

The Rocket was positioned on the depot fan for display on the Sunday

Twin Set 676/686, which is currently in storage, pulled out onto the depot fan for display on the Sunday

Blackpool 130th Heritage Bus Tours

Former Blackpool Corporation Leyland Atlantean 362 westbound along Rigby Road on a free heritage bus tour

As part of the Blackpool Tramway 130th Anniversary celebrations, four preserved Blackpool buses operated a free service around the town. The vehicles in use on the heritage bus service were 1967 MCW bodied Leyland Titan PD3 501 (HFR 501E), 1970 Marshall bodied AEC Swift 554 (PFR 554H), 1983 East Lancs bodied Leyland Atlantean 362 (A362 HHG) and Optare Delta bodied DAF SB220 133 (H3 FBT), new to Fylde Borough Transport in 1991. The four buses ran short tours around the Lytham Road, Central Drive and Promenade area.

Former Blackpool Corporation Transport Leyland Titan PD3 501 heading along Rigby Road on a free bus tour

Former Blackpool Corporation AEC Swift 554 heading south along Lytham Road on one of the free bus tours

Optare Delta 133 which was new to Fylde Borough Transport prior to their take-over by Blackpool Transport

Blackpool 130th Day Two

A varied line-up of heritage trams on both tracks of the Pleasure Beach loop, all awaiting their turn to enter service

The second day of Blackpool Tramway's 130th anniversary celebrations weekend saw another intensive service from the heritage fleet using a wide variety of trams. Newly repainted Twin Set 675/685 was in use again, along with 40, 147, 227, 230, 631, 701, 717, 723, 272/T2 and the Western Train, all operating on the normal Heritage Tours, with Centenaries 642 and 648 in use again on the Starr Gate service. Two 'B' fleet Balloons were also out again, with 700 operating the Hopton Road to Starr Gate shuttle, including a trip through the working tram wash for those people who were booked on the depot tours, and 719 again positioned on the siding at North Pier in use as the 130th anniversary souvenir shop. In addition to the heritage service on the Promenade there was also a line-up of trams in Blundell Street, consisting of Balloons 707, 709 and 720.

Standard 147 at the front of the queue of trams waiting to enter Heritage Tour service on the Pleasure Beach loop

Balloon 700 waiting in Hopton Road to take the first depot tour group of the day to Starr Gate

700 glistening with water after its trip through the tram wash at Starr Gate, with the MD of BTS on volunteer guard duty

Balloon 723 and the Western Train, along with several other trams, await their turn for service at the Pleasure Beach

Centenary 648 northbound on the Starr Gate service passes sister car 641 on display at the Pleasure Beach

Balloon 701 heading north at Manchester Square

Boat 230 heading south in the sunshine with a good passenger load at Manchester Square

Centenary 642 approaching Manchester Square as it heads for Little Bispham

Balloon 717 near Manchester Square heading north towards Little Bispham

Box Car 40 southbound at Central Pier

Fully loaded Boat 227 heading south at Coral Island bound for the Pleasure Beach

Brush Car 631 near Coral Island on a northbound Heritage Tour service

Twin Set 272/T2 operating on the Starr Gate heritage service near Central Pier

Twin Set 675/685 at Central Pier on a northbound Heritage Tour service to Thornton Gate

The Western Train heading south at Central Pier on a Heritage Tour service to the Pleasure Beach

Balloon 719 returning from use as a shop at North Pier, while a group of beach donkeys wait to cross the road

Balloons 709, 707 and 720 were lined up for display all day in Blundell Street

Flat fronted Balloon 707 on display in Blundell Street

Heavily modernised Balloon 720 on display in Blundell Street

Blackpool 130th Day One

The highlight of the weekend for many was probably freshly repainted Twin Set 675/685 in a 1960s style livery

The weekend of 26th and 27th September was chosen for Blackpool Tramway's 130th anniversary celebrations, with as many trams from the heritage fleet as possible being used over the two days. The landmark event of the weekend was the re-entry into service of Twin Set 675/685 freshly repainted into a 1960s style green and cream livery, complete with an orange trolley tower. The other debut of the day was Balloon 723 newly stripped of its black overall advertising vinyls, revealing the green and cream colour scheme that was underneath the advert. In addition to the aforementioned trams, 66, 227, 600, 680, 706, 715, 736 and 272/T2 were operating the normal Heritage Tours, with Centenaries 642 and 648 on a Starr Gate service. Two 'B' fleet Balloons were also out for the day, with 711 operating a Hopton Road to Starr Gate shuttle, including a trip through the working tram wash for those people who were booked on the depot tours, and 719 stationed on the siding at North Pier being used as a 130th memorabilia shop. In addition to the action on the Promenade there was also a line-up of trams on Blundell Street, consisting of Brush Car 632, Trawler 737 and Jubilee Car 761. Within the depot confines Coronation Cars 663, 660 and 304 were parked alongside each other on the track fan.

Twin Set 675/685, Bolton 66 and Balloons 715 and 706 waiting to enter service at the Pleasure Beach

Centenary 648 near the Burlington Road tram stop on a Heritage Tour service to Starr Gate

Railcoach 680 and Balloon 723 stationed at the Pleasure Beach waiting their call to service

Balloon 711 just south of the Pleasure Beach while working on the Rigby Road to Starr Gate shuttle service

Boat 227 passing the Sandcastle Waterpark with a good passenger load bound for the Pleasure Beach

706 Princess Alice turning onto the loop at the Pleasure Beach

Balloon 719 in use as the 130th Anniversary souvenir shop at North Pier, with southbound Boat 600 passing by

Balloon 723 southbound at Manchester Square, looking a bit tatty after the removal of its vinyl overall advert

Centerary 642 at Manchester Square while working on the Starr Gate heritage service

Balloon 715 northbound at Manchester Square on a Heritage Tour service to Little Bispham

Twin Set 272/T2 at Central Pier on its way north to Little Bispham

Frigate 736 returning to the depot after spending the day on Heritage Tour service

Open Top Balloon 706 had to be recovered to the depot by Unimog 939 after losing its trolley head

Brush Car 632, Trawler 737 and Jubilee 761 were lined up for display all day in Blundell Street

Illuminated Trawler tram 737 on display in Blundell Street

Jubilee Car 761, belonging to the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust, on display on the Blundell Street track

Coronation Cars 663, 660 and 304 displayed together on the depot track fan at Rigby Road