Blackpool trams

The Standard Trams were built during the 1920’s to replace a number of older tramcars, such as the 'Motherwell' tram cars, many built around the turn of the century.   Following dismantling, the Motherwell tram cars would donate their reasonably new top decks to the Standard car that replaced it.

Initially, the standard cars were built with open balconies and open end vestibules, offering no protection to the driver against strong winds, the sand blown in by the strong winds and the rain.   Of the 42 Standards built, 35 of them were built by Blackpool Corporation Transport and the other 7 were built by Hurst Nelson of Motherwell.   The final 2 standards to be built (numbers 51 and 177) featured windscreens, this feature would be retrofitted to the other 40 standards by 1933.  Standard 177 was actually built from spare parts left over from the standard building program

When introduced, the Standard trams wore the then tramway colours of red and white with gold fleet numbers, this gave way to green and cream livery in the 1930’s.

17 Standards received enclosed balconies during the 1930’s, with the remainder retaining open balconies for the remainder of their working lives.

Standard 33 became the first of the Standard Cars to be withdrawn and scrapped, being dismantled in 1940, Standard 46 would become the second, also making its demise in 1940.   Standard 50 was withdrawn and scrapped in December 1940 after the tram was blown over during a gale near the Metropole.

In April 1944, Standard 36 derailed on the corner of Church and Abingdon Streets, crashing through the shop front of Sweet and Clarke Outfitters.   The tram was repaired and returned to service.

The Standard Cars mainly saw use on the inland routes such as the Layton, Central Drive and Marton Routes until the closure of the Layton and Central Drive Routes in 1936.   The Standards carried on working the Marton Route until the introduction of the Marton Vambacs in 1949 which saw the Standards relegated to specials and peak time extras.  The result of this was the withdrawal of a number of Standard Cars in the early 1950’s with the majority of them being scrapped, however Standard 144, one of the withdrawn trams escaped the scrapman for a new life on the Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine, America.   The tram was transported to Liverpool Docks by lorry then by freighter across the Atlantic.

Standard 143 was withdrawn in 1957 and found a new life as an engineering car.   The tram was fitted with a bus engine in the lower deck to allow it to move without electric power if required.   At first a large part of the covered top deck was retained apart for the middle section which was removed to allow an inspection gantry to be fitted, however the remaining windows and roof were soon removed making 143 open topped.

In a bid to maximise revenue during the illuminations period, Standards 159 and 160 received exterior illuminations to allow them to be used as additional feature cars during the illuminations whilst also operating as normal specials in the daytime.