Encounter At Rigby Road Depot

John Woodman

By invitation of Paul Galley, I made reacquaintance with Rigby Road depot today during grey skies but thankfully no pigeons aloft. The visit was to provide a personal appraisal of long gone days in Blackpool for a video interviews to feature in the much heralded 'TramTown' exhibition. Appropriately the hour long exchange was recorded in the lower deck of Standard car 147 and included quite a number of references to the Marton tram service (closed in 1962).

The opportunity to take a brief look within the depot allowed for some refreshing encounters with long familiar trams now consigned to heritage status. As well as an update on anticipated develop- ments that will see radical changes to the entire transport site in the coming months and years. It is hoped to establish a display that incorporates a downsized workshop area and much more. Two of the Fleetwood Trust's former collection were prominently in view; Jubilee 761 and Coronation Street Balloon 710 both destined for future eminent display.

Scenes from Rigby Road Depot this afternoon :