Blackpool Rigby Road Tram Depot. *Rare* Shunt. 20/03/12.

[@stuvids]

Before the trams at Blackpool had pantographs all trams had a trolley (as can be seen on the OMO). The pantographs were custom made at Rigby Road tram depot.

[@pearlyhumbucker9065]

It looks like the catenary isnt made for trolley poles there. Unlike pantographs a trolley pole can not slide under the wires, its u-shaped contact piece rides on the wire and is guided by it - therefore it needs switches for the wire over switches in the track and also special contraptions over crossings. The construction of the catenary for trolley poles today can be seen with modern trolley bus systems.

[@2259Ben]

It's a fixed head trolley pole, meaning when the tram rotates on sharp turns, the trolley can become disconnected.... When the tram moves over points he needs to ensure it follows the corresponding catenry and track. If that makes sense...

[@stuvids]

The OMO is no longer at Blackpool and was moved to private premises by the Lancastrian Transport Trust. Brush Car 631 is at Starr Gate depot being repainted and also having swing-over seats fitted that were in Balloon 700 top deck.

[@andrewhanbury1799]

The Omo car is at the crich tramway village off-site storage facility

[@stuvids]

Hi Steve, the new trams are kept at a new depot at Starr Gate. Only the heritage trams and the 'B' fleet trams are kept at Rigby Road. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@dalrigh]

Great video Stuart, a bit of the old stuvids luck again I see. Good to see the rocket out in daylight.

[@FishyCam]

Great to see all these, cheers.

[@ryan51leagues]

not been in blackpool for a while, do they use the old trams much? was there when they just changed them to the new ones and for me it was like a little part of blackpool died. might sound dramatic but i enjoyed the trams and the different paint jobs. would be good of there was a blackpool tram museum with all the old ones

[@downhill240]

Very interesting. Thanks for the post!

[@gregorysimonanderson]

Great clips Stuart thanks

[@mikechick221]

it nice to see the old one been bllackponly seen the new ones testing so it nice to see this video to see that they are still there hope the have a good few runing in sumer along the new ones othere wise it feels as if part off blackpool has gone it sad that they dont have trams on north pier any more be nice if they rstored sometrom put one on the north pier

[@stuvids]

Brush Car 631 is now part of the heritage fleet and is in green and cream after its overhaul.

[@2259Ben]

I have never seen 750 in action.... A true gem! Can somebody provide any information on this unit... Seems a bit of an unrecognized hero with the entire system dependant on it... Is it still in operation with the new system? Thanks for the answers... Great vid!

[@ukloco]

Silly question as I'm not that much of an expert on old trams - why was that guy at the front with a pole attached to the trolley pole moving it to different wires / disconnecting the tram suddenly sometimes?

[@stuvids]

OMO is was under restoration and has only done 1 private tour. Hopefully we shall see it more now its part of the Heritage fleet.

[@stuvids]

The 'Rocket' is on a 5 year lease to the illuminations department and then after that we shall find out.

[@angelinaauzhinova]

like the yellow color of the sun, where did he go? no one tells me anything, there are no letters and I don't understand only one thing where he was taken and to which city maybe it's enough to hide information from all of us

[@noelist]

how nice to see the old uns, cos they're the best uns, what there are left, who painted 701 bright yellow, and its got no doors! , wonder where the old classics are or did they all go top crich, ah well, roll on the next old tram running days. nice, cheers.

[@danielwoodhouse8720]

do those boat trams only work if the pantograph is facing one way only? I once saw one of them on the prom having pantograph turned the opposite way

[@arch9enius]

Ideally the trolley should trail behind the car, yes. Otherwise that bloke would have to walk in front all the way.

[@arch9enius]

@Cats Eye Could it not do the loop forward?

[@octopus680]

That was really good -cheers..

[@ukloco]

Ah, make sense. So the trolley pole would basically go off down the wrong wire of off the wire altogether in the depot generally?

[@stestepney]

Very nice Stu..had a walk down there last Thursday,did not see any new trams there is that were they keepum ?and were was the health&safety when that bloke with the pole was walking in front of them LOL..cheers Steve..

[@TheMechanicalChannel]

do they even use that rocket one anymore?

[@11Modern11]

why they don't have a normal pantagraph?

[@FM60260]

Why hasn't 8 run in passenger service?

[@anthonymcdonnell6615]

only 2 types of Blackpool trams i have never been on No 8 OMO tram and Coronation tram, as For The Felxi 2 trams i will never travel on those i hate them for getting rid of the old trams, and if i ever got in controll of the blackpool trams the Felxi 2 trams would going to the bottom of the Ocean as reefs

[@andrewhanbury1799]

Me too the flelxi trams are rubbish

[@twistedcheese1]

They still run lot's of heritage trams. The new ones are much better for commuting

[@forwardgames4121]

Flexitys are horrible

[@Scottish_Transport_Explorer]

To be honest the flelxi trams are not even that bad, yes they well nevbe as good than the older heritage trams but they are good at doing what they are designed to do

[@Scottish_Transport_Explorer]

@@forwardgames4121 Not really in my opinion

[@nothisispatrick5725]

1:09 pacer :p

[@2259Ben]

I meant 750.... The caption confused me...

[@2259Ben]

754... -_-