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This is one of a series of pages on Blackpool trams
under construction. This page shows the open Boat Cars cars delivered in
1934.
Built by English Electric in
1934, these cars are single deck open-topped models with central doors and
gangway. Twelve trams were built numbered 225-236 (later 600-607) and have a
passenger capacity of between 52 and 56. These cars are known as boats
due to their ship-like streamlined appearance and are one of the most iconic
Blackpool trams. All cars are virtually identical, except for 600, which has
shorter body panels.
The boats were first commissioned by Walter Luff in 1933, in accordance with
his five year plan. The first prototype boat arrived in Blackpool during
early spring in 1934 along with four other designs. After an initial trial
period, company directors approved an order for eleven more production cars,
which arrived in July and August 1934. These new boats were numbered
225-236.
Work began on the circular and coastal tours, replacing the original
toastrack cars, which were considered dangerous and old-fashioned. They were
stationed at both Rigby Road and Marton depots for ease of access and
continued there until the war years, when they were stored out of service
due to the withdrawal of the circular tour and general lack of demand. This
continued until 1946, when they returned to work on the promenade service.
The full twelve cars remained in regular service until the closure of the
inland routes during 1963. The fleet was reduced to eight cars and
renumbered 600-607, with 229, 231, 232 and 234 being mothballed and
eventually scrapped in 1968. In the early 1990s the boats were refurbished
and received a number of new liveries, including Routemaster red, blue and
yellow as well as a fictitious wartime livery.[ The fleet was converted from
trolley pole to pantograph conductors. However, they were soon converted
back, as passengers regularly complained at being showered by grease and
dirt from the power line when it rained.
In addition to the cars at Blackpool, there are boats currently serving in
the United States. Car 226 (601) has been at the Western Railway Museum,
Suisun City, California since 1971. Car 228 (603) was loaned to Philadelphia
in 1976 for the United States Bicentennial, and was then returned to
Blackpool where it was stored until 1984, when it was acquired as a gift for
the San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) where it is still occasionally
operated. Finally, car 606 was given to the Trolleyville Museum, Ohio, in
September 2000, in return for Standard 147, which has been restored to
original condition. (Ref: Wikipedia)
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