the better OMO's had a reprieve from withdrawal, 1, 5, 8, 10, 11 and 12 equipment restored. It was one of the first practical electric tramways in the world, just six years after Werner von Siemens first demonstrated electric traction. Buy Now. By the mid 1970's, the OMO project ( the conversion of 13 English Electric Railcoaches for one person operation) was complete. cars, these thirteen workhorses set about all-year service on the Starr Gate
(originally 264) in 1975. many of the 13 cars were withdrawn upon reaching 100,000 miles In 1972 it was withdrawn from service and entered the works to be converted to a one-man-operated (OMO) tram. Fitted with pantograph in1984. Blackpool where it was stripped to it's shell and scrapped in 2000. the braking system from its previous incarnation was placed on the Z6 (Series 2), Braking: Westinghouse Air Wheel, hand wheel and rhetostatic. Rebuilt from Railcoach 613
It became one of 13 Railcoaches to be heavily rebuilt into one man operated (OMO) cars which no longer needed a conductor. This ran from June 1935 until June 1972. One Man Operation cars were rebuilt from Railcoaches. No.13 was the last to be
timetable on the Starr Gate to Fleetwood Service. OMO Car No.9 in original
first to be rebuilt to allow as many railcoaches as possible to remain Numbered: 200 - 224 (Series 1) and 264 - 283 (611 - 620)(Series 2), Built: 1933-34 (series1) and 1935 (Series 2), Trucks: English Electric equal-wheel bogies, 4ft wheelbase, Motors: English Electric 305 57 Horse Power (2 on each tram), Controllers : E.E. Fitted with pantograph in1976. Blackpool 'Jubilee' tram 761, Blundell Street, Blackpool. and disposed of in 1993. Excluding museums, it is one of … (originally 269) in 1972. 1920's. ... One depicts a Blackpool ‘OMO’ built in the mid-1970s, rebuilt from 1934 English Electric Rail coaches. Following the closure of the inland routes by 1963, there was a need for Blackpool to cut costs on operation of the tramway during the winter period when the number of passengers were lighter than during the summer months. and used as a test tram until 1997. Made by. The OMO cars operated Rebuilt from Railcoach 612
OMO stands for One Man Operated, later changed to OPO [One Person Operated] for political correctness. - Fleetwood route. The stainless steel benches depict a Blackpool ‘OMO’ built in the mid-1930s and the ‘Brush’ built originally in 1937. Fitted with pantograph in1976. 619 in 1987. Following the network's re-opening, nine Balloons were converted to meet the disability regulations to serve as a supplement to the modern … problems with the electrics of this tram and the lights would not work In 2000 OMO 5 minus windows and doors Withdrawn 1985 and disposed of in 1987. The first part opened on 29 September 1885, a conduit line from Cocker Street to Dean Street on Blackpool Promenade. thought that the OMO's were painted a different livery from the rest of and sold to Clay Cross in 2000 for storage. all service later cancelled, OMO Car No.3, with Twin-car
and disposed of in1988. Recorded 6th November 2010. Custard livery wasn't really suitable as it had started to fade badly rebuilt in 1976 and the first to be withdrawn in 1984 after only 8 years. Rebuilt from Railcoach 609
copies which will open in a new window/tab. By the time the below photo was taken in the September of 1976 OMO 8 had been in service for two years having … 10 and 11 were withdrawn, with Brush cars and the 3 ex towing car repainted into its original livery of plum and custard and received Between 1925 and 1949 a line connected the depot with the railway and was used to shunt wagons. Withdrawn in 1993
Withdrawal started with 13 in 1984 followed by 2, 3, 4, 6 originally carried a Plum and Custard livery and the fleet were windows from OMO 10 which has now been scrapped. extra length and their bodies began to droop badly at each end following a compressor fire and an accident in the depot in 1989. The most famous of all is twin tram 733/734 much better known as the Western Train. Rebuilt from Railcoach 618
OMO's 5 and 8 remained stored and 10 was sold and has become a The stainless steel benches depict a Blackpool ‘OMO’ built in the mid-1930s and the ‘Brush’ built originally in 1937. coffee shop in Reading in 1996. Rebuilt from Railcoach 614
Disposed of in 2000. In this latest look at archive photos from the Blackpool Tramway we are again in September 1976 with the subject of our attention this time around being one of the OMO cars, a tram which have been credited with saving the tramway in the 1970s. and motors for what was to become the experimental Roadliner 611 tram (originally 265) in 1974. Rebuilt from Railcoach 610
of the thirteen cars were cars were scrapped, one was rebuilt whilst two are
Blackpool Heritage Trams are a mixed fleet of restored vehicles that run on the Blackpool Tramway, which runs from Blackpool to Fleetwood on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire, England. To alleviate similar problems on the tramway, Blackpool converted 13 single deck Railcoaches built in 1934/5 into 49ft. (originally 270) in 1973. After passing to Blackpool Corporation Tramways in 1920, it was used to dismantle trams. yellow/maroon livery, OMO Car No.9 in red & cream in
was supposed to be similar to those which operated in Blackpool in the One Man Operation cars were rebuilt from Railcoaches. rail network, Between 1972 and 1976, thirteen
The other ‘Brush’ built originally in 1937. respectively. (originally 224) in 1972. New entrance doors were installed at the left hand side of each end of Fitted with pantograph in1979. It is for eventual use on the Preston Trampower demonstration line when that is built. This Cityclass tram - now unnumbered but at one stage carrying the number 611 - returned to Blackpool on 21st March 2018 having been in open storage at Preston Docks. Some cars ran for 20 years or more, having already run as railcoaches for 40
travelled. The line dates back to 1885 and is one of the oldest electric tramways in the world. Soon after introduction it was realised that the Plum and By 1988, there were enough Centenary cars to replace them and All images link to larger
Fitted with pantograph in1984. It was built to look like a twin car railcoach to try and boost capacity (56 seats as opposed to 48 seats on ordinary railcoaches), also they lengthened railcoach 618 to allow a greater capacity. OMO 7 survived It became 619 when the fleet was renumbered in 1968. This site illustrates photographs taken of Blackpool … disposed of in 1993. Fitted with pantograph in1985. Stored in Blundell Street at the time were Balloons 714 and 725. (originally 267) in 1975. The first illuminated trams were right back in 1912 and from the 1920’s purpose built feature cars became an important part of the annual Blackpool Illuminations. We use cookies and similar tools to enhance your shopping experience, to provide our services, understand how customers use our services so we can make improvements, and display ads. Wednesday 04 July 1979 This was the day of the official launch of the tram which is carrying the headboard 'The Phoenix' for the grand occasion. OMO Car No.10 in advertising
(originally 282) in 1973. The people in the background include BCT General Manager Derek Hyde and Cllr. 1980. They were replaced from 1984-1988 by the Centenary cars
The remaining servicable OMO's 5, quickly and all cars were repainted in a red and white livery. It was soon converted back to a two person car. High Street and Ferry. Tram depots. in preservation today. 3D printed in matte translucent plastic that showcases fine and intricate details. the fleet. (originally 268) in 1975. created tapered ends. the tram and a small drivers area containing the E.E Z6 controller and This particular tram was Unlike the OMO cars, which were extended with tapered cab ends for clearances on curves, 761’s increased length included full width cabs as the bogies were repositioned towards the ends of the tram to allow for this. and disposed of in 1988. OMO Car No.7 rebuilt as Vanguard
The final two benches will be installed once the new Tram Terminal Interchange has been built at North Station. Select Your Cookie Preferences. It made its returned to service in preservation with Blackpool Transport on 29th September 2010. at Clay Cross stores awaiting restoration, was used as a coffee shop at a conference centre in Reading. Blackpool Replica Vanguard 619. Blackpool was the only town in the UK that retained its trams, and between 1962 and 1992 Blackpool had the only urban tramway in the UK. and disposed of in 1987. rebuilt from Blackpool Railcoaches. contact the designer. OMO 8 was transferred to the LTT depot for further work to take place on the (originally 283) in 1972. However, we do have trams from other systems and are continuing to push the boundaries of what can be obtained with 3D printing - see our N Gauge range for what can be achieved in tiny tram modelling! 12 was withdrawn as surplus to requirements in 1988. Simply known as 'OMO'
unpopular with drivers due to a number of faults and problems. Ten
The body was modernised and extended with new tapered cabs with front entrances – the existing doors becoming a centre exit. These trams were built in the early 1970's from 1930's built railcoaches and the underframes were starting to droop badly. The only other place was the Isle of Man with three tramways - Manx Electric Railway, Douglas Corporation Trams and Snaefell Mountain Railway. Following withdrawal. Rebuilt from Railcoach 620
1-13 and the first car entered service during 1972. Z4 (Series1) , E.E. In 1993 both cars 1 and 12 were stripped of any There were so few Railcoaches available for conversion that were in a serviceable condition that works car 5 (ex221) which was replaced as a works car by Brush Car 624, (ex220) and (ex224) depot and 5 was given an experimental invertor, however this caused Whether it appears in Paisley or Glasgow livery when the tram is restored in the … www.simplonpc.co.uk, 1999-2015 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon
This tram was originally built in 1935 as Railcoach 282. being 5, 8, 10 and 11. Our first love and passion is the Blackpool system and you'll see a large proportion of our range is from there. Initially brought into service in 1934, the Balloon formed the backbone of the Blackpool tram fleet until the tramway's conversion to a modern light rail network in 2012. Motorising. trailer No.683. and passed to Lancastrian Transport Trust. Fitted with pantograph in1985. The first cars (1-5) entered service in 1972, while car 8 … Fitted with pantograph in1985. The personal nature of tram modelling – Blackpool OMO 5 trundles along North Albert Street in Fleetwood where Matt Summers lived as a child recreated in miniature on his N scale Fleetwood Ferry layout. Blackpool Coronation Tram 304 Touring on the 26th June 2010. It was soon discovered that the OMO's could not cope with the in service for as long as possible. It is expected that 1016 will be restored back to an open topped double deck tram as it was originally and will be put into service as part of the Heritage Fleet. OMO Car No.4 at Fleetwood Ferry
- Fleetwood route. Rebuilt from Railcoach 617
(originally 266) in 1974. OMO 8 was transferred to the LTT depot for further work to take place on the tram. (originally 221) in 1972. The OMO cars OMO Withdrawn 1989 and
and 9 which were all scrapped soon after withdrawal. Fitted with pantograph in1985. The refurbishment to 707 featured: enlarged drivers cabs, flat fronted ends with rounded edges, giving the tram the appearance of a double decked railcoach or twin car and halogen headlights, which allowed clear visibility in the poorly lit Northern section of the tramway at night thus allowing it to be allocated to the Fleetwood service at night. The last OMO (13) entered service in 1976, but was withdrawn restoration, whilst 8 became part of the LTT fleet and has since been The second LTT tram of the day to return to Rigby Road was OMO 8, which had been in outdoor storage at a disused industrial yard in Marton. Withdrawn in 1992
Most trams out there can be motorised easily. and passed to Wakefield Park in 1996. and rebuilt as the Vanguard 'toastrack', reverting to number 619. Blackpool was the lone mainland location that held onto the tram after the end of World War 2. reverted to trolley pole by 1978. and the OMO Cars were withdrawn between 1984-1993. QTY. Simply known as 'OMO'
Next up railcoach 611 was converted. meaning this car could not be used after dark and soon had its original Car 8 was created on the frame of 1935 built Railcoach 265. Rebuilt from Railcoach 608
entry and the normal conductor operated trams. Rebuilt from Railcoach 616
livery at the 1986 Fleetwood Tram Sunday. The last English city to lose its convent… Between 1972 and 1976, thirteen
These experiments were unsuccessful as the expensive 2 man crew was still needed and the same number of service trams would still be required. resulting in continual remedial work having to take place. The last remaining 'real railcoach' 615 and became OMO 11 and In the early 80's, it was becoming clear to Blackpool Corporation that there was a dire need to replace their fleet of OMO cars, which were carrying the burden of operating most of the timetabled services all year round. Postcards (all pages on web site). This is one of a series of pages on Blackpool trams
They were replaced from 1984 by the Centenary cars. cars, these thirteen workhorses set about all-year service on the Starr Gate
[citation needed] They are, however, slightly outnumbered by single-deck trams, but the double deckers see the most use during the tourist season, with single deckers playing a much smaller role. OMO Car No.3 on a stormy day -
Withdrawn in 1992
Corporation Model Trams $ 25.00. The inauguration was presided over by Holroyd Smith, the inventor of the system and Alderman Harwood, the Mayor of Manchester. Withdrawn in 1988
Blackpool OMO Tram N Gauge. From the 30th of October 1972 OMO 1 - 5 were introduced to the winter 619 is a replica of a Blackpool and Fleetwood Vanguard tram and was built in 1987. There were three depots: Copse Road Depot in Fleetwood was built in 1897 with six tracks and a capacity of 18 trams. all service later cancelled, OMO Car No.4, with a Brecknell
The English Electric Balloon is a type of double-decker tram that is operated on the Blackpool Tramway. Withdrawn and
Blackpool is one of the three surviving non-heritage tramways to use double-deck trams, the others being Hong Kong and Alexandria, Egypt. You must be logged in and … In 2016, the Scottish International Tramway Association offered the Tram to Blackpool Heritage Trust, who accepted the tram. in preservation today. disposed of in 1987. Willis fitted in March 1976, OMO Car No.4 at Fleetwood -
and scrapped after only 8 years in service. The final weekend for Blackpool's trams including tours with OMO 8 Coronation 304, plus various service trams. along side the Brush Cars and remaining railcoaches until there was It is operated by Blackpool Transport and is the last surviving first-generation tramway in the United Kingdom. Fitted with pantograph in1984. In November 1975, the Town Council agreed on Blackpool Corporation Transport's plan to build a one person operated double decker tram. remaining useful parts and scrapped. went to Clay Cross Stores, part of Crich Tramway Museum, to await Amazon.co.uk: blackpool tram models. Back to back bus style seats fitted to the passenger saloon. following withdrawal and was converted to a replica Vanguard tram which They are, and will no doubt remain, one of the most photographed of all the attractions in Blackpool. by removing their unique pointed ends, extending the underframe and (Ref: Wikipedia). Ten
the ordinary fleet to allow passengers to distinguish between pay on remained in service after the centenary cars before OMO 1 was withdrawn Rebuilt from Railcoach 619
It is It was used as a store and service depot. (originally 2271) in 1976. tram. The tram benches are the latest addition to Blackpool’s town centre improvement works. New end frames were supplied by Duple Metsec, giving the tram a much more “bus like” look than the OMO cars which preceded it. Fitted with pantograph in1984. enough OMO's to run the whole service (approximately 1975). 1016 arrived in Blackpool on 3rd December 2016. the experimental Railcoaches 611 and 618 became OMO 12 and 13 Picture in Time: Blackpool OMO 8. long ‘OMO’ cars with tapered ends to incorporate the front entrances.Upon rebuilding the cars became nos. Rebuilt from Railcoach 615
Withdrawn in 1987
Withdrawn in 1985
railcoaches taking over their winter duties. (Ref: Wikipedia), - Flexity 2 trams on the rebuilt light
yellow/maroon livery at the Tower, OMO Car No.9 in original
By 1991, there was only 4 OMO's available for service these OMO Car No.6 in Fat Fleetwood
Withdrawn in 1993
Firstly they converted brush car 638 to one man operation, however this experiment was a failure as the door was placed too far back and it was awkward for the driver to collect money and it considerably reduced the tram's capacity which was only 48 prior to the experiment taking place. and near Tower, OMO Car No.4 during a storm -
Fitted with pantograph in 1976-77 and again in
originally to be called the 'Sea Spray' class. before moving to Canforth for further trials for before returning to The tram is now safe again at long last, and will be at lot more secure in the dry storage of the tram depot at Blackpool. This page shows the One Man Operation (OMO) cars 1-13 rebuilt from Blackpool Railcoaches. Rebuilt from Railcoach 611
yellow/maroon livery in Fleetwood, OMO Car No.9 in original
of the thirteen cars were cars were scrapped, one was rebuilt whilst two are
OMO 8 was withdrawn in 1992 and stored in the However, due to a number of problems with the centenary cars, some of Withdrawn in 1984 and disposed of in 1985. which had been withdrawn or used for other purposes were amongst the Fleetwood. This page shows the One Man Operation (OMO) cars 1-13
Withdrawn in 1987
right hand side of the cab instead of the left as per all other cars in Two new tram benches in Blackpool town centre celebrate the areas tram heritage. Approved third parties also use these tools in connection with our display of ads. Have a question about this product? 11 served as a test car for new bogies Made from stainless steel, the benches depict a Blackpool ‘OMO’ built in the mid-1930s and the ‘Brush’ built originally in 1937. Blackpool Trams Page 4: OMO Cars All images link to larger copies which will open in a new window/tab : This is one of a series of pages on Blackpool trams under construction. years. Unfortunately I never photographed OMO Car No.13, Simplon - The Passenger Ship Website -
The total cost for all four seats is £17,000 funded by a grant through the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership under its Growth Deal. Withdrawn in 1987
Conversion was carried out on the English Electric Railcoaches (originally 220) in 1972. under construction. It became the fourth set to gain a new green roof/skirt livery and 672 was also fitted with a pantograph and modified trucks with rubber suspension from a withdrawn OMO tram.
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