The Blackpool tramway is the only surviving first-generation tramway in Britain; dating from 1885, it is also one of the oldest electric tramways in the wold.

History

The oldest part of the tramway, along Blackpool Promenade , was opened in 1885, originally using conduit collection. It was the first practical electric tramway in the world, just six years after Werner von Siemens first demonstrated electric traction. Later, in 1899, the electric supply was converted to overhead power. The Promenade was subsequwently widened and the tram tracks separated from road traffic.

The other surviving part of the tramway is the Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramroad, linking Blackpool to Fleetwood on railway-type sleeper track, originally with street running at both ends; trams in Blackpool now go straight onto the Promenade without sharing space with road vehicles.

Thanks to the lack of street track and extensive investment n the 1930s, Blackpool was the only town in Britain not to abandon its trams.

Operations today

Blackpool is notable today as one of the only three surviving non-heritage tramways to use double-deck trams, the others being in Hong Kong and Alexandria; they are, however, outnumbered by single-deck trams.

External links

• Metro Coastlines
• Fylde Tramway Society