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Memory Lane: Hidden tram tracks
An incoming Ribble bus ploughs through flooded Whitegate Drive overtaking a tram on the MARTON route near the junction with St Ives Avenue in July, 1956
GAS mains utility work on Whitegate Drive has exposed a link with that road’s transport of the past.
Eagle-eyed reader Jim Huntsman contacted Memory Lane with photographs and a poser.
He says: “They are digging up the road at the top of Woodland Grove, near the new medical centre on Whitegate Drive and I have taken a couple of photos of the hole.
“I can see what look like railway tracks, I think it’s old tram tracks. I’m not sure but, wow, did trams really go across Whitegate Drive? People may like to know; I know I would, I live there.”
Well Jim, trams did indeed run along Whitegate Drive until 1962, when the Marton route, between Talbot Square and the Royal Oak pub on Waterloo Road, was closed.
A search through The Gazette archives produced a splendid picture from 1956, not too far away from where the tram tracks are exposed today.
The only problem is that you cannot see them because the road was flooded at the time!
A Ribble double deck bus can be seen overtaking a tram on the Marton route, close to the junction with St Ives Avenue.
All that is missing is a boat alongside, but look at the little girl happily wading through the water in her shiny wellingtons. Does anybody know who she is?
The other picture dates from 1952, with the Preston Old Road junction in the distance, and shows the tracks and overhead wires – but, sorry, no trams!
You can, however, clearly make out the Marton tram depot, now a petrol station and Tesco Express, and in the distance the Saddle Inn.
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Wednesday 30 May 2012
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Comments
There are 6 comments to this article
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whiteley171
Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 07:58 AMI used to get the tram to school (St John Vianneys) and then to work at Waller and Hartleys, until I earned enough to buy a bike loved the trams in winter for school, top deck open each end in summer those was great days
Grangeman
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:07 AMI only remember single deck trams going to school along Whitegate drive. What you mention Chad must have been before I used them. Never remmeber a double deckker myself.
Chad
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 02:17 PMI certainly remember the trams on Whitegate Drive but they were not the yellow and green single deckers, they were double deckers and they did not terminate at The Royal Oak, they continued along Lytham Road and then down to the South Pier. My journey started at Squire’s Gate, I got a tram along the promenade to the South Pier and then changed trams, getting of the ‘toast rack’ at Devonshire Square and walking up to St Joe’s.
Grangeman
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:59 AMUsed to go to school on the tram. Caught it at devonshire square aas it came down Caunce St. and got off at the Saddle Inn for St. John Vianneys School. The seats were able to just push the back uprights to face which way the tram was going. I think it was about 1962 63 that they stopped.
goodlooking
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 04:23 PMYes I remember them too, also they ran the full length of Lytham Road
sandgrow'nun
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 03:52 PMYes My husband remembers when the trams went down Whitegate Drive to the old "tram sheds" now Tesco ExpressSmiths Equipment hire.
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