Engineering students are on the right track

Blackpool Sixth Students pitching their ideas to Bryan Lindop. L-R: Calum Young, Erin Menzies, Liam McClean and Michael Hill.

Engineering students on the BTEC Level 3 Engineering Extended Diploma course at Blackpool Sixth Form are working with Blackpool Heritage trams to create the layout and design of the new tram sheds historic space at the Starr Gate depot.

Besides creating their own piece of history, the students are also using the project to gain valuable work experience

The college’s engineering tutor Sam Bentley explained: “It is a great opportunity for students to gain professional experience with an external company that provides them with opportunities outside of college.”

Blackpool Sixth Engineering students with Bryan Lindop at the sixth form. L-R: Sam Harrison, Liam McClean, Calum Young, (Bryan Lindop), Erin Menzies and Michael Hill.

The students involved will be working on the project for the rest of this year, giving them essential industry experience and they will be able to can carry on with the project even after they have left the college.

The students pitched there own ideas for concepts for the new museum space.

They also carried out market research into how to make the space interactive and modern as well as being able to preserve the history of the trams.

One of the students involved in the project Michael Hill said: “We have gathered various amounts of information from the target audience and from existing transport museums around the UK.”

He added: “This is helping us find more inspiring ideas for the museum we wish to create, so that the customers that will enter our museum will have a memorable experience that they cannot forget.

“We have started working on initial drawings and well on the way to the creation of the Blackpool Heritage Transport Museum.

“ We hope that the customers will enjoy the experience as much as we did designing it.”

Bryan Lindop, head of Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours said: “It’s the biggest project we’ve worked on with an educational partner. I was amazed with the students’ fantastic concepts.”

He added:“They’ve created the perfect jigsaw with no missing pieces.”

The students said the trmas were a major tourist attraction to the resort and part of their own history so were eager to be involved.