It was built in 1939, innovative for its day with a multi-purpose use as a car park. Trawling through these pictures, it’s evident right back to the early days that it was dark, dismal and criticised. On the back of one photo, the opening paragraph says: ‘The worst possible advert for a seaside resort – that’s the unanimous verdict on Blackpool’s seedy Talbot Road bus station.’ But saying that, we all have memories of the station, aside from the smell of diesel. Many of us couldn’t have done without it for shopping trips, catching the late bus home after a night out and the daily commute to work. All changed now, of course, but it will remain one of Blackpool’s iconic buildings.
In case you missed them: 24 nostalgic scenes of Blackpool North Station - the trains, station, platforms and people in the 80s and 90s
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1. Talbot Road Bus Station - how it used to be
A great scene from July 1970 Photo: National World
2. Talbot Road Bus Station - how it used to be
A bus station sign which did little to keep down engine fumes, 1982 Photo: National World
3. Talbot Road Bus Station - as it used to be
The caption on the back of this picture from June 1986 says 'Dark and dismal - boarding at Talbot Road bus station' Photo: National World
4. Talbot Road Bus Station - how it used to be
The caption on this 1932 picture says: "The Blackpool motor-coach (yes, motor-coach) station in Talbot Road was working at top pressure during the weekend where there was one of the greatest change-overs of the season, the Bank Holiday week crowd going out and the Preston week crowd coming in. Express motor-coaches were running to and from nearly all parts of the country Photo: National World
5. Talbot Road Bus Station - as it used to be
This was in 1987 and there were ideas in the pipeline to build a new bus station. It had been given a facelift but had 'failed to overcome its basic shortcomings' Photo: National World
6. Talbot Road Bus Station - how it used to be
Wide open entrances and exits made for a cold, drafty bus station. This was in 1982 Photo: National World