If you ever waited for a bus on Talbot Road, you’ll remember it: cold, draughty, and heavy with the smell of diesel.
This set of 25 old pictures revisits Blackpool’s much-talked-about bus station, a building that started life in 1939 and was seen as innovative for its day thanks to its multi-purpose use as a car park.
Yet even in the earliest images, the place looks dark and dismal — and it drew criticism almost from the off.
One caption, written on the back of a photograph, pulled no punches: “The worst possible advert for a seaside resort – that’s the unanimous verdict on Blackpool’s seedy Talbot Road bus station.”
Still, for all its flaws, many locals relied on it. It was the launchpad for shopping trips, the late bus home after a night out, and the daily commute to work.
13. Talbot Road Bus Station - how it used to be
An early photo inside the car park, September 1938 Photo: National World
14. Talbot Road Bus Station - how it used to be
An empty bus station during Easter bus strikes - 1960s? Photo: National World
15. Talbot Road Bus Station - how it used to be
The number 14 to Fleetwood and a Handy bus in May 1996 Photo: National World
