Glimpsing behind the scenes with Andy Mitchell

Last weekend saw the beginnings of what looks like being Blackpool’s next big attraction... and who would have thought it would have centred on the tram depot?!

Work has been going on at Blackpool Transport to refurbish the old tram shed on Hopton Road. The idea is to give the public regular access to see inside the depot, usually off limits to all but staff.

The preparation work for this new adventure has been carried out by an enthusiastic team of volunteers, led by the company’s own excited chairman Coun Paul Galley. Regularly to be seen in work overalls, Paul (pictured) has been leaping around Hopton Road shed, armed with a paint brush, and inspiring his helpers into getting the 80-year-old building in a state where it could be open to the public.

I took a trip around the shed at the weekend event, and was impressed by the guided tours and history talks being led by well informed volunteers.

The hope is that money can be raised by making a small charge to give people a glimpse behind the scenes, and raise enough cash to crack on with the dream of creating the new attraction.

At a launch on Saturday, the venture was officially named “Tramtown” in an echo of Blackpool’s new museum “Showtown” which is due to open next year.

Already, an online appeal to help raise money to sort out the shed roof, has gone a long way towards spreading the word about Blackpool’s plans across the world, with interest shown from as far away as Australia.

We are very good at launching new attractions here in Blackpool, and this is what the public wants. I wish Paul and his volunteers at Rigby Road well, and hope they get their venture off the ground.

Blackpool always has something new to say. Tramtown is the latest in our valuable portfolio of attractions. There’s much work still to do, but the volunteers have made a terrific start.

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