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OMO cars (rebuilt English Electric railcoaches)
Thirteen of English Electric's 1934-35 railcoaches rebuilt by Blackpool Corporation in 1972-76 to be run by the driver alone (OMO, one-man operation), as the buses were, for the quiet winter service. Credited with saving the tramway, they wore out quickly; the Centenary cars began replacing them in 1984, and the last ran in 1993.
Drawing to come
- Type
- Tram, single-deck, one-person operated, double-ended
- Builder
- Blackpool Corporation, rebuilt from English Electric railcoaches of 1934-35
- Built
- 1972–1976
- In service
- 1972–1993
- Lines
- Blackpool Tramway
- Formation
- One single-deck car, numbered 1-13: a railcoach's underframe extended, lengthening it from 43 to 49 ft, with tapered ends taking a front entrance and the centre doors kept as exits
- Trains in fleet
- 13
- Power
- 550 V DC overhead; trolley poles at first, then pantographs (5 tried a Brecknell Willis single-arm one before a Blackpool diamond-frame one in 1985) · how it works
- Train length
- 49 ft (14.935 m)
- Profile
- tram
- Status
- Withdrawn between 1984 and 1993: 13 in 1984 (scrapped in 1985), 1 in June 1989, the ninth to go, 8 in May 1992, 5 on 17 February 1993 and 11, the last in normal service, on 18 March 1993 (British Trams Online; Fylde Transport Trust). Heritage: two survive (British Trams Online, 2022). 8, owned by the Fylde Transport Trust, was cosmetically restored in its first plum and custard in 2005 and carried passengers in November 2010, for the first time in 18 years; it is stored at Rigby Road and hasn't run since (Fylde Transport Trust). 5 is in the National Tramway Museum's collection, in its off-site store since 2000 and awaiting restoration. No heritage tram carried the public in Blackpool in 2026 after the Frigate's last Illumination Tours on 2 and 3 January (British Trams Online, 13 July and 1 September 2026); Blackpool Transport says the operational heritage cars need welding, electrical and axle repairs first, and 2027 is the earliest return.
- Preserved
- 8 in Blackpool (Fylde Transport Trust); 5 in the National Tramway Museum's store at Clay Cross
- Replaced by
- Centenary cars (East Lancashire Coachbuilders)
unverified Some of these figures haven’t yet been checked against an official source or a published history. What’s in doubt ↓
Sources
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Show the 11 sources from British Trams Online, Fylde Transport Trust, National Tramway Museum and 1 more
- OMO 8 Fylde Transport Trust, read 13 October 202613 railcoaches of 1934/5 rebuilt as 49 ft OMO cars numbered 1-13, the first in 1972; why; replacement by the Centenaries from 1984; 8's history, withdrawal (May 1992), restoration and last run
- Blackpool Corporation No. 5 National Tramway Museum (Crich Tramway Village), read 13 October 2026the conversion (43 to 49 ft, tapered ends, front entrances, centre exits); 13 serviceable railcoaches in 1971; 1-5 launched 30 October 1972; pantographs; reprieve and withdrawal of 5 in 1993; 5 in the museum's store
- Picture in Time: Blackpool OMO 1 British Trams Online, 20 April 20201 in service from October 1972, from Railcoach 269/616; withdrawn June 1989, the ninth; scrapped November 1993
- Picture in Time: Blackpool OMO 8 British Trams Online, 4 January 20218 from Railcoach 265/612, in service June 1974; withdrawn May 1992; preserved, a brief run in 2010
- Picture in Time: Blackpool OMO 11 British Trams Online, 27 August 202111 from Railcoach 268/615, in service May 1975; the last in normal service, 18 March 1993
- Picture in Time: Blackpool OMO 5 British Trams Online, 5 August 20225 withdrawn 17 February 1993, the second to last; one of two survivors; to Clay Cross in June 2000
- Picture in Time: Blackpool Railcoach 618 British Trams Online, 23 August 202413 from Railcoach 271/618, completed 1976; withdrawn 1984, scrapped 1985
- Blackpool Tramway fleet list British Trams Online, updated 3 October 20268 in the heritage fleet at Rigby Road; first in service June 1974; last operated 2010
- Blackpool Tram Rail Engineer, 11 October 2011550 V DC before 2011
- They've Run in 2026! British Trams Online, 13 July 2026the heritage trams that carried passengers in 2026
- No more heritage trams in Blackpool for 2026 British Trams Online, 1 September 2026, updated 5 September 2026heritage tours suspended since December 2024; none in 2026
unverified
- The last rebuild, 13 in 1976: British Trams Online only; the Fylde Transport Trust and the National Tramway Museum give only the first, 1972
- The withdrawal dates of 1, 5, 11 and 13: British Trams Online's photo captions only (the museum gives 5 as '1993')
- 49 ft (14.935 m): the Fylde Transport Trust and the museum agree, but neither says whether over the body or over the fenders
- 8's last run: the Fylde Transport Trust says it 'has not operated since 2011'; British Trams Online's fleet list gives 2010, the year of the only passenger run either describes
- Two survivors (5 and 8): British Trams Online, 2022
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