The Darwen Transport Museum Trust

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Public Transport in Darwen - a History

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In the beginning

The story of Public Transport in Darwen begins with the use of horse drawn carriages using rough unmettaled tracks making journeys anywhere a long and hazardous pursuit. This is of course if you had any money, if you were poor you walked or rode on horseback and it's not surprising that the majority of inhabitants remained in their local vicinity all their lives. The wealthy owned their own carriages but at the start of the nineteenth century no public transport existed in the area and it was not until the start of the 1800s that a regular horsedrawn route was established between Blackburn and Manchester every day taking several hours to complete the journey. An Act of Parliament passed in 1797 allowed for the construction of a Turnpike or Toll road between Blackburn and Bolton (essentially what is now the A666), This allowed easier road travel and indeed traffic between Over Darwen and Blackburn increased enormously after Its construction. However as already stated the cost of travel was prohibitive as for example the return fare from Blackburn to Manchester in 1806 was 16s(80p) return 9s(45p) single inside. Outside accommodation could be obtained but at some risk and far less comfortable. It seems that the coach service was somewhat successful as by 1820 some 30 Blackburn traders made the journey to Manchester Commodity markets on a regular basis including two from Over Darwen namely Richard Wilton, bleacher and Richard Walsh, shirting manufacturer.

In September 1844 a meeting was held In the Greenway Arms to discuss the construction of a railway from Blackburn via Over Darwen to Bolton which was finally opened for public use in June 1848. Some indication of the advantages to local inhabitants brought about by the railway can be gauged by the journey time from Blackburn to Manchester being only 60 minutes as opposed to several hours by road. In addition the cost significantly fell, as the first class return rail fare of 8s(40p) was some 50% cheaper

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The First in the Kingdom

The Blackburn and Over Darwen Tramways' Act received the Royal Assent on 15th August 1879 and was the first to authorize the use of steam power specifically for tramway purposes. Because of the narrow streets the system was to be built to a gauge of 4ft(l.25m) and when opened only 20 months later it was the first public tramway system in the country to utilize steam power entirely in its operation. Having regard for the pioneer nature of the enterprise, and the many delays encountered in the early days of British Tramways the speed of construction was a remarkable achievement. The laying of the line commenced at the Angel Inn (Circus) and to complete the task 400 workmen were drafted into what was still essentially a village. The route followed the main road (A666) from Blackburn via Over Darwen to Whitehall a route mileage of 4.94 of which 3.70 was single and 1.24 was double track. By March 1881 the work was almost complete and the first locomotive arrived at Blackburn Railway Station and was driven under its own power to the Depot and Headquarters of the Company in Lorne St.. The trial run was on the 9th April 1881 and after a successful Board of Trade inspection was opened soon after. The journey time was a respectable 27 minutes given that the current scheduled time by bus is 30 minutes!

All six original engines and trailer cars were delivered by the 13th April 1881 and numbered I-6, The engines all fully paneled to ground level as was (and still is) the legal requirement to prevent frightening horses! The company in fact leased these first six engines from Messers Kitson & Go. Leeds. The terms of the lease being that the company should pay £1.15s.0d (£1.75) per engine per day including the driver's wages. The engines weighed 5 Tons had a wheelbase of 4'6"(1.4m), wheel diameter of 2'5"(0.75m), boiler pressure of 100 lbs. psi and each had two cylinders 6" diameter by 12" stroke. A further engine was added in 1882 and numbered 7.

The cars purchased for the opening were four wheel open topped style much shorter than that usually used on British tramways at that time with seven windowed bodies built by Ashburys. Longtltudinal seating was provided inside for 20 and transverse knifeboard seating on top for 26.They had a canopied unvestibuled platform at each end, but since the cars were turned at each terminus only one platform was provided for access to the interior and one staircase, this being of the quarter turn variety. A simple screen protected the upper deck passengers from smoke and fumes. This screen was extended in 1882 to cover half the top deck. The cars rode on Eades Patent reversible trucks carrying a livery of red and cream that was similar to that used by the companies other operations In Manchester.

The official opening took place on the 14th April 1881 when the Directors of the company, along with Civic Dignitaries, travelled from the Angel Inn to the Blackburn terminus In St.Peter St. thereafter enjoying luncheon at the Black Bull in Church St.. Passenger traffic commenced on 16th April 1881. By the time the opening ceremony was taking place work was well underway on the section from the Angel Inn to the Colliers Arms at Whitehall. This section was completed by the end of November and came into public use on 5th December 1881. To operate this section a further car was bought from Ashburys in November having a shorter wheelbase, which was supposed to give a better ride.

The terms of the Tramway Act stated that the Company should provide an early morning and evening service for workmen and this was indeed included in the timetable. However these services did not operate as the Company did not seem to want workmen travelling in their nice new Cars. After much wrangling the Company finally bought, in 1883, four open cars for the conveyance of workmen. Being totally open these proved rather unsatisfactory in the inclement weather and were only used for one year after which time the regular cars were substituted although It was stated that 'workmen should refrain from dirty habits when travelling inside cars'. The company during the time it operated the line was a law unto itself and was constantly in trouble with the Town Council and authorities on vehicle safety. The Council constantly' complained about the services, or lack of them, and the Company was regularly prosecuted for overloading of cars by the police, The Company blatantly flouted the law regarding the running of two cars with one locomotive, a practice the company seem to have "got away' with.

A further seven engines were purchased from Messrs Thomas Green between 1885 and 1896 these being of larger dimensions then the previous ones and numbered 8-14. In 1887 the first bogie car was put into service, again being built by Ashburys, the seating capacity being 58 the top deck being totally enclosed but with an outside staircase. In 1888 a further two cars were purchased this time from Messrs G F Milnes of Birkenhead. These were totally enclosed doubledeck bogie cars having the luxury of opening windows on the top deck! All subsequent cars were bought from G F Milnes. In 1897/8 a further three engines were purchased and numbered 1,2 & 15 returning to Kitsons for what proved to be the last for the company. In total the company had 17 locomotives and 23 Trailers of which 11 were bogie cars.

Under the terms of the Act both Blackburn and Darwen (as it had now become) Councils had an option to purchase the undertaking and did so on the 31st December 1898 at a cost of £22,137 and £26,400 respectively for the portions within their own boundaries. Upon takeover the Company had 13 locomotives and 13 trailer cars in stock of which Darwen Corporation took ten of each and Blackburn three. The tramway was operated jointly by the two corporations until 16th October 1900 when Electricity arrived.

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Darwen goes electric

In February 1900 work commenced on electrifying the tramway between Darwen and Blackburn. The track was to be doubled with the exception of two short lengths of single track at Belgrave and between Union St. and the Circus. Whilst electrification work was carried out the steam tram service continued. As a result the original steam track was left in situ and an additional new line laid alongside it the whole thing being electrified at one go. The overhead was span wire in the main with rossettes fixed to buildings at the Circus and other appropriate locations and poles with span wire elsewhere with the exception of the section from the Anchor to the Boundary where side arms were used with a Centre pole at the Golden Cup.

Ten open topped uncanopied bogie cars numbered 1-10 were supplied for the opening, the bodies being built by G. F. Mllnes & Co. of Hadley Shropshire having seating for 60, with ordinary spiral staircases. Interior seating was longitudinal accommodating 15 each side, each bench was divided into two portions seating seven and eight separated by a partition and in order for this to coincide with the center main pillar the partition had to be closer o one end than the other thus the pillars were unequally spaced making two of the four windows larger than the others. Upper deck seating was of transverse wooden type featuring patent dry flap seating ensuring dry seats in all weathers. All had Brill Maximum Traction Bogies and 30HP motors, five from Westinghouse and five from BTH (type 52).

The livery used was Vermilion upper panels with Purple Lake dash and rocker panels. When considering the proposed Tramway & Improvement Act in 1898 the Tramway Committee received petitions from residents and councilors for branch lines. The first was to run from the Circus along Bridge St. Redearth Rd. Sough Rd. and Watery Lane to Whitehall to join the main line again. The second was to branch off Bridge St. up Sudell Rd. and continue over what was then fields to Hoddelesden and thirdly a branch from Sudell Rd over fields to Entwistle St. South St. and Railway Rd to the Circus. When the Act was passed the Hoddelesden route was modified to go up Marsh House Lane then through fields to Pole Lane Into which it was to turn before crossing Roman Rd and over fields again to Harwoods Lane at Old Sett End.

The council authorized preparatory work to proceed on the Sough Rd. route early in 1900 but as agreement could not be reached with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway on a satisfactory means of crossing the two bridges the scheme was abandoned, not before however some property was bought by the Tramway Depot at Sough to facilitate laying of the line. It was not until t926 that public transport was to reach Sough other than the Railway and that was by motor bus.

Work started on the Hoddelesden route about the same time and was completed and open to traffic on 11th October1901. In a distance of 1.5 miles (2.45Km) the route rises 360ft (110m) then drops 104ft (32m) into Hoddelesden. The line as built commenced as a stub at Church St. and passing along Bridge St. where a single line connection from the Circus joined. The track was double from this point until reaching the railway bridge at he top of Sudell Rd, whence it became single. Passing loops were provided at the bottom of Marsh House Lane and again at Cambridge St., Higher Marsh House, between Pole lane and Roman Rd, and finally opposite the Co-op Building in Hoddelesden, terminating in a single spur at Sidney St. and not in the main part of Queens Sq. as had been intended. The route proceeded directly across fields from the top of Marsh House Lane to Queens Sq. and was laid as a light railway the rails being laid on concrete foundations to enable it to incorporate a road surface latter (now Hoddelesden Rd.). The new road constructed for the. tramway was from what was then the end of Marsh House Lane to Pole Lane at Sett End was intended to open up the area for housing development and as an additional benefit Blacksnape was connected to the main sewer laid along the road. Pole Lane was diverted from its original junction with Roman Rd at Harwoods Lane to Its current location at the top of Marsh House.

For this route four new cars were ordered each with four wheel trucks (Brill 21E) and bodies again by Milnes, numbered 11-14. again liveried in Vermilion and Lake. The seating in these cars was for a total of 50 with longtitudinal seating in the saloon and the open top deck having transverse wooden seats. A special feature of the cars was the triple breaking systems as a result of the hilly nature of the route. Firstly a conventional wheel brake was provided and secondly a power brake which reversed the current in the motors to slow the vehicles down (Regenerative Braking). Thirdly a slipper brake which was an oakwood block acting directly on the track which could be operated by either driver or conductor and its use was confined to Marsh House Lane and Sudell Rd.

In 1903 a top cover was purchased for no 13 having four equally spaced windows and sliding doors at each end. As costs were always kept to a minimum 1905 saw the purchase of a four wheel Demi Car No 15, with Raworth Regerative equipment and Trucks by Mountain & Gibson of Bury. Intended for one man operation of the Hoddelesden route, the passengers entered the car at the front and left at the rear, seating being provided on the platforms as well as in the saloon. Its initial success lead to the purchase of two further identical cars Nos. 16 & 17 in 1906 for the Bolton Rd section. Subsequently the cars became very troublesome and were withdrawn from service in 1912 and stored in the depot in Lorne St.

An anomaly of the Tramway operation was that it was administered by three separate departments being the Electrical Engineers Dept. Borough Engineers Dept., and the Borough Treasurers Dept. The first manager was Mr. F J Hoskins and was appointed in 1912 and immediately set about making improvements.

In 1913 the Corporation decided to give three months trial to a 2d(1p) return fare on the Bolton Rd section and a special 1d(1/2p) dinner hour return on all routes between 12 noon and 1p.m. The return journey to be made before 2p.m. The results were so successful that the feature was kept permanently. Again during 1913 windscreens were introduced to the original cars for driver protection. Also in that year official tram stops were introduced as previously trams could be stopped anywhere and conductors were instructed to be on the lookout at all times for intending passengers.

During 1915 two new cars were purchased, Nos 18 & 19 for main road service as patronage was increasing. The bodies of these cars were by United Engineering Car Co. and of open top bogie design having trucks of Peckham type built by Dick Kerr of Preston. The livery of these cars reverted to that of the former steam trailers of Vermillion and Cream. Open tops were purchased as at two points on the Blackburn route low bridges of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway passed over the Tracks. Three further identical cars were bought in 1921 Nos 20-22 though the bodies and trucks were built by English Electric (formerly Dick Kerr) the trucks being of Burnley Bogie design. The purchase of these cars signaled the final demise of the Demi Cars withdrawn in 1912, No 16 becoming a shelter at Sett End and No 15 becoming a works car shorn of its body and with only one driving position.

Although the top cover for No 13 was successful no further top covers were purchased until 1919 when a redundant top cover was purchased from Accrington and fitted to No. 14.This cover was unvestibuled and had four equal side windows. No 13 had its top cover canopied during 1920 to the same pattern.

Following the arrival of Nos 20-22 consideration was given to updating the original cars as sufficient motive power existed to maintain services. The form of rebuilding was made more difficult by the presence of the previously mentioned low bridges it was however felt that the provision of top covers was necessary. To this end two new cars, the second No 16 & 17 were purchased in 1925 from English Electric to a low height design having well frames, They seated 30 downstairs on longitudinal seats and 26 upstairs on transverse in the saloon and 8 in each canopy. This design proved succesful.1 and the then Manager Mr. Newsome, who was involved in the design work, set about rebuilding the original cars.

The first to be dealt with during 1924/5 were Nos 1 & 8 the top covers being provided by Brush. The overall height to the top of the trolley plank, which on all cars was previously offset to one side, was centrally placed at 14'9"(4.5m). No 1 was renumbered 15, as the works car rebuilt from the former Demi car (15) had taken the No 1. Subsequent rebuilds occurred in 1927(No 3) 1928(No 5) and 1929(No7). All these cars were fitted within Brush top covers, the Brill trucks being replaced by Burnley bogies and 40HP motors. Thus by 1930 a total of seven top covered cars were available for main line use along with two for the Hoddelesden route. However to provide additional covered accommodation it was felt that two further cars should be so treated. In 1931 work commenced in rebuilding Nos 2 & 10 although this time the top covers were purchased secondhand (and not until 1933 at that) as part of a purchase of two complete bogie bodies from Rawtenstall. However No 10 was the only one to receive its cover as a serious mishap occurred when that intended for No 2 was dropped and the whole was beyond economic repair. Included in the purchase from Rawtenstall were two single truck bodies that were to become the second No 9 & 11. The Rawtenstall body that became the second No 11 was mounted on the truck of the original No 11 and was a balcony type. The original No 11 was involved in the Sudell Rd accident and had been stored derelict at the depot since 1926. No 14 was partially rebuilt In 1933 with enclosed ends to match the other cars.

Thus by 1933 there were 18 trams in regular service being. -

3,5,7,8,9(2nd), 10,11(2nd), 12,13,14,15(2nd original no 1) 16,17,18,19,20,21&22, of which 12 were top covered plus works car No 1

Considering subsequent early developments it was surprising that the decision was taken to purchase in 1936 what proved to be the last two new vehicles for the tramway, Nos 23 & 24, These were very handsome vehicles built by English Electric to a design similar to that used by them for Blackpools Streamliners. They had dual staircases radiating from a central entrance and known locally as Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. These two cars brought the strength up to 20 but this was reduced one year later to 15 with the abandonment of the Hoddelesden route and its conversion to motor buses. The cars 9,11,12,13 & 14 were broken up at the depot and the fittings sold locally. Trams rapidly lost favour and total abandonment was proposed accelerated by the general deterioration of the trackwork and the fact that some overhead cables and poles collapsed in Duckworth St. On 1st January 1939 the Bolton Rd section was abandoned and replaced by buses, only to be reopened at the outbreak of World War II as oil and fuel was rationed. However this section was finally and permanently abandoned on 31st January 1940, the track overhead and cars 18, 19, 20, 21, & 22 being sacrificed for the war effort.

Thus the fleet was now down to 10 cars- - 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 15, 16, 17, 23, 24 but by 1942, Nos 8 & 10 were withdrawn and No 17 was involved in the Kidder St. accident. By the time hostilities had ceased In 1945 the f leet was down to 3, 5, 7, 10, 16, 23 & 24, (no 10 being the top deck of the original No 10 and the trucks and bottom deck from no 17. Nos 23 & 24 were sold to Colwyn Bay in 1946, traveling there through the Mersey tunnel prior to the proposed abandonment of the tramway on 31st March 1946. However abandonment was further postponed and the system was only kept going by the loan of several Blackburn cars. During the last stages the Corporation in fact substituted some buses instead of trams to complete service requirements and matters came to its only conclusion on 5th October 1946.

Closure was duly celebrated in the time honored fashion with No 3 gaily decorated with flowers and electric lights and the wording '46 YEARS PUBLIC SERVTCE COMMENCED 1900 RETIRED 1946', which carried the town council and officials. Car No7 also carried other Guests, No 3 was driven into the Depot by Alderman Braithwaite the Mayor whose wife acted as conductors distributing souvenir tickets and No7 was driven by Mr. Albert Cowpe the eldest driver.

The tramway only had two serious accidents both (VERY ODDLY) occurring on the 20thSeptember. The first occurred in 1926 to No 11 and was a runaway down Sudell Rd which unfortunately left the rails at the bottom and crashed into the Billiard Hall killing several. The second In 1942 was to No 17 which was traveling at speed towards Darwen when incorrectly set points sent the car into Kidder St. siding (Ewood Football Ground) and overturned onto a shop. Again several fatalities resulted, the state of the track being primarily responsible.

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Darwen buys motor buses

In February 1925 the Tramway Committee recommended that the Bolton Rd section should be extended from Whitehall to the New Cemetery at Moss Gap at a cost of fl2OO, A Bill was presented to Parliament to authorize this extension but ultimately this was never built, However this act also gave the Corporation powers to run motor buses and indeed trolley buses in the borough. Motor buses commenced on 19th September 1926 with four Leyland Lionesses bought for the purpose, which ran services to Chapels, Bold Venture Park, Spring Vale and Sunnyhurst. These buses had 26 seat bodies and were numbered 1-4 with a livery similar to the trams. In 1927 two further Lionesses, 5 & 6, were purchased to supplement the Hoddelesden tram service with an additional two, Nos. 7 & 8, arriving in 1928 to inaugurate an Express Service to Blackburn Railway Station from Whitehall taking just 18 minutes. The Lionesses were found unsuitable for the Darwen-Blackburn Express service and in 1930 two Leyland Lion LT2 models were purchased, Nos.9 & 10, specifically for this route. There now followed a pause of six years before the expansion of services warranted further acquisitions.

In 1930 buses were working to Hoddelesden, trams working the early morning peak period and afternoons only the capacity of the vehicles used reflecting the traffic on offer. Buses left the Circus via Railway Rd and Kay St. and made a detour at Sett End via Harwoods Lane, the original 1899 proposal for the tram route. Evening services comprised three buses per hour Monday to Thursday, two trams per hour on Friday and Sunday and four trams per hour on Saturday. Buses were working to Tockholes via Bog Height Road in 1931 and by 1933 four buses per day were working on the Spring Vale route diverting along Watery Lane instead of' Cranberry Lane. The Tockholes service had by this time been extended to the Royal Hotel and the Chapels service extended to Pothouse.

To cater for this additional workload three Leyland Lion LT7's with English Electric 32 seat bodies were purchased being allocated Nos. 11,12 & 13. To cover for the abandonment of the tramway to Hoddelesden in 1937 four Leyland TD5's were bought with smart double deck bodies by Burlingham of Blackpool and numbered 14,15,16 & 17. These double deck vehicles followed the tram route up Sudell Rd as they were to high to operate under the Railway Bridge at Darwen Station. Single Deck vehicles however continued to use the old route. In 1938 two further TD5's of similar double deck design (18 & 19) together with four Leyland TS8 single deck Burlingham bodied vehicles numbered 20,21,22 & 23 were purchased to cater for increase in traffic.

During 1939 a very odd vehicle was purchase for the Tockholes route being an Austin K3 with a 26 seat Burlingham body and numbered 24. Designed by Austin to compete with the very successful Bedford OB this vehicle proved unsuitable for the hilly routes and lasted only until 1942.

The proposal to abandon the tramway in 1940 lead to an order being placed for ten Leyland TD7's with Leyland 56 seat double deck bodies, this being the largest order for buses ever placed by the Corporation. The outbreak of war ment that the order was frozen by the government but strangely, probably as the materials were to hand to complete the vehicles, the order was unfrozen and the buses delivered being allocated nos. 25-34. However whilst the buses were available they saw very little use as the Corporation was not allowed any further fuel with which to operate them. The transportation of Munitions workers to Euxton, Chorley allowed fuller use for which fuel was specifically allocated. These vehicles also allowed the withdrawal of the original Lionesses, four being scrapped, and four being converted to ambulances for the war effort and four Leyland Lions Nos. 9,11, 12 &13 which were hired to Viking motors of Burton on Trent to whom they were eventually sold.

Despite the war an order was placed in 1942 for six Leyland double deck vehicles to replace the tramway system which was again proposed for abandonment, The government would not agree to this and as abandonment required the additional buses it was not until 1946 and the end of the war that these vehicles finally arrived taking the lowest numbers available, being 1-6, and being of an improved version of the TD7 the PDI still with Leyland 56 seat bodies actually built by Wm. Alexander Dundee on Leyland frames due to excess orders at Leyland. 1947 saw the arrival of three similar vehicles, 7 8 and 9, but with the bodies built by Leyland.

During 1949 expansion of services called for further vehicles and as Leyland could not supply these due to the postwar demand for buses being beyond capacity, eight Crossley DD42/7's were purchased taking Nos 35-42 again being the lowest sequence of numbers. 1949 saw the withdrawal from service of the last Leyland Lion No. 10 and three of the Burlingham bodied TD5's Nos, 14 16 & 17. A Crossley demonstrator arrived in 1951 numbered 43 and the last Crossley No.44 in 1952 allowing the withdrawal of the last TD5 No, 15. Whilst No.17 was converted into the first purpose built breakdown tender.

During 1950 TS8 No, 20 was updated to include dual purpose coach seating and subsequently No. 22 was more radically dealt with in 1951 by the replacement of its original body by a full front coach type with front entrance built locally in the workshops again with duel purpose seating. 1953 saw the rebuilding of No.23 in a similar style but with what was then the fashionable Centre entrance, No 21 the remaining unmodified example being withdrawn at this time. At around this time TD7 No 27 was rebuilt with a PDI engine but the cost at £8l2 precluded further conversions and remained a one off example.

The purchase of large numbers of vehicles at one time presented problems when certificates of fitness fell due at similar times. To combat this the council adopted a policy of vehicle replacement in small numbers. In line with this policy two Leyland PD2's, (the first of a total of 22) with Farrington all metal Leyland bodies were purchased in 1952 Numbered 10 & 11, A further two examples Nos. 12& 13 were delivered in 1954 and were the last Farington bodies produced by Leyland. Darwen always ready for innovation ordered three Leyland PD2's in 1955, this time with 'Tin Fronts' as opposed to the traditional open radiator style, two with conventional open platform rear entrance double deck bodies by Crossley and Numbered 14 & 15, and No. 16 provided with a double deck body by East Lancs but with a Rear Platform Door. No further open platform vehicles were ordered and 1957 saw the purchase of a further East Lancs bodied double deck vehicle No 17. This time the chassis was provided by Crossley though this was a Crossley badged AEC Regent Mk V, again with a rear platform door and was displayed at the 1957 Commercial Vehicle Exhibition at Earl's Court, destined to be the only such vehicle ever built. Along with this vehicle came two Crossley Badged AEC Reliance's with East Lancs single deck bodies. These had front entrances with folding doors and equipped for one-man operation (OMO). Numbered 18 & 19 the livery of these two vehicles was initially reversed in that the primary colour was cream with red trim. A further Identical vehicle was delivered in 1958 as No 20.

1958 also saw the purchase of three further PD2's again with 'tin fronts' and East Lancs double deck bodies with rear entrance doors, which were proving most popular. These vehicles were numbered 24,25, & 26. About this time Crossley No 40 was withdrawn and taken over by the Highways Dept. for conversion into a Grit Wagon as was Leyland TD7 no 32 but for conversion into a snowplough.

The delivery of the single deck vehicles 18-20 allowed for the withdrawal of rebodied TS8s 20,22 & 23 in 1959 which had been fulfilling the role of private hire vehicles using the license of Messrs. Farnworths (a local coach operator) and to continue with these services two very fine secondhand coaches were purchased. The first No 21 was a Leyland Royal Tiger chassis with a Burlingham Seagull center entrance body. The second, No 22, was a Dennis Lancet with a similar body by Plaxtons. Unfortunately private hire work declined soon afterwards and as a result the Royal Tiger, No 21, was converted to OMO by fitting a front entrance door for use on stage carriage work in 1962. The Dennis Lancet was traded in for an AEC Reliance with a front entrance also suitable for OMO but with dual purpose seating for private hire use also numbered 22. To provide cover for these vehicles No 19 was fitted with the coach seating from one of the withdrawn TS8s In May 1964 the first front entrance double deck vehicles were purchased in the form of Leyland PD3s Nos. 27 & 28. These were stretched versions of the PD2 the new longer length allowed for by a change in the regulations. These vehicles, with St. Helen's' fiberglass fronts, were intended for Main Line use between the Cemetery and Blackburn and could accommodate 72 seated passengers with 8 standees. Three further identical vehicles were added in 1965 Nos 29,30 & 31. The Royal Tiger No 21 was withdrawn in 1965 and replaced with a Leyland Tiger Cub with a single deck dual purpose body by East Lancs again for OMO and numbered 23. At the same time three PD2's, Nos. 32, 33 &34 again with 'St. Helen's' fiberglass fronts and front entrances with bodies similar, but shorter, to that provided for the PD3's but adapted for OMO. The upper decks were however blocked off during non-crewed duties, as OMO had not been sanctioned at that time on double deck vehicles. These vehicles were followed by three batches of three identical vehicles over the next three years to 1969. Numbered 36-44(No35 was still occupied in 1967 by a Crossley) the last 3 were the last PD2's built by Leyland for use in the UK. These vehicles replaced PDI's 1-9 and Crossley's 35-39 & 41-44 all withdrawn during this period. 1970 saw the withdrawal of PD2's 10 & 11 and during the following year an odd purchase of secondhand AEC Reliance (Ex Salford No 110 & SELNEC 73) becoming Darwen 21.

A change in policy to provide OMO services on most routes lead to the purchase in 1971 of two high capacity single deck vehicles. These were Bristol RESL Chassis with Leyland engines and East Lancs single deck bodies capable of seating 47 with a further 20 standees. These vehicles were allocated Nos.1 & 2 being the lowest then available followed In I972 by two further identical vehicles Nos. 3 & 4 and three more Nos. 5 6 & 7 in 1973 but with a revised body styling and revised livery again with the colours reversed with cream as the main colour with red trim. Three further similar vehicles were ordered and allocated Nos. 8, 9 & 10 but delivery was to be after merger with the Blackburn fleet on 1st April 1974 and the order was subsequently canceled, Thus Bristol RESL No 7 became the last vehicle to be purchased by Darwen.

After some 75 years of Darwen Transport the undertaking was merged with that of Blackburn upon Local Government reorganization and ceased to exist as a separate entity. On transfer all double deck vehicles were renumbered by adding 100 to the existing numbers with the exception of Nos, 16 & 17 which became Nos 19 & 20. Single deck vehicles 1-7 remained unchanged but Nos 20, 21 & 23 became 8,9 & 10 respectively. No.23 was the last vehicle to be repainted in Darwen livery and the last to retain this was no 25 suitably decorated for the 50th aniversary of Darwen Transport in 1976. All double deck vehicles had been withdrawn by 1980 with the exception of no 39, which became a training vehicle. All remaining vehicles had been sold by 1991 when the last two Bristol's Nos. 6 & 7 were disposed of seeing further use in Yorkshire. No 39 falling foul of new regulations on instructional vehicles was sold to The Darwen Transport Trust for Preservation in 1993. No 7 was discovered in 1995 in Sykes yard Barnsley Stripped of its engine and with Leyland National seating. The vehicle was purchased by the Trust for future long-term restoration

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Darwen Transport today

There remains very little of the tramway network. The turning circle at Whitehall is preserved as a National Monument and several rosettes remain on town center buildings. Track still remains lnsitu in the old tramshed buildings, which are currently occupied for industrial purposes. Of the Bus operation at the time of writing (1.9.97) the following vehicles are known to exist

No 7 Bristol RESL6L 1973 Persevered by DTMT currently awaiting extensive renovation

No 17 Crossley Regent V 1957 Persevered at St.Helens Museum Merseyside

No 23 Leyland Tiger Cub 1964 Exported to Malta

No 28 Leyland PD3 1964 Exported to Hungary as mobile bar

No 31 Leyland PD3 1965 Derelict in PVS Barnsley

No 37 Leyland PD2 1967 Derelict in Barnsley converted to tower wagon.

No 38 Leyland PD2 1967 Converted to horsebox and exported to France 1993.

No 39 Leyland PD2 1968 Persevered by DTMT and currently undergoing restoration.

No 40 Leyland PD2 1968 Converted to open top tour bus currently out of use in Somerset

In addition Darwen Transport Museum Trust has acquired two chassis and spares to complete the following though both require replica bodies: -

No40 Crossly DD42/7 1949

No32 Leyland TD7 1940

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Acknowledgements

The Blackburn and Darwen Tramways, N Forbes (The Modern Tramway, Oct-Dec 1942)

Local Passenger Service in Darwen (Modern Transport, Dec 1946; Jan & Feb 1947)

The First in the Kingdom, R P Fergusson, G Holden & C Riley 1981

The Tramways of North Lancashire, Light Rail Transit Association.

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