In 2021, Blackpool Transport celebrated their 100th anniversary. Here’s a look back at 200 years of bus travel here on the Fylde Coast – how things have changed!
Bus travel is a major part of public transport here in the United Kingdom. They’re so much a part of everyday life that it’s easy not to notice single and double decker service buses, just going about their business. But like everything, they’ve evolved from simple beginnings.
Did you know? On 25 November 1836 “buses” started to run through Poulton from the Adelphi and Clifton Hotels in Blackpool. Presumably they were coaches.
On 2 July 1921 the first bus service ran every 15 minutes between Cleveleys and Thornton Railway Station. The fare for the full journey was 4d and the company was Blackpool Corporation at the time.
Fast forward 100 years and it’s now Blackpool Transport, operating environmentally friendly buses on 16 routes across the coast.
Many thanks to Nick Moore and his amazing History of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast for information used on this page.
200 Years of Bus Travel
John Greenwood began the first omnibus service in the United Kingdom between Pendleton and Manchester in 1824. Stagecoach services, sometimes over short distances, had existed for many years.
But Greenwood’s innovation was to offer a service which didn’t require booking in advance. It picked up and set down passengers en route. He didn’t actually use the term omnibus, that was first used in France in 1826.
Did you know? Mr Charnock, who officially opened the Clifton Arms on 12 May 1841, advertised that he ran an omnibus four times daily, to meet trains at Kirkham Station.
There were experiments with steam buses in the 1830s. But harsh legislation in 1861 virtually eliminated mechanically propelled road transport from Britain until the law changed in 1896.
Horse Buses
The growth of suburban railways, and later horse trams (from 1860) and electric trams (from 1885) changed the patterns of horse bus services, but horse buses continued to flourish. By 1900 there were 3,676 horse buses in London alone.
Did you know? It was 1848 when horse drawn omnibuses first ran along Blackpool promenade!
In 1866, Uttley, Brown & Greenwood opened their Clifton Livery Stables on Church Street in Blackpool. They ran buses to Lytham and Fleetwood and along the promenade. They also ran wagonettes from Clifton Livery Stables to Marton, watering horses at what became the Oxford Hotel at Oxford Square.
Then in 1870, James Hall began the town’s first horse bus along the new promenade, from Bailey’s Hotel to Dean Street. Other horse buses soon began offering services from Talbot Square to the Gynn, layton, Marton and South Shore.
The Blackpool Tramways, Omnibus and Carriage Company formed on 1 May 1874. Sadly it closed after two years.
200 Years of Bus Travel: Arrival of Motor Bus Services
Once the law changed in 1896 it paved the way for inventors and entrepreneurs to experiment. In 1897 various experimental motor bus services appeared, using petrol driven vehicles. Including a service in Edinburgh which ran from 1898 to 1901. Then in 1903 motor bus services began in Eastbourne. The service grew quickly, and soon eclipsed the horse buses.
Did you know? Way back in 1898, a Mr FE Baron undertook trials of a then-revolutionary motor-driven omnibus along Blackpool Promenade.
Bus Travel Gets Going in Blackpool
In October 1909, Blackpool Corporation transport officials were testing a Hallford-Stevens petrol-electric minibus.
Did you know? The last horse-bus ran on Blackpool’s streets in 1901.
Finally, in November 1917, they announced that “The Blackpool Corporation will promote a Bill in the next session of Parliament to obtain powers to establish a motorbus system, in conjunction with the Corporation tramways, embracing services to Poulton-le-Fylde and Hardhorn, Marton Moss, Blowing Sands and other districts.”
Did you know? Poulton stocks have been smashed several times over the years by turning buses – meaning they’ve had to be replaced!
In 1917, William Marshall and Son (Blackpool) Ltd at South Shore Garage on the promenade also received a licence to carry on a motor car and char-a-banc business. Soon afterwards, various other new businesses spotted the potential of offering public transport.
The first Corporation motor buses ran in Blackpool in 1922, being mainly single deckers. Double deckers became the norm from 1932. From 1935 to 1940, new transport manager Walter Luff introduced 130 modern, streamlined buses.
200 Years of Bus Travel: Blue Buses in Lytham and St Annes
Lytham St Annes Corporation bought its first motor bus in August 1913. They used it for excursions to Southport, Morecambe and the Lakes. But in September 1914 the chassis was taken for war use when it was requisitioned by the government.
The first Blue Bus ran in Lytham St Annes on 6 August 1923. The service began with two omnibuses supplied by the Guy Motor Company at a cost of around £1000 each. They had pneumatic tyres, open windows and a roof extension. Accommodation for 20 passengers was on seats of brown, grained leather.
By now known as Fylde Transport, Blackpool Transport bought the Lytham St Annes service in May 1994. By which time it was using the name Blue Buses. Fully absorbed into the company on 21 July 1996, most of the services and vehicles continued to operate from Squires Gate Depot until it closed on 12 April 1999. Then in June 2001 the depot was demolished.
Bus Travel in Cleveleys
In 1909 a Frederick James Knott founded the Cleveleys Carriage Company – Cleveleys first horse drawn bus service.
It operated from opposite Cleveleys tram station, offering transport to Thornton railway station. By 1912, the Carriage Company was running regular bus services and picking up passengers.
Did you know? Cleveleys bus station was once the site of an earlier ‘Institute’ and Mission. St Andrew’s Church, further along Rough Lea Road, replaced the Institute. Dedicated on 30 November 1909 it’s in the exact area where Ritherham Village once stood.
Thornton Cleveleys Urban District Council built the first basic bus station on the site in 1932. Two new metal shelters were added in July 1946. The first Blackpool Corporation bus entered the new bus station on 1 February 1947.
A few years later, in May 1959, the concrete buildings and toilets were built which we see there today.
Bus Travel with Blackpool Corporation
It was 9 March 1920 when the town’s first motorbus was demonstrated to the Corporation.
Not long afterwards William Smith of Bridge End Farm in Bispham started the town’s first motor bus service. Under licence from the Corporation, it ran from Bispham Village to Layton Cemetery.
Blackpool Corporation’s first bus service began on 2 July 1921.
Two 20 seater Tilling Stevens vehicles travelled from Cleveleys to Thornton Station, replacing Pym’s service which used converted Model T Ford vans. A passenger shelter, transferred from Devonshire Square, was soon erected at Thornton station.
Early buses were red and white, with gold and red lettering.
Blackpool’s first town centre bus route opened on 21 December 1922. The Corporation introduced larger and open topped double decker buses, with conductors on board for the first time.
Rigby Road
Along with the fleet of trams, Rigby Road tram depot also housed the towns buses.
In 1920 four corrugated World War 1 aircraft hangars were fitted, moved there from Squires Gate. Blackpool even started making its own trams in 1923 at Rigby Road. In 1926, and then in 1937, the garage was greatly extended. By 2023 plans are beginning which will see the bus depot being converted again. This time to house a new fully electric fleet which is coming soon.
Did you know? Stanley Park opened in 1926 with a bus terminus at the parks main gates. The road layout allowed buses to park up to await tea-time crowds returning to their ‘digs’.
Then in 1932, ‘Blackpool Tramways’ had a name change, to ‘Blackpool Transport’ to better describe the growth in the number of buses in the towns fleet. Walter Luff was first to fill the new post of ‘Transport General Manager’ in 1933. He immediately set about improving the fleet and the depot.
And in 1937, the 3 storey art deco style Transport Offices at Rigby Road were built.
Talbot Road Bus Station
Talbot Road bus station is a place we associate with bygone days of bus travel.
In 1923 and still called Talbot Mews, it was bought by William Smith who began to stop his buses there. Then on 19 April 1926 Blackpool Corporation bought it and built bus shelters and conveniences.
Did you know? In 1926, Blackpool’s motor buses carried 2,754,750 passengers during the year to June.
The name ‘Talbot Road Bus Station’ was first used in 1929 when it was extended, and cast iron bus shelters built. The bus station, complete with 5 storey indoor car park, wasn’t open for business until September 1938.
Officially opened in July 1939, it was the UK’s first true multi-storey car park.
English Heritage declared “The combined car park and bus station erected on Talbot Road, Blackpool (1936-7) was the first multi-storey municipal garage, and the first to be integrated with the public transport infrastructure.”
Did you know? In 1930 Blackpool Corporation began running Illuminations tours by bus.
Buses stopped using the station in 2002. After extensive refurbishment Talbot Road car park reopened in November 2013. The bus station which once occupied the whole ground floor has been enclosed and converted into retail units as part of the Phase 1 redevelopment of Talbot Gateway. It’s now the oldest multi-storey car park in the UK.
After 200 years of bus travel on the Fylde Coast, the town centre Bus Hub opened in October 2019. It once again provides a central transport point.
The Coliseum Bus and Coach Station
Blackpool Omnibus Stations Limited opened the new station on the site of the former Coliseum garage and bus park, on 4 September 1936.
“The exterior was faced with beige, light green and black terracotta, and inside all the flooring was in terrazzo. The panelling, doors and seating were in polished walnut. The metal fittings in bronze and chromium steel. A spacious, central-heated arcade divides the building into portions. On the left are a fully equipped cafe, mess rooms for drivers and conductors, a parcels and luggage depot and a newspaper kiosk. No fewer than 11 electric clocks were installed throughout. Covered arrival and departure platforms were designed to facilitate the handling of large crowds. The station could provide shelter for over 2000 passengers and take 70 vehicles.”
In 1973, the bus station was knocked down and replaced with an open air version. After closing in the late 1980s, the site’s been been home to a variety of supermarkets over the years. It’s now Home Bargains and Wyndsor’s World of Shoes.
200 Years of Bus Travel Brought up to Date
In 2016, Blackpool Transport pledged to implement a continuous replacement programme for the 140 strong bus fleet. Since then, Alexander Dennis has supplied Enviro400 City double deckers and Enviro200 single decker buses.
Alexander Dennis has adapted its buses to Blackpool Transport’s ‘Palladium’ standard. Today’s buses include free Wi-Fi, e-leather seats and wood effect floors. There’s also both audio and visual stop announcements too.
You might also be interested in ‘Trams in the Blackpool and Fylde area‘
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