Accession Number

B136

Series Title

LOST TRANSPORT

Programme Title

LIVERPOOL OVERHEAD RAILWAY / TRAMS

Producer

[Unknown]

Other Credits

[Unknown]

Transmission Date

01/01/85

colour , sound (sep), 18 mins 48 secs

Synopsis

Looks at the history of Liverpool's Overhead Railway - the "Dockers' Umbrella" - from its beginnings in 1855 to its closure by Parliament and demolition in 1957. Numerous black and white stills are shown featuring the building of the "Overhead", its various stations, bomb damage to the line after WW2 and general Liverpool scenes. The last remaining section of the line is show at the underground station at Dingle. There are interviews with Ken Brown, an expert on the history of Liverpool's Docklands, and Bob Poley, who worked on track maintenance from 1938 to 1956. Also featured is the history of trams in Blackpool during their heyday in the 1950s, when they carried over 50 million passengers per year. Footage and stills of trams at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and promenade are seen. Stanley Croasdale, who drove Blackpool trams in the 1940s, is interviewed. There is footage and a brief history of Manchester's original tram system and Transport Historian Geoffrey Hyde is interviewed. Workers are seen restoring a tram for the Blackpool Centenary of Trams, celebrated between June and September 1985.