A trip down memory lane was enjoyed by Bolton's first citizen as he was invited to ride the Bolton 66 tramcar.

Mayor of Bolton Akthar Zaman was invited to board the tram, now operating in Blackpool, to celebrate its 40th year of taking visitors to the seaside resort along the promenade. 

Cllr Zaman travelled down Blackpool promenade to the Imperial Hotel alongside Kathryn Benson, the Mayoress of Blackpool and her consort, before enjoying afternoon tea and attending a book launch.

The Bolton 66 tramcar was built in 1901 as an open top eight-wheel double deck bogie tram by the Electric Railway and Tramway Carriage Works in Preston.

The Bolton News:

Bolton 66, the only tram in Blackpool Transport's Heritage Tramcar fleet which does not originate in Blackpool, is well over one hundred years old and is still in good running order but that has not always been the case.

At the beginning of the 1960's, Alan Ralphs and Bolton-born Derek Shepherd took the decision to attempt to restore the Bolton tramcar.

After more than 40 years serving the people of Bolton, the tramcar spent twenty years as a semi derelict bodyshell on a farm on the moors above Bolton.

However, with lots of enthusiasm, a group led by the duo, professional electrical engineer Derek Shepherd and supported by Alan Ralphs, spent many hours to completely restore the tram to a new condition taking them 18 years to complete.

In June 1981 the tram was moved to Blackpool and started to operate on the seafront, where it has remained for the last 41 years, due to covid the 40th anniversary was postponed until this year.

Derek sadly died in November 2020 shortly before his 90th birthday, and now a new book, Bolton 66 40 years in Blackpool, The Story of a unique tramcar by Tony Young, has been launched as a tribute to his lifetime work on trams.

The event also celebrated the book launch as well as the 40th year of Bolton 66 being in Blackpool.
The Bolton News:

Cllr Akhtar Zaman said: "I really enjoyed my visit to Blackpool on Friday and to get the opportunity to travel on the Number 66 tram, I was delighted to hear that the tram has become a popular member of the fleet of heritage trams, and I am grateful that Blackpool Transport have looked after our tram all these years and have maintained it to their usual high standard.

“It is of vital importance that the tramcar remains in Blackpool so that it can continue to give a great service to members of the public even though it is 30 years older than any of Blackpool’s oldest trams.

“Soon it will have run in Blackpool for more years than it did in its hometown of Bolton.

“We are indebted to the late Derek Shepherd, a lifelong Boltonian, who lead a team of local people including the late Alan Ralphs who together spent 18 years bringing 66 back to life.

“It finally came to Blackpool in 1981 for 6 weeks and 41 years later it is still here!”

Guests met at Rigby Road tram depot at 11.30am for initial introductions with departure at  noon.

The Bolton News:

The tram  travelled to Starr Gate and returned along the Promenade to North Pier where guests alighted for a photo stop and then boarded preserved Balloon tram 700 for the short onward ride to the Imperial Hotel. 

A reception was held in the Louis room at the Imperial Hotel.

Trustee Ian Longworth introduced the guests and the Mayor of Blackpool welcomed everyone and said how popular Bolton tram 66 is in the Heritage Tram Fleet.

They were pleased to have had it for forty years and hoped it would run in Blackpool for many years to come.

Ian Longworth then launched the  new book 'Bolton 66 40 Years in Blackpool’ and copies were given to all guests, together with a Bolton 66 souvenir mug and a Bolton 66 pen.