Whenever I see these comparisons between how places used to look and how they look now I am struck by how utterly joyless and bleak these places have become.
Blackpools suffered the same demolition and destruction that many towns and cities did in the 60s and 70s. One of the most horrific things that was ever allowed is the extensions to bed and breakfasts and hotels. It was never carried out in a way that compliments the victorian architecture of many of the buildings. They were put up cheap and in an adhock manner which does no favours to the overall appearance of the seafront.
Not just in Blackpool,every city in Britain, Ernie was not just an Intrepid Tax Dodgerand Reputed Proffumo Affair participant. He handed out 'Developement Opportunities' all over the nation for a good numberr of years, - ON FORMER RAILWAY LAND !
It’s such a shame but money fuels the changes. I grew up on the Wirral and wondered why new brighton was held as such a gem. 30+ year later I now know why. The tower, the parks, the lido and more all gone. Southport (just) & Blackpool still rocking…. I don’t think this will be enough for Blackpool. I just hope the regeneration is on going and some of the old hotels are replaced. I do love the history but BP needs to grow xxx
In 1963 a plan was had proposed to close Blackpool North station, Blackpool Corporation successfully lobbied British Railways for Central to be closed instead, in order that it might buy the land for potentially lucrative redevelopment. A great mistake by British Railway, letting Blackpool Corporation win, It’s only taken them 60 years to finally develop it. I've live in Blackpool all my life 58 years and have seen many historic sites and buildings demolished for redevelopment by Blackpool Clowncil.
As a kid in the late fiftes/ sixties in Scotland and visiting England regularily,Yorkshire and somtimes London and Sussex and Devon and Cornwall,I can tell you The Railways were phenomenal,there was always something to see.Staff in those days were not strangled with corporate diktats and would let you on footplates or into signal boxes. Gawd knows what would have happened if a plug or a guage glass had blown out. It never happened in countless footplate experiences. I well remember the time some driver showed me how to start an 08 shunter. In General Terminus Ore Depot in Glasgow. When it started after much (to me) Hellish vibration I wanted off,to the laughter of all including my late dad. I must have been all off 4years old.
Those photo fades are the best I've seen. The attention to detail to get your shot in just the right location speak volumes of the attention you lavish on these videos. Thanks! Can't wait for the next episode.
As a lifelong railway enthusiast I visited Blackpool Central a few times in the late 1950’s/early 1960’s & can attest to how busy it was. I put its decline down to some of the lines that fed it were closed, the general destruction of the railway system, making it more difficult to travel by trains & the inclusive tours holidays to sunnier climes.
When I was a young lad in the early 1960s, my parents used to take me to Blackpool for our annual holiday. We stayed in a boarding house on Vance Road. Before breakfast me and Dad used to walk down Vance Road to the station where he bought his newspaper. I still remember the smell of steam and smoke and the sound of slamming carriage doors echoing through the station. Happy days. Sad to see the area now, all gone.
Fantastic. My father was an engine driver at Bradfords Low Moor shed and did regular turns to Blackpool Central. He had stayed overnight in the lodge that you mention. Suprisingly, Blackpool Corporation insisted that British Rail close this line into Central Station rather than Blackpool North which BR wanted to close.
I think Blackpool council were correct in wanting Central to close and transfer to and expand Blackpool North. There was a lot of valuable (close to) seafront real estate like carriage sidings, loco maintenance facilities being taken up. A move to North Station was the obvious and best move. BR wouldn't have wanted Blackpool North kept because THEY would have had to pay more for its expansion rather than keep the, by then, Central Station wasteful land use. Really enjoyed the video Darren. thanks.
My grandfather used to bring us to Blackpool as young kids to give my parents a break and so it holds very fond memories. I know not everything can stay the same but its hard to look at what Blackpool has become and think that so may decisions were not for the better. I was born in Llandudno so Victorian seaside resorts have a special place, thankfully Llandudno has retained a lot of the Victorian charm.
The story I heard was that the council of Blackpool managed to talk British rail into closing the central station as they wanted to re-develop the site only taken them 60 years
Absolutely bloody brilliant. Overlaying the black and white photos at the right angle and perspective... genius. This is why I watch RU-vid and don't bother with normal TV any more. Thank you so much.
Brilliant work as ever Darren. As a former railway signaller of just under twenty five years, I found this fascinating and so interesting. I cannot believe Blackpool Council persuaded the powers that be to shut this once beautiful and busy station, as you said, the once most busiest in the world. The last few years it was then used as a bingo hall of all things. Nice fade ins/outs as ever great work.😉👍
Blackpool Council had nowt to do with it, Ernest Marples Transport Minister was responsible for every railway station in The Country in those days including Scotland and Wales. My generation saw the wonderfull Railway System with its Friendiy Staff and Fine Architecture vandelised all through the late sixties and The seventies Most staff left and found other jobs,although the ones you met as a youngster said they would never find a job like the railway. Marples created lots of 'Development Opportunities' out of invaluable, land, buildings,and infrastructure the likes of which is irreplacable today One of my favourit stories is about The Transport Users Consultative Comittee,the body charged with representing the public in event of rail closure. The line in question was the Peebles Loop which ran off the then Waverly Line. Failure of the TUCC to turn up at a local meeting to objections to the closure ended with an investigation by the local police. The police found The Comittee's representatives soon enough. THEY WERE JUGGING IT UP IN ONE OF THE LOCAL HOTELS WITH THEIR PALS AND FELLOW CIVIL SERVANTS FROM BRITISH RAILWAYS WHO HAD BEEN SENT TO OVERSEE THE LINES CLOSURE ! The Line CLosed along with many essential routes in Scotland,such were the multiple SCAMS that went on all through the sixties.England and Wales got hammered also.As soon as a line closed,key bridges and junctions sprouted garages or council depots or houses,usually with a 'blind eye'being turned to planning.The rest of the permenant way would become a garbage dump unless a road could be built on it.
@@philiprufus4427 Blackpool Council claimed that road congestion in the town was CAUSED by Central Station, and used every trick they could to get it closed. I was only a kid at the time, and I couldn't see the reason in it. I still can't.
Hi Darren, Fantastic about time this station was Showen for its true self and what a waste when it closed, my dad as a lad living in waterloo road south shore one Sunday after Sunday school went adventuring in what i believe was the locomotives and carriage sidings and Apon climbing a fence ripped his trousers and when he got home his mum my nan gave him what for! I can also remember south shore station building with the model railway in it, but there aren't many photos of south shore stn building nor can i find any of the model railway.... Tony
Great little film. I was born in Blackpool in '66 so cannot remember the station, even the station building when it was bingo hall from 64 to 73. Always fascinated by Central and the 21 miles if coach sidings down as far as South station on Waterloo Rd. All 3 stations have been slaughtered The old North Station was demolished along with the remains of Central in '74. I do however remember the old North Station probably because it was still in use. South station was fascinating as it was on both the Coast line fron Kirkham and the Marton line also from Kirkham. Both these lines and the one to North station all diverged at Kirkham North Junction. The whole set up was increadible. Many inportant buildings in Blackpool including these stations have been lost. Terrible council, thats why Blackpool is in the terrible state it finds itself in today. Makes me wanna cry when i see what these philistines have done to my lovely home town.
Darren, you have to be the KING of photo fades. Nothing like vintage steam of any kind. Thanks again for all your time and effort in posting your work.....
I was 8 when Central closed. Which moron that came up with that plan and transfer services to North was completely insane. The aerial views show the uncovered platforms to the left of the station. Those were the excursion platforms. They were little used out of season. The "main" part of the station was under the canopies on the right hand side and operated the timetable services. Great video, this is going to be a fascinating but very tragic series.
@@dhm1983 Beeching was appointed by Marples at twice his forbares salary( Marples hatchet man,and fall guy) without Marples and to a lesser extent Beeching to say yes,the council could have 'Got Knotted. Marples was the Transport Minister, I will because I can !
Great video, Darren. You can really see the layout in the aerial shots. Another little bit of history I found out about Blackpool Central, was that in August 1941, two aircraft collided near the station, with debris crashing down on it, sadly 12 people lost their lives. I've seen a photo from the time that shows one of the huge mainwheels from one of the aircraft, lying on the street nearby.
I can remember my dad using central station car park in the late sixties. The platforms were covered with stone flags and as you say the tracks were raised to the level of the platforms with the exception of the track nearest to the sea life centre which remained at it’s original level. The platform covers still remained and the main entrance had a bingo and some one armed bandits. The only entrance for cars was on Central drive and as you entered a car park attendant in a wooden hut gave you a time stamped ticket and you payed the attendant when leaving. Around 1973/74 Silcocks had a fair for a couple of seasons with dodgems, a waltzer, speedway, ski jump, swinging gyms and some side stalls on the site where Coral Island now stands.
Every video I which on this channel brings back a flood of memories for me. As a young child my parents would take me to holiday towns on the east coast from the City Station using what was call a Runabout ticket. We visited Bridlington, Scarborough and my favourite Whitby. To get to Whitby we first went to Scarborough and then caught a train along the coast via Robinhood Bay to Whitby. At Whitby the train first went to the West Cliff station and then reversed down to Whitby Town station. Later I became a keen train spotter, travelling from Leeds Central to Doncaster to watch the trains on the London to Newcastle route and to visit the locomotive works in Doncaster, (this involved climbing though a fence and looking into the workshop, until someone saw me and chased me out). I also visited the engine sheds at Holbeck, Farsley, Stourton and Neville Hill. Thank you for your excellent videos.
I recall arriving at Blackpool Central Station from Yorkshire and the Blackpool of my boyhood back in the early sixties puts to the modern version to shame. The saddest thing is Blackpool council petitioned British Rail to scrap the Central as oppose to the North and possibly the South too. Blackpool Central with a bit of TLC that it desperately needed could have been the St Pancras International of the North. In my opinion when the Central station closed down and turned into car park and derelict one at that, it has some how influenced the decline of Blackpool and its greatness long gone!
Another fascinating upload, It did look so grand and can see why it was so busy. It's a shame it has changed so much. The photo fading was so good and really gives you an impression of how it use to be. Looking forward to seeing more in part 2.👍
Great video , the square flat roofed red brick building on Central Drive was actually the former engine man's barracks for Central MPD which up until around 1989 the inspection pits were still visable.
It's still so exciting to get off the train at Blackpool North, but I'd just love to go back to experience the busy 14 platform station in the resort's heyday! So cool! Oooh and I do get excited over a photo fade 🤤😅
What I always found interesting that BR. Didn't actually want to close central they were going to close North . As the tram link had gone by then . And north being smaller and tucked out of the way .. but Blackpool Corporation persuaded them to close central instead . There were some crimes on town planning carried out in the 60's and 70's Victorian was seen as old fashioned and the wonder product reinforced concrete panels ruled .
@@suzyqualcast6269 Burnley is still getting hit with it now. Except now it is with these metal panel buildings and little carboard box houses. We had a large and quite good looking (Not as good as the full fat victorian stuff) school on our doorstep and now it is a cardboard box with white interior walls estate.
Because I spent many hours scouring this area back in steam days, this episode was so very interesting. In the station alighting to trespass Blackpool shed it seemed as if the Tower loomed above, what days, what memories, thank you for the fades they are terrific.
Fantastic footage and love the overlays from back in the day. You can see the original toilet block on the old overlay, the white building to the right of the second zebra crossing. It was lovely inside to see all the original features. The King Edward Apartments were still lived in until around a decade ago. I used to drive a taxi and would pick up from their regularly, the entrance was around the back in the car park. It will be sad to see this building go as it also houses one of the oldest pubs "The King Edward" and the old victorian cinema/theatre next door. The dates can be seen from Central Drive side. I wonder wher all the cars will park when the new entertainment complex and hotel are built, like Blackpool needed more of them!
I really think you would have made a great history teacher because you teach us so much! As you know am not a fan of Blackpool but watching all of your videos I think I need to re-vist soon. Its definitely an interesting place.
As a Blackpool native, this actually got me quite emotional at the end. Seeing that absolutely stunning train station that used to be such a powerhouse in the olden days gradually fade away, & is now just a car park & a past-its-best arcade... it's really sad. There is nothing left of the old site, not even the damn toilet block! Shame :(
Fascinating info. The photos are amazing when you blend the past with the present. What a history and memories for those who remember From the 60’s and 70’s. Excellent footage and research Darren. Thank you.
Brilliant video Darren I do love these blackpool videos and the history of Blackpool are great I can't wait for more videos of Blackpool keep up the great work I hope you and your family and friends are well and safe
Cracking video Darren. I was really looking forward to this series and it has been as good as I knew it would be. Loving the photo fades, it's criminal what Blackpool Council did to this Station.
I've been looking forward to this and it's in parts it is a huge site. Not only that all the connections it had was just amazing! Your photo fades answer so many questions because you can pause the video and have a good look. But they did get rid of so many great buildings and that train station would of been a god send!
Your videos on the history of Blackpool are always very interesting! I was looking at old photos of how Bank Hey Street used to look, interesting to see how things have developed from then to now. Great video
A SUPERB presentation. I love history, especially 'local' history. I wasn't born when they scrapped the Central Station, but I do remember walking under the bridges under Waterloo Road. It just shows you how this once-great resort changed within half a lifetime. Much of the old guest houses and hotels have gone since I was a kid on hols there. Loads of old films of Blackpool online now, one from the 1960s ( Excursion) where it shows a coach pulling into the Pleasure Beach coach park. There in the background is The Balmoral Hotel on the end of Balmoral Road. ( it was called that in 1971, not sure about early-mid 1960's). Keep making these fabulous history vids!
Thanks for another really enjoyable video, such a shame the station has been lost it would have been a real entrance to the town today. I look forward to more videos on the old railway line.
Darren, your work gets better and better with each video. The accuracy in aligning old images with the current view is stunning. The way in which you matched the iron work of the Blackpool Tower with your view from the car park was spot-on. May I ask how you achieve this? I have only been to Blackpool once in the very late 1960’s. So, apart from the B&B meals, which contained heaps of boiled potatoes, I don’t really recall much. I know we went on the Trams and up the Tower. I wonder if it was late in the season as I think I remember seeing the incredible lights. As always, thanks for the wonderful entertainment. The sharing of knowledge and your incredible enthusiasm.
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY THAT HAS BEEN FOR ME as a young lad probably aged about 8 or 9 the excitement of these times which i can still remember when i look at these wonderfull scenes from around 1950 the excitement of going on holiday with my parents to Blackpool fer FOUR DAYS YES only the well off went for a WEEK ,never did i think that i would see the station again, but thanks to modern technology HERE IT IS WONDERFULL THANKS I still get the same buzz after watching this video that i got in 1950 .thanks AGAIN. some Adventure.
Its great to see this with the before and after pics showing the old Woolworths building on the corner of the Prom and Bank Hey Street. In the 90s I remember it as Pricebusters ,the one stop shop for the soveniers ! The Building always reminded me of a 1930s bakelite radio!!! When i was last in Blackpool i dropped into Witherspoon's for a pint!!!!
Really well done, your videos are really enjoyable and informative and the way you merge the old and new pictures really brings the story to life. I'm looking forwards to part 2.
It's hard to believe all that infrastructure that was there and its gone forever I bet not many tourists know what they are parking their car on when they turn up at Blackpool for a day trip your videos always blow my mind and the photo fading is spot-on was the railway closed due to beechings cuts or something else fantastic video as usual and keep up the good work 👏
We had two more mainline stations in Glasgow, one as big as St Pancras and desighned by the same architect,the first public building in Glasgow to be lit with electric light. The Royal Navy used the top floor of its hotel as an outstation of The Navy's Bath headquarters in two world wars. Guess what ?Its a shopping centre now,a complete B - - - - - Eysore to what was there before.
I remember it ever so well. We used to go to Blackpool either on day trips or spent mini-holidays either at Uncle Tom's Cabin or in Read's Avenue and with the latter used to walk past the station. Even if we went by bus we had to walk past it to get to the Tower and so on. Thanks for that, it brought back happy memories, but created sad feelings as how it's nothing like now.
Enjoyed watching. The good bit is actual station areas that remain transformed into the old station pics. This makes it so easy to imagine, where and how it was. Maybe a bit of a chat about the railway company that made it, and its destinations would have been good to add. Thanks for making the vid.
Brilliant video, brought back many memories of when I was a child in the 50's arriving there by train, the merging of photos was fantastic! - great work, thanks.
Good old pictures that shine through, when they lost the Railway the heart went with it ,the lights are brilliant though still visit now and again, stop overs,meal at weatherspoons😊
Spent many hours and many summers in Blackpool as a child, then again with my own child both holidaying and watching her compete as a ballroom and latin dancer, i would love to see more footage/history of Blackpool in the late 60s and into the 70s
Another superb video; and one that warrants multiple viewings. The quality of the presentation and the care and attention you put into your work is very impressive. But it's those photo-fades that do it for me. The visual marrying of past and present is fascinating.
Huge mistake when Blackpool council opted to close Blackpool Central with the agreement of British Railways. They thought the land was perfect for a central car park. The station deposited holiday makers right in the heart of the town and transferring the main station to Bpl north was a bad move. I believe that Blackpool Central was the largest and busiest station to be marked for closure under the beeching axe in the 60s. Bad decision. Still felt to this day. Top footage again Darren. Love it !!
I wonder what would have happened if Beeching’s proposals had been adopted, with the lines to Fleetwood and North closing and Central being retained. Would it still be there today, maybe in reduced form, or would the need for the car park and approach road have been too great, with Central also closing later, leaving the town with either no station at all, or just one half of South
IIRC I believe BR suggested North to close and keep central, but as is tradition the council opted for the smaller station. Something about connecting it to the motorway? I admit it's a good idea but we still lost a massive station. They should have made South station a bigger station in my opinion.
@@Black-1ce South was a bigger station, it had four platforms, one pair on the existing line and the other on the now closed direct line from Kirkham. Both routes continued beyond South to Central.
Yep, I heard BR thought BPL north was the better candidate for closure. Blackpool council went for the option that cars were more popular at the time than railways. They also knew the land was more valuable where central station stood. Still an enormous mistake. The new entertainment centre and re development of the area will tidy up a shabby area and be good for Blackpool in the future.
Hi Darren!! Another great video! So interesting to see how Blackpool used to be!! Interesting to see the railway, and all the old pictures edited into your video…all so cool to see!! Then and now. I’m 35, and I’ve been going to Blackpool for years. I always remember the Coral Island arcade being there 😂🤣 Thank you Martin
Darren, yet another great video - and, as others have commented, the photo-fades are exceptional and really do bring the present and past together. I've been watching since your first postings from south Leeds . . . please keep them coming.
Fabulous 👌, love the photo overlays. My gran, who was born in 1911, used to holiday in Blackpool every year, for many years when she was a little girl. She's now obviously deceased, but brilliant to see how she would have seen Blackpool.. Keep up the great work. Kind regards.
Have to say the phasing from the new to old photography was pretty amazing, spent many hours in Blackpool both as a child and adult, although many people call it a dump it can be anything you want it to be, cant think of a better place in the world for people watching, thanks for posting.
Omg brings back memories of the 50's holidays mother always liked south shore station as our digs were in Osbourne road but most times we arrived at central grandparents mom and dad uncle and aunt me and my brother always thought it was the other side of the world from Wolverhampton Always very busy with taxi's in front of station Thanks for great video The one of the pleasure beach was great
Brilliant vid once again and It was an absolute crime when they demolished the old Central station building. Its just lucky places like the old Odeon cinema with its art deco splendor survives as the Funny Girls theatre.
Excellent informative video. I have been to Blackpool so many times. Love steam trains. First time that I am aware of Blackpool Central. I Learnt so much by watching the video. Internet can be very useful at times 😊
Absolutely fascinating video to stumble across and watch. I live locally and always knew of the old central station but I never get bored of looking back at what it used to look like. It seems such a pity it went from such a grand station to what can only be described as a shoddy car park at best. So many missed opportunities over time to have made this site something for the town to be proud of but that’s another story. As a child in the 80s I remember walking along the Yeadon Way, which was one of the main routes into Central Station after the tracks had been lifted but before the current road was built. I wonder if you have or could find any footage of this part of the line? Excellent video, really enjoyed it.
Your video has taken me back so many years. I well remember arriving at Central Station, which was a mass of people arriving and departing. I also remember coming to the station on the Thursday brfore we left on the following Saturdaay, to the train allocation office who issued a ticket which told you on which train you would be travelling. Years later I mrt an ex railway man, who used to work a full shift opening and closing carriage doors at Centrsl Station. Looking forward to the next video in the series.
Very good presentation freind i never realised there was bits ,of our old station in the car park ,i was born in 1962 just a year before it got levelled so it was ,well gone before i grew up .
What a very interesting video. I can't remember the old central station but the times I've parked my car or walked over that car park and not realised the history I was stood on, amazing. I will certainly be looking out for the next clip.
Absolutely fantastic video. I am old enough to remember a lot of the station and the surroundings. The transitions to the old pictures was nothing short of brilliant. Thanks. Douglas
@@AdventureMe yes i know, i subscribed half way through the video. I'll look forward to watching more. I watched part 2 straight after and it too is very good. I've walked over those car parks many times and never knew of its history.
Thanks for the video, I spent many happy hours train spotting at Central and the engine sheds. I remember going to Manchester from there on the 8:18 train and when the jewellery fair was in the Manchester trains used the express line. The big hotel at central was te Palatine Hotel. Thanks again.
Another great video, i used to go to blackpool for a weeks holiday as a child arriving at central on a steam train love travelling on those compared to diesel.
I love the old photos to give us an idea of how things looked and morphing from new to old and back to new helps to understand the layout of things. Makes me a bit sick at what was torn down to make way for car parks and the like. Another excellent video.
Remember parts of Central Station when I was a kid,also remember the big wheel that was shown in you're post,there was also a big pool with scaffolding seating that had dolphins there,must of been temporary.
What amazing videos about Blackpool Central and love the way you fade in / out with incredible precision the old with the present. So why on earth did Blackpool Council want to shut down shut such a major railway station, like Blackpool Central station, it makes no sense to me. I'm sure we all know that the car became the newest fad of the late 1950s and early 1960s, but to sever the railway in favour of a car park just seems absolutely absurd.
