FROM collector of old public transport pictures Colin Barker, of Wetheringsett, Suffolk, comes this picture of one of Blackburn's old trams.

Taken on Blackburn Boulevard by trams enthusiast, John Meredith, now of York, on April 18, 1949, when the town's tramways were less than five months from extinction, it shows car No. 41 with Inspector J. Leeming standing by the entrance to the double-decker. At the right, is the town's railway station and at the left the chimney of the now-gone Dutton's Brewery dominates the skyline.

Mr Barker wonders whether any of relatives of Inspector Leeming still live in East Lancashire and would like a copy of the photograph for their family album. He can be contacted on 01449-766768.

Curiously, the destination board on the tram suggests it was running on the Cherry Tree route -- despite it having been completely given over to buses more than ten years earlier on April 1, 1939.

But Blackburn's "Mr Trams," expert historian Jim Halsall, who tells Looking Back that No.41 was in the first a batch of 39 new trams delivered in two lots to the Blackburn Corporation undertaking in August, 1900, and January, 1901, hopes that its picture will unearth others of a peculiar feature that used to stand by the tracks on the Cherry Tree line -- a huge cob of coal.

It stood for a good 20 years until the 1950s at the corner of Duckworth Street and Whalley Banks as an advertising symbol outside the premises of old-established coal merchants Crook and Thompson.

"It was absolutely enormous," says 66-year-old Jim, of Accrington Road, Blackburn. "To me, as a child, it seemed to be at least 6ft high and 12ft wide."

But Jim admits that his measurements may be a bit awry -- above all, in view of the cob being prone to shrinkage at the hands of predators during the post-war era of coal rationing and shortages.

"I've been told that folk who had run out of coal for their fires would sneak along at night with a hammer and chisel and knock a bucketful of the cob," he laughs.

Jim, who has a massive collection and photographs and memorabilia of Blackburn's old trams, would love a picture of the old Crook and Thompson giant cob to include in the highly-popular slide-show lectures which he gives to local groups -- in particular for the one entitled 'Tram Ride to Cherry Tree." If you can help, call him on 01254-720857.

Although tram No.41 was coming to the end of the line when it was pictured in 1949, it looked nothing like it did on its arrival in Blackburn nearly 50 years earlier as the town had begun switching from steam and horse-power to electricity to drive its trams.

For, originally, all the undertaking's 48 double-decked trams were open-topped -- as can be seen from those in this picture, of the January, 1901, batch arriving by rail. Covering the upper decks began in 1906, but only four trams were altered as their increased height meant they could only operate on routes where there were no bridges to pass under.

Eventually, 32 of the double-deckers were fully roofed -- during a two-year project begin in 1923. But for them to be able to run on all six routes and under bridges, their trucks has to be completely reconstructed and the diameter of their wheels reduced by five inches.

"This was of great advantage to work-people as they were able to travel on the upper decks of the trams in comfort," said a souvenir booklet marking the running of the town's last tram 54 years ago this month.

Says Jim: "The double deckers were built at George Milnes' factory at Hadley in Shropshire and were delivered by rail to sidings at Blythe's chemical works at Church and then transported by road to Blackburn.

"They arrived partly-dismantled, with their bodies and bogeys separate, and were assembled at a little depot in Jubilee Street in the town centre, where the Register Office now is." Blackburn's last tram was No.74 -- seen here with workmen at the main Intack depot prior to its last journey on September 3, 1949. It was trimmed with bunting and decked with coloured light bulbs, while its bogey and wheel guards were given a coat of gleaming silver paint.

Its departure from Blackburn Boulevard to the depot at shortly after 11.30 pm that Saturday night marked the end of 50 years of electric trams in the town and of a transport era that began in 1881 with steam trams.