A GLIMPSE of East Lancashire’s past, when trams ran through the streets, was uncovered for 24 hours last week.

Tram tracks which formed part of the main Blackburn to Accrington tram service were exposed as workmen dug up Accrington Road in Intack to repair gas mains.

The lines, which have been covered up by tarmac, are made of steel and were last in use in 1949.

They were first used in 1886, carrying an average of 6,366 passengers per day in 1893, first with horse and steam power, then with electricity from 1899.

Workman Russ Walker from May Gurney, who are working on behalf of the National Grid said: “We go round the site and take readings of what is below before we start.

“We didn’t know if they were gas mains, electricity cables or what before we took the top layer off.

“When we saw that they were tramlines we had to work round them carefully, because if we tried to take them up, we would take half of the road up too because they run the whole distance.”

Colleague Graham Davis added: “There are two sets of tracks set into granite blocks running the whole length of the road, into Blackburn.

"You can see the original cobble road underneath too.

“They have probably been down for a hundred years and will get covered up by concrete again when we have finished.”

The tramline to Church and Accrington started on the Boulevard opposite the Adelphi pub, but was changed to a buffer stop outside Salford Brewery due to congestion.

There was a steep climb up Eanam, passing Soho Foundary and the line went along Higher Eanam, Bottomgate, Furthergate, through the Burnley Road junction and onto Accrington Road, then passing the Fountain Inn.

About a mile and three quarters out of Blackburn town centre, a small road led to the Intack depot.

After passing through the junction with Whitebirk Road, the line climbed up through Redcap and out into open countryside.

The line continued to a terminus outside the Commercial Hotel in Church.

Tram expert Duncan Holden, of Blackburn, said: “Most of the tracks are still under the roads — all they ever did was take out the point work and sell it because it was valuable.

“They didn’t remove tracks because it would have taken so long to cut the very tough, thick steel.