TRAM LINES from Blackburn’s Victorian past were briefly uncovered by the resurfacing work on Railway Road in the town centre on Wednesday.

After a two-hour check by engineers, the iron tracks were then covered over again.

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Ray Smith, chairman of the Blackburn Local History Society, said: “Its great to see these tramlines, part of Blackburn’s Victorian history uncovered however briefly.

“Many people in the town won’t even know there used be a tram network.

“I am delighted that the tracks have been covered over rather than dug up so they are there below the road for future generations.” Contractors Eric Wright confirmed the two-hour delay would not affect the reopening of the key highway on Sunday, ready for the Monday morning rush hour.

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In January 2014 the unexpected discovery of tram tracks and a service pit under the highway surface at the Salford end of Railway Road prolonged works and traffic chaos for days.

This time the staff on the project were prepared for their possible discovery and yesterday the final resurfacing work was started before major works today to keep the project on schedule.

The 70-year-old tracks were part of the last tram route in the borough from The Boulevard terminus to the Intack shed, which closed in 1949.

In Spring last year the River Blakewater’s hidden watercourse under Blackburn town centre was revealed for the first time in half a century by the £33 million Cathedral Quarter works of which the Railway Road resurfacing is a part.

On Tuesday shopkeepers, led by chippy owner Zeki Atas, held a protest over the damage the works and delays to the nearby bus station were having on passing trade.