The much-anticipated entry into service of Blackpool Ex-Towing car 680 (currently known by its earlier identity of 280) at its new permanent home, the Heaton Park Tramway, has been confirmed to take place on 26th April. Having just made its farewell passenger appearance at Beamish Museum last weekend, the tram will shortly be transported to Manchester to begin its new life as a member of the Heaton Park fleet.
Despite being owned by the Manchester Transport Museum Society since 2010, 680 has not yet made it to the sanctuary of Heaton Park and so its belated arrival will be the cause for a celebration. It is planned that the car will be on display at the tramway’s Spring Gala on Sunday 29th March; however it will not be in service until a month later, to allow plenty of time for crew training and commissioning. However, this year’s gala will feature a photo opportunity with the new arrival being posed with fellow ex-Blackpool cars Vanguard 619 and Brush 623 at Lakeside. The day should also provide the chance to drive 619 for a modest charge, with 623 and Manchester 765 maintaining a public tram service.
Sunday 26th April should see a more exciting event take place as 680 is welcomed into the operating fleet. This day should begin with a two-car service before 1300, when 280 and 623 will perform a short parallel run, followed by a mini procession of the three operational Blackpool trams currently on site, all of which will run up the hill past the old tram depot for a line-up, before a second parallel run along the double track to Middleton Road, this time featuring 280 and 619 – both of which started life as English Electric Railcoaches, although neither is obviously recognisable as such today! Whilst all this is going on, a limited tram service should operate between Lakeside and the top of the hill, utilising Manchester 765 to enable visitors to sample four different trams in one day. The afternoon concludes with the Blackpool trio in service together from around 1400, although there will be a brief pause at around 1530 to create a streamlined photo opportunity at Lakeside, consisting of 623, 680 and Balloon 702 – the latter is also due to be on static display throughout the day.
For fans of Blackpool trams, the launch of 680 at Heaton Park looks set to be a very entertaining day and should be only the beginning of a very special year for the Heaton Park Tramway, which should hopefully culminate in a record-breaking total of six passenger trams being available for service by the end of the summer.
During 680's final weekend of service at Beamish, the tram is seen passing through the Museum's Town area. (Photo by Bradley Jones)
Looks smart. Could do with old Blackpool Tramways logos on the sides though.
The plan is for 680 to get the 1990s livery in the medium term, so you may well see BTS logos on it then. Applying any other logos or crests now would mean these would need removing when the livery is updated, which would almost certainly cause damage to the paintwork.
I was thinking the same. The 1960s livery is not authentic with the panelled over roof lights and the modern flush windows so the 1990s livery would be more appropriate. Even though I personally prefer the current one! But there again we have 272 and T2 in that livery.
680 had a considerable amount of work done in the early 90s after it broke it’s back in service in Blackpool. the heavy rebuild included replacement of all the sode windows with OMO style flush-glazed units, new 2 piece hand-operated platform doors, a bigger desination screen and fixed bus seating. For this reason Heaton Park are spot on with returning it to 90’s livery as that is the only fleet livery that would be technically correct. I believe that’s always been the plan, which is why the current cream is a shade too dark for the livery currently carried. Sometime around the early 90s the cream used by BT became considerably darker. Previously it had been almost white.
The shade is authentic for the 1960s. The cream used by Blackpool was this darker shade until 1977 when it was altered to off white. This lasted until 1987 when the darker shade was re adopted.
Yet another ‘very special year’ for Heaton Park! How many more can we take lol. This tramway goes from strength to strength, long may it continue.
Just to clarify, 680 was painted all cream in 2010 (and featured in the open day celebrations as the paint shop exhibit) at the request of the MTMS. The shade of cream was that currently in stock! It received pseudo 60’s livery at Beamish to fit better with the time period and relieve the cream (though the upper green line is actually in the wrong place). It wil remain as 280 for the next few years and will eventually take its place in the works for a repaint in to 90’s when it will become 680 again.