The main event for tram fans in Blackpool on Saturday 9th June may have been the unveiling of Boat car 604 in its original identity of 230 complete with ‘George Formby’ name boards, but another, arguably even more historic event also occured on this day when Flexity 011 became the first of the new articulated fleet to run in service with external advertisements.
Despite Blackpool’s long association with tramcar advertising, it was widely believed that the new LRVs would be kept advert-free, at least for their first season, due to the Council’s pride in the new tram fleet and their keeness to keep a uniform fleet. However, this way of thinking clearly hasn’t lasted very long at all, as on 9th June, car 011 appeared with external advert posters promoting housing construction company Redrow Homes. Red stickers have been applied on the roof sides, with more prominent lower panel adverts also stuck on the centre partition. It is quite surprising that this advert has appeared before any of the new trams have received interior advertisements, and also that the sponsor in question is a firm with no previous association with the tramway.
As ever, the adverts have been greeted with a mixed reaction with some people commenting that the smart new livery has been spoilt, whilst others are pleased as the contract will bring in additional revenue for Blackpool Transport whilst also making 011 more recognisable at a distance. However, it seems that the era of advertising on Flexities has already begun – leaving us to wonder, how long will we have to wait for the first all-over advert liveried Flexity2?