Our latest Picture in Time subject is a tram which has never featured on these pages before; well at least not in this form – Blackpool Balloon 714, now know as Jubilee 762.
714 was delivered to Blackpool as 251 in December 1934 and was soon pressed into service as the second of the enclosed Balloons. Retaining double indicators throughout its operating career and always running with a trolley 714 was to be one of two Balloons to be withdrawn in October 1971 (along with 725). Both of these trams were destined to never run again as traditional Balloons but the success of the OMO project led to a reprieve for both when they were converted to Jubilee Cars. 725 was first to be rebuilt and then using experience learnt from the operation of that tram 714 followed returning to service as 762 in May 1982.
This photo was taken on 3rd June 1972 – 8 months after withdrawal – and shows 714 at the top of one of the roads of Rigby Road Depot. It is joined by Railcoach 613 and Coronation 644 in this view.
Photograph by Alasdair MacFarlane
I wonder what caused 714 and 725 to be withdrawn back in 1971?
From the photo there are no obvious body defects.
According to a book about Blackpool’s modern trams, they both suffered from framing rot at the ends, but strangely the centre sections were in ‘as new’ condition. Apparently the centres were teak, but the ends were ash.