Its time for another edition of “15 Years Apart” and we return to Blackpool today to take a look at another of the ubiquitous Balloon Cars.
Always popular with enthusiasts – both then and now – Blackpool Balloon 715’s look has certainly improved over the past 15 years with, as we see in this photo, 2006 seeing it running in a plain white livery – or as it was at the time of this image white with a touch of grease and grime! The tram had lost what was its last ever all over advert the previous November and had just been left in this rather boring livery (if its even considered a livery!). The location is North Pier and the date is 3rd September 2006.
Fast forward to 25th September 2021 and 715 is looking a lot better as it approaches The Metropole Hotel with a Heritage service running southbound to Pleasure Beach. Now in a nice coat of 1970s green and cream with period adverts applied the years have certainly been kinder to the tram, which is owned by the Fylde Transport Trust.
Both Photographs by Gareth Prior
The only problem is that 2021 has been the year of “grease and grime chique” with the heritage fleet that has been turned out most weeks looking decidedly unloved and grimy.
It may be the “in thing” to purchase weathered model locomotives but, when it comes to paying a premium fare to travel on heritage trams, especially, illuminated feature cars, one does expect to be able to see out of the windows.
Sadly, the only heritage cars in 2021 where this has been possible on a regular basis, have been the lovely open boat cars!
In my opinion this present livery on 715, is the best ever chosen for most of the fleet in 1960’s/1970’s. It made the all the vehicles in this livery look like “real” public service vehicles!
The worst of the green and cream liveries, so blocky and dull. It looked superb in 90s.