For a few days earlier this month it appeared that the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust’s Blackpool Brush Car 290 (627) could end up back on display on the Prom – this time in a special livery to show solidarity with Ukraine. However, in the end these plans ended up not coming to fruition and so the tram remains stored at Rigby Road Depot.
The plans were first revealed on the Tram Talk blog of John Woodman, one of the trustees of the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust which is currently trying to dispose of its trams to interested parties after their proposals for a museum in Fleetwood ended up coming to nothing. In the posts it was revealed that the tram would receive a half blue and half yellow livery (the colours of the Ukrainian flag) and be displayed on the Prom in time for the Conservative Party Spring Conference from 17th March (taking place at the Winter Gardens).
With 290 currently residing in Rigby Road Depot – where it has been stored since it was removed from Pleasure Beach in 2015 – the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust had asked permission of Blackpool Transport to allow volunteers to complete the repainting within the main tram shed. However, it wasn’t possible for this to be granted as there remain other priorities at the present time. And so the plans have been abandoned and the tram will remain stored in Rigby Road.
Of course, 290 has a bit of history in being displayed on the Prom in special liveries carrying three separate colour scheme when displayed adjacent to Pleasure Beach loop from 2012 to 2015. Initially in a livery to commemorate Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee it then received a graffiti livery before ending its public displays in a green and cream livery.
290 is the only tram under the auspices of the Trust which is at Rigby Road with all of their other trams remained stored in the open at Wyre Dock. Another post of the aforementioned Tram Talk website states that 290 along with Balloon 710 and Twin Car 673+683 have had interest in their acquisition although obviously at this stage it is too early to say what their new lives may consist of.
Probably better that this historic tramcar is kept under protection rather than exposed to the elements, being the tram which made the final journey from North Station in 1963. It is encouraging that interest appears to have been expressed in acquiring this Brush Car of special significance, along with the all-important 710. Hopefully all these plans will come to fruition and ensure that these priceless trams are preserved for future generations to appreciate.