As revealed in August Blackpool Balloon 715 – owned by the Fylde Transport Trust – is to be withdrawn from service this year but before it runs its last its set to run a farewell tour. Details of this tour have now been announced with 715 due to cover the entire length of the tramway on Saturday 19th November – tickets to join this special occasion are now available exclusively from the Fylde Transport Trust.
715 has not received any significant workshop attention for a number of years and the time has now come for it to be taken out of service and to be put on static display at Tramtown. It will require major work before it runs again and with other projects being a priority for the Trust it will be a while before it is considered for a return to service. This tour will provide the last chance to see the tram before this withdrawal and looks set to a special afternoon/evening.
Having run its last public Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours over the Anniversary Weekend in September, it was always the plan that it would run one final tour for the FTT and this has now been confirmed as taking place on Saturday 19th November,
The tour is scheduled to run as follows, starting at 1400:
Blundell Street – North Pier and Tower heritage stop – Bispham centre line – Thornton Gate centre line – Fleetwood inner loop – Fisherman’s Walk (reverse) – Fleetwood outer loop – Cleveleys (reverse) – Thornton Gate (reverse) – Cabin (reverse) – Little Bispham – Starr Gate (through wash) – Starr Gate headshunt (reverse) – Starr Gate Depot (reverse) – North Pier (reverse) – Pleasure Beach – Tower (reverse) – Blundell Street
There is then a break of approximately 1 hour 20 minutes before it runs:
Blundell Street – Cleveleys (reverse) – Starr Gate – Foxhall (reverse) – Blundell Street
The tour is expected to end at approximately 2000
Tickets for the complete tour will be £20 per person. There will also be part-tour tickets available for those unable to join the entire tour, these will cover either the afternoon mini-system tour or the evening illumination tour and will cost £12 per person. The tour can only be joined at Blundell Street. All proceeds will go towards FTT restoration projects.
To secure your place on the tour you can either message the Fylde Transport Trust on Facebook (their Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/fyldetransporttrust) or by emailing replicapwc@gmail.com. Advance payment will be required to secure your reservation.