Happy New Year! We enter a new year with all the excitement and anticipation that may bring but before we look too far ahead we have one final edition of “15 Years Apart”. Its Blackpool again that is featured as we view Balloon 715 in 2007 and 2022.
In 2007, 715 was still in a plain white livery having lost advertising vinyls for Pleasure Beach’s Mystique show at the end of 2005. It has now at least received between deck adverts for Freeport Fleetwood but the plain white was still dominating the tram with the grime of operating in all weather showing. On 7th September 2007 the tram is heading to Starr Gate when photographed at Gynn Square.
715 is now in a coat of 1970s green and cream fleet livery and is seen here on 3rd June 2022 at Cleveleys when working a Coastal Tour to Fleetwood. The tram – now owned by the Fylde Transport Trust – has an advert for Blackpool Zoo between decks on this side. 2022 would be the last year of operation for this tram with it withdrawn after a farewell tour on 19th November. (Both Photographs by Gareth Prior)