The August Bank Holiday weekend once again saw an Enhanced Weekend of operation on Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours. In the now standard pattern of five cars allocated to the hop-on, hop-off timetable with varying journeys running between Pleasure Beach and Fleetwood (including additional temporary heritage stops at Manchester Square and South Pier), the weekend saw eleven different heritage trams in action (plus one more on duty as the Shop at North Pier). David Fowler paid a visit on the Monday and some of his shots are shown in this article.
The output for the weekend was:
Saturday 26th August – Bolton 66, Boat 227 (a late change thanks to better than forecast weather), Brush 631, Centenary 648 (additional specials after the Real Ale Tram Tour), Balloon 700, Balloon 717. The Western Train ran an evening tour.
Sunday 27th August – Brush 621, Brush 631, Centenary 648, Balloon 700 and Rebuilt Balloon 718.
Monday 28th August – Railcoach 680, Balloon 700, Balloon 717, Rebuilt Balloon 718 and the Frigate. Boat 227 was used on the Evening Tour.
Railcoach 680 has just left the depot and is turning from Hopton Road to Lytham Road as it makes its way down towards the Promenade. Its first journey will go north to Bispham.
On most occasions when its seen out its dark as its getting ready for Illumination Tours so the chances of seeing the sun glint off the Frigate are usually few and far between. As one of the five allocated to service on 28th August it has a daylight outing and is seen here having just come across the Promenade road. Fleetwood beckons the tram.
A regular performer on heritage services is Balloon 717 which is captured on camera passing South Pier on the way to Pleasure Beach.
Three Balloons in a row at North Pier. Balloon 711 was being used as the Shop Tram and sits in the loop line with 700 about to run a Promenade Tour to Little Bispham and then heading south is 717 which is again off to Pleasure Beach. (All Photographs by David Fowler, 28th August 2023)