One final trip to Blackpool for this set of images in “Picture in Time”.
In recent years one of the most popular trams in Blackpool had been Balloon 715. Now part of the Fylde Transport Trust collection, the fact that in the “heritage era” it was the only operational Balloon Car which had not gone through modernisation meant it had that something extra for the enthusiast. And in this image it doesn’t look too different to how it did last time it ran in 2022 – right down to the adverts seen here and the pencil thin destination blinds!
There is a very full load of passengers on board 715 when we see it at Tower and the tram is going all the way to Fleetwood on what we would guess is a Market Day. 715 originally entered service in 1935 (as 252) and although withdrawn in 2009 for the then Lancastrian Transport Trust it didn’t spend too long on the sidelines as it was resurrected and ran before the traditional tramway closed. It then became an important part of the heritage fleet – on loan from the FTT – until it had to be withdrawn in 2022 requiring works attention. It remains stored at Rigby Road.
Photograph by Chris Allsop-Buckler, 20th August 1984