Blackpool Tramway Flexity2 014 has received its second full wrap, and like its first one it’s a very black advert with it now carrying vinyls for the Netflix series Wednesday – in a very similar design to that seen on Manchester Metrolink 3117, the first time that Blackpool and Manchester have had the same all over advert at the same time.
Appropriately 014 debuted with its new advert on a Wednesday, Wednesday 13th August to be precise with the tram completely losing its fleet livery as unlike some other adverts seen across the UK it is a fully wrapped tram, and yes it does include some vinyls on the windows.
As with many trams in the Blackpool fleet, 014 had previously had some above window adverts with it promoting the fact that you can advertise on the trams – it would appear someone has rung that phone number on those adverts and agreed to this contract!
014 was last out of fleet livery for a very brief period in October 2018 when it carried another black advert, this one being for JD Sports. But for the past, very nearly, seven years it has been back in the purple and white fleet livery of Blackpool Transport.
As mentioned in the first paragraph this is the second tram in the UK to receive an advert for Wednesday, a Netflix series based on The Addams Family and focusing on Wednesday Addams which has just seen season 2 released on the streaming service. The other is Manchester Metrolink 3117 which received its advert around a week earlier than 014.
Other advert news from Blackpool features 007 which has now fully lost its adverts for the NHS donor scheme following one side having been taken off a few weeks ago.
- Footage of 014 in service is available on YouTube from Steven Hughes Transport Videos at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzVZyThKJjc
The new look for 014 is seen as its just arrived at Starr Gate. (Photograph by Michael Morton, 13th August 2025)
Here we see 014 running along Fleetwood Esplanade as we can see that limited window vinyls are used as part of the advert. (Photograph by Steven Hughes, 13th August 2025)
Detail of the end of the tram.
A close-up of the centre section showing some more of the advert. (Photographs x2 by Oliver Shenton, 13th August 2025)
Its funny that back in the 1990s, black and even dark blue advert trams were very much frowned upon – who remembers the two blue Centenary cars advertising Regal cigarettes which had white rectangles painted on the ends to make them easier to see at night? Yet this design is much darker and has nothing like that! I am pleased though that another of the horribly faded purple trams has got a new advert, even if it is a very dull and uninspiring design!
Back in the day, dark ends were frowned upon because the headlights and taillights were so poor. Part of the risk was a other tram rear-ending it. Modern lights are so much more powerful as anyone who has driven northbound on the prom when one of those is heading south will attest
Wednesday isn’t dull
As mentioned in a previous comment, in the past when headlamps and tail lights had the power of a bunch of candles, bodywork visibility was necessary. With todays LED lighting and LED destinations displays, the trams are visible from much further away with no issues. Very similar to how locomotives and multiple units needed the yellow ends on them in the past, but today they can have whatever colour front end providing that they have the high intensity lighting.
Many regulations change throughout the years. Look at bus stations ( a touchy subject for Blackpool at the moment….!), in the past (1980’s / 90’s) it was frowned upon to have buses reversing out of bays so bus stations were designed with stops to allow bus to pull out in a forward direction whereas today many new bus stations have buses reversing out fully laden.