Another edition of “Picture in Time” coming from Blackpool.
Central Promenade is again the location as we see Balloon 701 heading for Manchester Square and presumably back to depot. Its almost reached its terminus as it is already south of Central Pier. There look to be few, if any, passengers on board and it is to be hoped that the four young people on the right are aware of its proximity. Hoardings advertising cigarettes (Silk Cut – The low tar cigarette) seem very dated nowadays. The St Alma Hotel looks as though the accommodation it provided was at the more basic end of the spectrum, but it was demolished in the 1980s and replaced by an amusement arcade.
701 has adverts for CIS Insurance and is fitted with a single destination indicator as well as a trolley pole. It remains in Blackpool to this day and is currently stored in the main depot at Rigby Road Depot having last operated in 2021.
Photograph by Donald Brooks, July 1979