We return to “Picture in Time” as we feature another 1979 image from Blackpool.
In this view we are again at Tower where we see Balloon 719 pausing at the stop on its way south to Pleasure Beach. Some passengers may even be using the stop for the Paul Daniels Magic World exhibition at the nearby New Golden Gate. The Promenade footbridge, visible above the car, was demolished in 2009, improving the aesthetics of the Prom but taking away a good spot for taking photos of the trams!
719 is very much of the late 1970s here with the 1970s version of fleet livery and Corporation crests with no excuse for not identifying the tram as there are three numbers visible in this view and if you include the other end and side of the tram its got a total of six! Its still got a trolley pole but was an early single indicator conversion in 1956. The tram survives today having been converted to a B fleet Balloon but like the rest of tis new sub-class is now stored at Rigby Road.
Photograph by Donald Brooks, July 1979