Its another “Old and New” coming from the Blackpool Tramway and this time we are in the vicinity of Wilton Parade on North Promenade.
We start off with an image taken on 30th August 2008 with shows Replica Vanguard 619 out on a test run as it heads southbound along the tramway having just passed the position of the Wilton Parade tramstop (just a pole in the ground for southbound passengers in those days!). This was during a brief renaissance for 619 which returned to service briefly. It is now preserved at the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester, although now carries a red and white livery.
We are slightly further south for the new photo as we see Flexity2 012 in its Pleasure Beach all over advert working a southbound service to Starr Gate on 21st September 2023. Hotels still line the other side of the road with the hotel now known as the Grand in the background helping us to get our bearings. Wilton Parade now has platforms for its stop, it being one of two stops which survived on this section of North Promenade. (Both Photographs by Gareth Prior)