Saturday 29th November saw the Fleetwood Lantern Parade (and Christmas lights switch-on) and one of the centrepieces of this was meant to be the use of Illuminated Frigate 736, which would have been the first heritage tram to run in Fleetwood of the year. And whilst the feature car did take that honour (with Balloon 717 on Illumination Tour duty instead) things didn’t actually happen as they should have done.
Everything seemed to be going as it should initially with HMS Blackpool arriving in Fleetwood at around about 1500. It was then decided to return to Thornton Gate for stabling but on its way back south it failed at Stanley Road and was unable to be moved. This led to the Flexity service being disrupted and two trams stranded in Fleetwood – 008 and 018.
The Lantern Parade still went ahead but 736’s place was taken by 018 – this becoming the first Flexity2 to have ever taken part in the Parade. Competition winners who had been due to travel on the Frigate within the Parade got a ride on-board 018 instead.
Proof that 736 did get to Fleetwood as its seen here at 1518 at Fisherman’s Walk.
The light is fading rapidly as 736 is stranded at Stanley Road awaiting rescue (which subsequently came from the Unimog).
The Lantern Parade starring Flexity2 018. (All Photographs by Oliver Shenton, 29th November 2025)
The blown lightbulbs, rusting roof rails, de-laminating bow and peeling paint tell you everything you need to know about Blackpool (and indeed Fleetwood) in the modern era.
Also was the original plan to run it backwards or would it have ended up that way after being sent to Thornton Gate? Either way it could have ended up going backwards, which seems somehow fitting for Blackpool Transport these days.
It is fairly obvious it arrived too early so was reversed and sent backwards to TG so it would be pointy end for the parade
.