Our latest look at the transformation of the Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust’s Blackpool Brush car 290 shows the tram in the latter stages of its repaint into a traditional green and cream livery. The gloss coat has now been applied and the tram is looking much better for this attention. These views from 20th August, when the car was reunited with one of its former stablemates, show the recent progress.
290 should look excellent by the weekend, when it will no doubt be seen and admired by many enthusiasts in town for the heritage tram operation. Whilst its owners have attracted much criticism in the past – often warranted – it must be said that a very good job has been done of returning 290 to a respectable appearance, with the repaint being carried out by a very small number of volunteers, and for that praise is definitely due. Hopefully the tram will retain this smart appearance as in this condition it would certainly make a very attractive static exhibit.
The landward side of 290 with the last remnants of graffiti spray paint on its windows clashing with an otherwise very smart coat of green and cream.
The other side of 290 now has clear windows and therefore looks even better. Apart from the side sweeps, the repaint is a good representation of the old 'half and half' livery last seen on this tram in 1994 when it lost its corporate colours to an advert livery for Shoemarket.
FHLT tram meets former LTT tram, as Coronation car 304 passes Brush car 290 during a test run - its first foray onto the Blackpool tramway since November 2010. (All photos by Colin Macleod)
Looking good.bad weather lately in Blackpool so congratulations to the few who have made this possible.I’m sure the Blackpool residents will like this on their weekend walkabouts
Credit where it is due; the appearance is much improved, the quality of the patchwork appears to be much better than the previous shoddy effort and they’ve even fixed the safeguard that had fallen off, and while the pedantic may quibble about one or two minor points the history timeline on the windows is a nice touch.
Notice though that the vynil over the north end destination that read “Tram Museum 2014” has been stripped off revealing what looks to be an original style blind!