Once again we take a look a tram which ran over the last weekend of the traditional operation of the Blackpool Tramway with another Centenary Car the feature today.
Centenary 647 would end up being the last Centenary Car to operate on the old tramway with it not returning to depot until 1748 following the end of its route on Sunday 6th November. It had spent the day on the Pleasure Beach to Little Bispham service having also operated on this the day before along with a spell on the evening service.
The historic nature of 647 – it being the last standard gauge traditional tram to be built in the UK – was recognised by the North East Electrical Traction Trust who acquired it for preservation, transporting it to their base near Sunderland in July 2012. It has remained there since and although plans remain to paint into a new livery it retains the remains of a long-expired advertising livery.
Away it goes! 647 crosses the Promenade road on 6th November 2011, the last Centenary Car to make this move before the final upgrading of the tramway. (Photograph by Gareth Prior)
A view on 7th September 2019 shows 647 in its new home in the north-east. Sandwiched between fellow Blackpool Trams Twin Car 674+684 and Balloon 721 at this time work had started on repainting the tram with a plain yellow paint being used to start with, replacing its faded yellow base coat for its B&M Bargains advert as seen above. (Photograph by Trevor Hall)A view on 7th September 2019 shows 647 in its new home in the north-east. Sandwiched between fellow Blackpool Trams Twin Car 674+684 and Balloon 721 at this time work had started on repainting the tram with a plain yellow paint being used to start with, replacing its faded yellow base coat for its B&M Bargains advert as seen above. (Photograph by Trevor Hall)