{"id":60515,"date":"2025-10-16T22:00:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T21:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/?p=60515"},"modified":"2025-10-16T19:11:44","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T18:11:44","slug":"in-pictures-illumination-tours-start-in-blackpool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/?p=60515","title":{"rendered":"In Pictures: Illumination Tours start in Blackpool"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wednesday 15th<\/sup> October 2025 saw the first Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours to run for 10 months with the start of a brief return for the Lightpool Festival. Illumination Tours using two trams (one per night) will now run Wednesday-Sunday until Saturday 1st<\/sup> November 2025.<\/p>\n

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The first night saw the Illuminated Frigate<\/strong>, 736<\/strong>, used with three public tours preceded by a special invitational trip which saw Blackpool Transport Managing Director Jane Cole present to officially relaunch the heritage trams on the Prom.<\/p>\n

736<\/strong> is due to be running every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with three tours each evening planned (1805, 1930, 2100). On Thursdays and Saturdays Balloon 717<\/strong> will be doing the honours. Both trams have gone through full commissioning and extensive testing\/training runs on the tramway.<\/p>\n

As we have been used to for a number of years, tours will start from Pleasure Beach and run north to Little Bispham. After going round the loop its back south with a possible stop at North Pier and Tower for anyone who wishes to alight there and then onto Pleasure Beach where the tour will terminate.<\/p>\n

As mentioned before and above, the return is only a brief one and after 14 nights it will all be over for another year. No decisions have been made on any plans for the future with Jane Cole quoted on BBC News as saying there will be a review after the end of these tours looking to the future although she alluded to challenges in continuing to maintain the trams.<\/p>\n