Tram Sunday

Brush 631 on Lord Street in Fleetwood at 07:45, arriving to take its place as a static display tram in Pharos Street

After the hot sunny weather that we've had for the last couple of weeks, Sunday 21st July turned out to be overcast with cloud all day. Spirits were not to be dampened by the dismal weather though as Tram Sunday saw the debut of Brush car 631, complete with modified paint scheme and wooden lifeguards fitted (to replace the snowplough type that it previously carried). 706 Princess Alice and Brush car 631 left the depot for an early start arriving in Fleetwood around 07:45, in order to take their places as static exhibits next to the lighthouse in Pharos Street. Boat cars 230 and 600 followed later on, with 230 picking up the civic dignitaries at North Pier, both trams proceeding to Fleetwood with 230 arriving at Ash Street at 10:30. Unusually 230 stopped at the platform at Fisherman's Walk to unload its passengers, thus disproving the theory that it's unsafe for heritage cars to use the new Flexity platforms, as no passengers were to be seen falling down the tiny gap between the tram and the platform edge! The Boat cars ran a circular tour between Ash Street and Thornton Gate during the day, and continued to use the northbound platform at Fisherman's Walk to unload their passengers, without any undue incidents being noted. Throughout the day the normal Flexity service terminated and reversed at Fisherman's Walk, a process not made easy by the hundreds of people wandering over the tram tracks north of the crossover points in Lord Street. After the day's proceedings were wound up, 230 and 600 returned to Blackpool, with 631 and 706 having to wait until the roads were cleared and power restored to the overhead line on the Fleetwood street track. 706 and 631 departed from Pharos Street at around 18:50, to make their return journey in heritage service complete with passengers onboard to Blackpool.

Balloon 706 passing St Peter's Church in Fleetwood at 07:45 making its way towards its display position in Pharos St

Brush car 631 heading along North Albert Street towards its display slot in Pharos Street

Brush car 631 after taking up its position as a static display exhibit next to the lighthouse in Pharos Street

Blackpool's Town Crier Barry McQueen posing for the camera after disembarking from Boat car 230 at Ash Street

Boat cars 600 and 230 pass each other at Fisherman's Walk while operating the Thornton Gate round tour service

Boat 600 loading up with passengers at a temporary stop while Flexity 010 reverses to head south at Ash Street

Boat car 600 southbound at Rossall Square while running on the Ash Street to Thornton Gate tour service

Boat car 230 northbound at Rossall Square while running on the Ash Street to Thornton Gate tour service

Brush car 631 passing the clock tower in Fleetwood at the end of the days proceedings on Tram Sunday