Balloons on Specials - Final Day

Balloon 711, making its first appearance since being fitted with widened platforms and doors, with Flexity 005 passing

The last day of the widened Balloon experiment saw all three purple Balloons in service. Recently completed 711 unexpectedly saw use on the last day of Balloon specials, providing a nice surprise for the many enthusiasts who had come along to sample the cars in service. The five Balloons that were allocated for use on the last day of specials were 700, 707, 709, 711 & 719. The weather was pretty atrocious again, beginning in the morning with hail showers, giving way to heavy cloud with a few brief gaps of sunshine, but at 2.15pm the sky went very dark and the heavens opened with heavy squally rain showers, which rapidly cleared the promenade of people.

Balloon 711 at Little Bispham on the first northbound special of the day

Balloon 711 on its first day of service since receiving the door modifications, sat on the loop at Little Bispham

700 and 711 at Little Bispham tram station at 10:15 on the last scheduled day of Balloon specials this year

Balloon 700 awaiting its departure time on the loop at the Pleasure Beach

The third purple Balloon in use on the Friday was 719, seen entering the turning loop at the Pleasure Beach

Balloon 711 on a short working to the Tower, while 719 picks up passengers at the southbound platform

Balloons 700 and 719 pass each other at the Pleasure Beach stop

Balloons 707 and 719 laying over on the Pleasure Beach loop

Balloons 719 and 709 at the Pleasure Beach tram station