Three Boats and a Balloon

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the return to service of Boat 602, with a new livery and fleet number of 227

August Bank Holiday Sunday dawned bright and sunny, which heralded a full day of open-top tram running on the Heritage Tours. Open-top Balloon 706 Princess Alice kicked off the day with a run through to Fleetwood Ferry. Boats 230 and 600 also joined 706 on the heritage service, with the last tram out being the newly refurbished 602. Boat 602 has been repainted in a fictitious red and cream livery, and in the process has been given its previous fleet number of 227 which had been applied as chrome numerals on the sides of the central trolley arch. The early afternoon trip to Fleetwood was handled by Boat 230, with the trams being dispatched to various destinations throughout the day, including North Pier, Cabin, Bispham, Cleveleys and unusually Ash Street in Fleetwood, this trip being performed again by 230 late on in the afternoon. The final timetabled run through to Fleetwood Ferry was undertaken by Boats 600 and 227, with both trams heavily loaded with passengers.

The first heritage run of the day through to Fleetwood Ferry was handled by open-top Balloon 706 Princess Alice

Boat 230 waiting on the Pleasure Beach loop, with 600 just arriving with a load of passengers

706 Princess Alice and Boat 230 pass each other at The Imperial hotel during the afternoon

Coronation cars 304 and 660 were displayed on the track in Blundell Street for a few hours in the middle of the day

Boat 600 at Bispham about to make a late afternoon run back to the Pleasure Beach

Boat 227 rolling along North Albert Street in the low afternoon sun with a full capacity load of passengers

Boat 600, resplendent in the late afternoon sunshine, rounding the curve towards the end of North Albert Street

Boats 227 and 600 pose side by side at Fleetwood Ferry before returning their passengers to Blackpool

Boat 227 rounding the curve from Pharos Street into North Albert Street on the final run of the day from Fleetwood

Boat 227 approaching Rossall School on its early evening return trip from Fleetwood Ferry