Balloon 717 renamed Walter Luff

Head of heritage tram operations Bryan Lindop and Daphne Luff with the newly unveiled Walter Luff plaque on 717

At a ceremony at the Pleasure Beach on Saturday 19th April, Balloon 717 was officially renamed "Walter Luff", after the former General Manager of Blackpool Corporation Transport. Walter Luff introduced a fleet of streamlined electric tramcars in Blackpool as part of a five year modernisation plan in the 1930s, including the English Electric double-deck Luxury Dreadnoughts (Balloons), single-deck open-top Luxury Toastracks (Boats) and enclosed Railcoaches, these modern trams formed the backbone of the fleet for well over 70 years. Daphne Luff, the daughter of Walter Luff, was introduced by Bob Mason (Director of Delivery at Blackpool Transport) before performing a short cermony that unveiled a polished wooden plaque that bore the name of her late father Walter Luff. The assembled dignitaries and passengers then boarded Balloon 717 before undertaking a journey to Bispham and back.

Balloon 717 at the Pleasure Beach shortly before the renaming ceremony with the new name plaque still under wraps

A close up of the new polished wooden plaque on 717 that bears the name of former General Manager Walter Luff

Newly renamed Balloon 717 "Walter Luff" heads off to Bispham with the official dignitaries and passengers onboard