History English Electric Balloon tram

1 history

1.1 jubilee cars
1.2 millennium cars
1.3 modernised cars
1.4 heritage cars
1.5 fleet details

history

commissioned in 1933 walter luff, controller of network, in bid modernise tramway s fleet, intended replace dreadnought cars , standard cars had been in service since years of tramway. built english electric during 1934 , 1935, first being presented blackpool on 10 december 1934. 27 delivered, of first thirteen open-topped , remaining fourteen enclosed. numbered 237–263 , used on both summer , winter services. first one, 237, numbered 226, arrived in blackpool along prototype boat car number 225. however, arrival of production boat cars after prototype car 225, balloon have been out of sequence, renumbered 237. called luxury dreadnought cars.

they built central doors , stairs, capacity of 84–94 passengers. half-drop windows provided ventilation , art deco curved glass lights provided electric lighting. enclosed-top trams had sliding roof windows , thermostatically-controlled radiators.

the enclosed-top cars worked on squires gate service , during time became better known balloon cars instead of luxury dreadnought cars because of rounded streamlined appearance. during world war ii need open-top cars fell , cars 237–249 had tops enclosed similar 250–263. 249 first converted enclosed example in august 1941 , rest converted in reverse number order, 237 being last done in june 1942. during period fleet painted in dark green livery cream relief conserve paint , time, reduce chances of them being spotted air.

after war years balloons neglected in place of new coronation cars, considered old fashioned , slow load. blackpool corporation changed mind after experiencing temperamental nature of coronations , balloons began make comeback in late 1950s. in 1958 check rail installed through fleetwood, requirement allow balloons operate fleetwood , balloons increasingly began appear on market-day specials, useful moving large crowds travelling north. balloons continued run normal squires gate service until closure in 1961 , following entire class solely worked on promenade service.

in 1968 re-numbered 700–726. between 1979 , 1982, balloon cars 725 , 714 totally rebuilt 2 new jubilee cars, 761 , 762 respectively. reconstruction of 725 included moving stairs ends, removing central doors increase capacity , extending body length. however, 762 retained central doors improve passenger flow @ stops. during 1980, accident @ pleasure beach loop involving 2 balloons crashing each other caused 705 , 706 withdrawn. 705 scrapped whilst 706 rebuilt open-topper, later named princess alice.

in 1989, alan bradley, character in soap opera coronation street, killed when hit bispham bound tram 710 outside strand hotel on north promenade.

during 1990s , through 2000s number of balloons had been withdrawn service heavily modernised, 4 of them, 707, 709, 718 , 724 re-emerging flat ends , modern interiors known millennium cars, due appearance , modernisation occurring @ end of 2nd millennium a.d. beginning of 3rd millennium a.d.

from 17 october 2002, balloons (and other double decker trams) banned going north of thornton gate due poor condition of track. following heavy repair work balloons allowed easter 2004.

with arrival of flexity 2 trams operate main services on tramway 2012, 9 balloon cars further modernised included fitting them widened doors , other modifications enable them run alongside new fleet (see below). of balloon cars retained part of heritage fleet (see below). 716 sold use office. 722 scrapped between 2009-2010 after collision 711 in october 2007. of other balloons not modernised, retained in heritage fleet, sold purposes other preservation or scrapped preserved: first leave, number 712, re-numbered original number of 249, preserved static (but lower deck interior open public when withdrawn) in pre-war green , cream livery @ national tramway museum @ crich. 702 preserved @ heaton park tramway in manchester. 708 preserved heaton park tramway, on loan in blackpool blackpool heritage trust. 710 preserved local group named fleetwood heritage leisure trust in fleetwood. 721 preserved north eastern electrical traction trust @ north east land, sea , air museum in sunderland. 726 privately preserved , stored @ rigby road depot in blackpool.

until 2009, 1 of cars (705) had been scrapped, on 15 october, number 722 made move body shop begin scrapping stage , of may 2010, has been scrapped. more cars expected follow on winter closure period, however, did not occur, stored trams had been put sale sold. 1 of sold, number 716, purchased group named ptarmigan transport solutions use office. however, after went liquidation, 716 offered sale again failed find buyer , transferred scrapyard. current condition unknown.

jubilee cars

jubilee tram 762 @ sand castle, blackpool

in late 1970s, blackpool corporation decided tramway fleet needed modernising after closure of inland routes during 1960s. attention drawn 2 balloon cars, 714 , 725, had been mothballed in dire need of overhaul. felt these useful on promenade during summer due high seating capacity , reliability. so, funds left on one-man operated (omo) car programme corporation set rebuilding these old balloons jubilee cars , named after silver jubilee of queen elizabeth ii in 1977. first rebuilt, 725, stripped down shell , had under-frame , body lengthened, controllers changed, doors , stairs relocated ends , iconic pointed ends replaced rectangular ones. bogies replaced fabricated ones able accommodate metalastik rubber/ metal bonded suspension in manner of omo vehicles , tram officially entered service in 1979 after testing jubilee 761. balloon 714 later rebuilt in similar fashion, though retained original central doors front ones improve passenger flow @ stops. 714 re-entered service in 1982 jubilee 762. although success , big crowd-mover, no more built either new or balloons. both cars withdrawn in 2011 having become surplus requirements due arrival of flexity 2 trams , unsuitable conversion run alongside them. therefore, entered preservation, 761 being acquired fleetwood heritage leisure trust , 762 being donated national tramway museum @ crich. in may 2017, 761 transferred fleetwood heritage leisure trust blackpool heritage trust.

millennium cars

millennium car 718, pictured before receiving rvar compliance modifications.

these double deck cars rebuilt 4 balloon cars between 1998 , 2004 in-house design. have more rectangular shape balloons gives upper decks increased capacity. unofficially named millennium cars due appearance after rebuilding , due beginning of third millennium a.d. trams retain numbers carried in balloon series, numbers being 707, 709, 718 , 724. have since been further modernised widened doors , other modifications (see below).

modernised cars

between 2009 , 2012, balloon cars 700, 711, 713, 719 , 720 , 4 millennium cars, 707, 709, 718 , 724, further modernised operate in ordinary revenue service after £100 million refurbishment of whole tramway light rail standards. new widened doorways have been fitted, driver operated doors fit new platforms have been built @ tram stops new flexity 2 trams. means have level access disabled passengers within centre of cars, retain step leading lower deck saloons, giving them partial exemption use in service through partial conversion improve accessibility. fixed seats , new passenger information displays have been fitted match new trams. speedometers have been retrofitted driving console. 720 first modernised in 2009, followed 700, 713 , 718 in 2010. 707, 709 , 724 modernised in 2011, while 711 , 719 modernised in 2012.

it planned these modernised balloons used on pleasure beach cleveleys service supplement flexity 2 service, due success of flexity 2 trams, service has never once operated , these modernised balloon cars used @ all. in february 2015, blackpool transport announced 3 of fleet operate in passenger service, both on heritage service , during busy october half-term period, including operating @ time if incident prevented flexity 2 trams operating. 3 chosen trams 700, 711 , 719 balloons have purple , white flexity 2 livery. 713 available use, tram used due carrying expired advert livery houndshill shopping centre. 718 returned use on 15 july 2016 in all-over white livery , repainted millennium green , cream livery black window surrounds , grey skirt during may 2017. 707, 709, 720 , 724 have been withdrawn service.

heritage cars

with tramway s conversion modern light rail network in 2012 , using flexity 2 trams provide core service, number of balloon trams retained use heritage cars within heritage fleet. 706 , 717 due retained due plans dispose of rigby road depot , build expansion of starr gate depot heritage cars, meant there enough room 1 example of each retained class of tram, 706 being open-topped , 717 being enclosed. however, rigby road depot retained whilst expansion of starr gate depot not built, allowing heritage collection expand. 706 , 717 have 1930s green , cream livery. 701 , 723 kept reserve cars works purposes , consideration modification join modernised balloon cars supplement flexity 2 trams. transferred heritage fleet. 701 carries red , white routemaster bus livery first applied during last major overall in 1991. 723 carries 1980s green , cream livery. 715 1 of trams sold in 2011 local group named lancastrian transport trust, aims build , open museum alongside tramway failed materialise. 715 therefore given blackpool heritage trust inclusion within heritage fleet , returned service on 2 may 2015 repainted in 1990s green , cream livery. 704 1 of trams sold in 2011 lancastrian transport trust, number of balloon cars retained in heritage fleet , modernised fleet, blackpool heritage trust rejected adding collection. however, preserved privately , put on loan blackpool heritage trust indefinite period, plans full restoration original open-topped condition numbered 241. 703 preserved lancastrian transport trust, later sold beamish open air museum , repainted in red , cream livery sunderland 101. remained in operational condition there 2011 until withdrawn in 2015. due change in collection policy @ beamish museum, offered blackpool heritage trust in 2016 , returned blackpool in 2017.

fleet details