Can we Rescue this famous Blackpool Tram? 

Thanks Moonage xx

Well, you never know at this rate Sharon!

Couldnt agree more mate they were the main attraction for blackpool in my opinion.the new ones just not the same

@@Andy5634 💯 mate

Whilst I fully agree, it just isn't practical. The old ones in big numbers running all day, would hold up the regular. LRV service and the heritage fleet are now completely 'manned" by volunteers, so they'd need a lot more of those and being volunteers, they can struggle with the relatively few they can need some days.. They ARE on the prom, just probably not as often as you ( or I ) would like. However, it's a miracle that they are still able to run at all, so I'd suggest, that whilst it's probably not ideal, maybe be thankful for what we have still got. If you notice, no other of the new tramways (or more accurately LRV systems) in the UK are allowed to operate heritage trams at all...ever. Not once. We proudly can. The council, very astutely in my view, ensured that along with the upgrade, which to comply with DDA regulations, was ESSENTIAL, otherwise it would effectively have had to completely close, that a stipulation was made where the old fleet MUST be included in the upgrade. A special dispensation was granted to allow this to happen and so, whilst admittedly not the all day, every day service of 1930's trams that you were used to seeing up until 2010, it is at least. FAR better than what we would and could now have had, if the council hadn't been granted that unique and hard fought, upgrade dispensation. Also, even after the special dispensation was actually granted, at first, a small depot of possibly only six or eight heritage trams was all that was thought to be needed, in a tiny seperate depot, next to the new depot at Starr Gate. I think the unused spur of track is still there somewhere, but I could be wrong. Thankfully local residents kicked off that the big depot, which they weren't too happy with, was already quite enough to spoil their sea views and so it was binned, allowing the vast majority of the fleet to survive at Rigby Road and to hopefully now become the exciting Tramtown project. If the tiny depot plan had gone ahead, it was almost certain that Rigby Road and ALL it's contents, (except the chosen few for the mini depot), would have been sold off...or worse!! I hope that all of this now puts what we DO still have, which might not be as much as you'd like to have, but a heck of a lot more than it could certainly have been, into some better context. Cheers

Thanks Pauline. My video helped them smash the target! It's coming back!!!

Nice one. They have now hit the target.

With my help they smashed the target!

Yes, there are a few there.

It's coming back Gill.

@@AWalkontheWildSideBlackpool that is brilliant news, well done all involved,👍👍

No probs pal. They hit the target with my videos!

No. It most definitely will NOT end up there at all. Firstly, they already have a Blackpool Balloon tram there ( 712) and so wouldn't want it and secondly, it is being fundraised SPECIFICALLY to come back to the depot as the most iconic of Blackpool s already very iconic Balloon trams. End of.

I actually went there in the 1980s for a short while!

The Strand

I hope the gazette mentioned mr wild side no target without my videos Alan Bradley tram scrapped

@@AWalkontheWildSideBlackpool they.need too and lancs live its beneficial to all They do tiktok not many.hits

Unfortunately for Alan he won’t get the chance although he did get to see it very, very up close!

@@jayoneill1533 alan was a baddie what he did to poor Rita

The actor who played Alan even got grief in real life, as some people thought he was real!

Funding They are in the depot

mr wild side helped the tram come back prob get thew keys 🔑 to Blackpool now

@@AWalkontheWildSideBlackpool pre before the gazette

I can assure you that they most certainly will not be doing that. It will go back into 1980's livery and the condition, as at when Mr Bradley "bought it".

@@dancedecker Oh thats fantastic and back in the livery from the years i remember them best -er and Alan Bradley! ha ha

@@octopus680 yes, that's right. Yes, that would quite literally, be the last thing that went through Alan's mind....the tram's livery .lol. I'll get my coat....

Having provided film vehicles over the years, the money they received at the time would be probably about one or two hundred quid, if that and it was well over thirty years ago!! Could be wrong, but I'm betting they may have had to spend some of it by now. But next time I see the financial director, I'll be sure and ask him for you, as you just never know do ya? They may still have a couple of quid left out of it by now!!

@@dancedecker Money wasters. I saw, the other day, new, brand-new vehicles in the town center advertising the services of the N.H.S

@@dougaldouglas8842 I'm sorry, but I'm not completely sure I understand what you are meaning.

@@dancedecker Sorry, just thought that the money spent hiring the tram might have been put to one side for a rainy day. Just a thought

@@dougaldouglas8842 Well, whilst I get what you mean, it probably wasn't because, as I say, it was almost certainly a relatively small amount and a very long time ago. The balloons were even back then, well past their "use by" date, so they probably thought they'd just get scrapped anyway, so why have a "rainy day" fund for something like that, would probably be in their minds. In hindsight, with how much more famous and iconic, the balloons became and especially in the case of 710, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Glad you enjoyed it Alan.