PD2 returns to Blackpool

The last surviving 1950s Blackpool PD2, one of a former fleet of 50, saw daylight for the first time in many years today on a journey from its long term storage at Weeton back to Brinwell Road, Blackpool. No.346, still wearing its faded yellow livery applied by the Illuminations department, is depicted below. It will soon be joined by Ribble RE 366 and Blackpool AEC Swift 570.

Blackpool Balloon 703 acquired by Beamish

Balloon 703 (masquerading as Sunderland 101) has been on loan to Beamish Museum from the Lancastrian Transport Trust since September 2010. The tram was painted into Sunderland red and cream livery prior to its move north, inspired by Sunderland English Electric built centre entrance car 99, which resembled a less streamlined version of a Blackpool Balloon in appearance.
Beamish have now concluded a deal to purchase 703 from the LTT, thus ensuring its long term future at the museum as part of their well maintained collection of trams.
Paul Jarman from the Beamish museum commented "101 will now fit into our longer term maintenance programme which will ultimately see it comprehensively overhauled and I would also like to see the original split blind destination boxes reinstated.  This, along with a repaint and some other tweaks, would bring it more into line with the very similar appearance of Sunderland 99.  For now though, the tram will continue to be used as a popular and effective member of the fleet."

LUT Fleetline 97 - now on display

Former Lancashire United Daimler Fleetline No.97 is now on display at the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport at Boyle Street. Some work has been undertaken on various electrical problems and it is pleasing to record that 97 is now available to the public to view and maybe ride on later this year (?).

LUT97 returns to Manchester

LUT 97, the second vehicle to join the collection back in 1982, has been acquired for continued preservation by the Greater Manchester Transport Society and was collected today for transfer to their Manchester based Boyle Street museum.
As part of a general thinning down of the LTT collection, LUT 97 was offered to the GMTS to allow it to be transferred to a sister charity and return to its natural habitat in the Manchester area. 97, the oldest surviving Daimler Fleetline of 1962 origin, has been stored away from the public eye for many years and the transfer of ownership will allow the vehicle to be seen again by the public and hopefully return to the road once more.

LUT 97 collected for a return back to Manchester on 1st February 2014