Blackpool Balloon 708 / 245

 

708 seen in 2004, its last year of operation.

Open top streamliner 245 entered service in 1934. It was totally enclosed during the 1941 season and recieved single indicator destination blinds in September 1956. During August of 1957 and 1958, 245 was decorated as the Daily Mirror Tram.

Renumbered 708 in 1968, it has managed to avoid advert liveries, instead carrying a succession of fleet liveries. In 1989 it was fitted with ex-Routemaster fixed seating upstairs with the lower deck similarly treated in 1990. 708’s trolley was replaced with a pantograph in 1991.

708 was stored at the end of 2004 and aside from brief use fitted with snow ploughs in 2006 has not ran in service since.

Initially purchased for preservation by the Lancastrian Transport Trust, ownership transfered to the MTMS in a deal to swap our own 704 with 708.

708 left Blackpool on 28th November 2011 and was stored off site until 19th July 2013 when it was transferred for static display at Nelsam in Sunderland. In September 2016 708 moved back to Blackpool’s Rigby Road depot for further storage.

Viewed in early 2010, 708 appears largely complete.

The lower saloon with fixed seating.

708’s upper deck. 

All photographs taken inside Rigby Rd Dept were taken under supervision and with full permission of Blackpool Transport Services Ltd.