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At night the trams take on a different character, whilst during the Illuminations a number of special illuminated trams come out for their brief season. |
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A Balloon tram (left) at Bispham during the '98 Illuminations.
Right: The motorised half of a twin-car operating as a single, 1977. |
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Illuminated tramcars have been a feature of the autumn Illuminations for many years.
These three photographs date from 1977 and show the Rocket (left), the
paddle steamer (below left) which had a fitted bar and was sold and shipped to America
not long after this photo was taken, and the Shell Hovertram, now simply known as the
Hovertram, since the Shell Company no longer sponsor it. |
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A ship and a wild west train are the remaining two illuminated cars still operating.
The illuminated cars do a full tour of the "lights" only, starting at and returning to the North Pier. |
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A couple of Balloon trams. The Illuminations is the trams' busiest time as ordinary cars also run the full tour. Apart from walking it is by far the best way to view the several miles of lights.
Note the arrangement of the tramcar's own lights with both headlights and rear lamps allowing the car to be run both ways by swivelling the trolley on the overhead line. |
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