A classic tram breaks new ground.

Bolton 66 and Standard 147 in Hopton Road, 1st October 2012, by Huw Cairns.

My British friends keep me well supplied with gorgeous photos, as you know. Some of their submissions from the past week cover a few firsts in the heritage department in grand style.

I have much catching up to do over the next few days, and wanted to start with  this amazing view from new contributor Huw Cairns, who captured not just one but two historic trams in Hopton Road, Blackpool, on the evening of 1st October. The occasion was a tour in which Bolton 66 returned to Fleetwood Ferry for the first time in at least three years, being the only the second vintage tram to do so since the system was upgraded for light rail vehicles. A good account of the event features on the British Trams Online news page.

Says Huw:

The evening of the 66 tour was truly unforgettable. It brought back fond memories of the system before the upgrade. A truly great trip, in great company, with some great photo opportunities, one of which you see here.

The picture was taken on Hopton Road, just after the tour had finished. The trams featured are Bolton 66 and Blackpool Standard 147. I hope the picture gives some idea of what it was like when most British towns had trams, something which in most places is just a memory, but not in Blackpool!

Yes, Huw’s shot does capture the essence of the tramway era as it looked in cities up and down the island before buses and cars took possession of Britain’s streets. The second tram is Blackpool Standard 147, which was just returning from separate Illumination duties in the Lancashire resort.

Bolton 66 outside Blackpool’s Rigby Road Depot, courtesy Joe Savage.

At left is another view, in which frequent contributor Joe Savage captured the car preparing for its excursion before darkness fell.

I’ve not had the pleasure of riding Bolton 66. Perhaps someday I can rectify that, and news of this tour does raise hopes that heritage tram operation over the line north to Fleetwood will come to be common once again.

Thanks again to Huw and Joe. I hope to have more for you soon, including some of Joe’s shots from two other events and a field trip I took to visit a survivor from my part of the world.