English Electric Balloon tram

English Electric Balloon car
Modified Balloon tram 720 showing the widened doors.
Manufacturer	English Electric
Assembly	Preston, Lancashire
Constructed	1934–1935 2009–2012 (refurbished)
Capacity	78–94 (Seated)
Specifications
Width	EE 4 ft 9 in (1.45 m) wheelbase
Maximum speed	43 mph (69 km/h)
Power output	2 × EE 305 type, 57 hp (43 kW)
Current collection method	Pantograph, Trolley Pole
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Controller	2 × EE Z6

4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm)

The English Electric Balloon is a type of double-decker tram that is operated on the Blackpool Tramway. Initially brought into service in 1934, the Balloon formed the backbone of the Blackpool tram fleet until the tramway's conversion to a modern light rail network in 2012. Following the network's re-opening, nine Balloons were converted to meet the disability regulations to serve as a supplement to the modern Flexity 2 vehicles. Some of the Balloons have been retained for use within the heritage fleet.

Commissioned in 1933 by Walter Luff, the controller of the network, in a bid to modernise the tramway's fleet, they were intended to replace the Dreadnought cars and Standard cars that had been in service since the early years of the tramway. They were built by English Electric during 1934 and 1935, the first being presented to Blackpool on 10 December 1934. 27 were delivered, of which the first thirteen were open-topped and the remaining fourteen were enclosed. They were numbered 237–263 and used on both summer and winter services. The first one, 237, was initially numbered 226, as it arrived in Blackpool along with the prototype Boat car number 225. However, with the arrival of the production Boat cars after prototype car 225, the Balloon would have been out of sequence, so it was renumbered to 237. They were originally called Luxury Dreadnought cars.

They were built with central doors and stairs, with a capacity of 84–94 passengers. Half-drop windows provided ventilation and art deco curved glass lights provided electric lighting. The enclosed-top trams had sliding roof windows and thermostatically-controlled radiators.

The enclosed-top cars originally worked on the Squires Gate service and it was during this time that they became better known as Balloon cars instead of Luxury Dreadnought cars because of their rounded streamlined appearance. During World War II the need for the open-top cars fell significantly and cars 237–249 had their tops enclosed to look similar to 250–263. 249 was the first to be converted into an enclosed example in August 1941 and the rest were converted in reverse number order, with 237 being the last to be done in June 1942. Also during this period the fleet was painted in a mostly dark green livery with cream relief to conserve paint and time, as well as to reduce the chances of them being spotted from the air.