#2417

English Electric Balloon

🇬🇧 United Kingdom ·built by English Electric· from 1934· class of tram used by Blackpool tram network

🚋 tram / light rail electric ✓ in service

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences

1. New Blackpool Balloon: Ben Williams· CC BY-SA 3.0
2. Blackpool Tramway English Electric Balloon car, possibly no. 700, Starr Gate service, Fleetwood September 1984 Scans633 (10443105603): Gillett's Crossing from Bristol, United Kingdom· CC BY 2.0
3. ^28 - Double-decker in Blackpool - panoramio: Andrei Dan Suciu· CC BY 3.0
4. 712 at Bispham: Wikimedia Commons· Public domain
5. Blackpool Transport Services Limited car numbers 700 and 711 (1): David Ingham from Bury, Lancashire, England· CC BY-SA 2.0
6. BLACKPOOL TRAMWAYS BALLOON TRAM AT FLEETWOOD JULY 2012 (7581589622): calflier001· CC BY-SA 2.0
7. 700 and 720 at bispham: Mjobling (Mark S Jobling)· Public domain
8. Blackpool tram '700' 0910: Industrial Wales· CC BY-SA 2.0
9. Blackpool tram ... (2716144563): BazzaDaRambler· CC BY 2.0
10. Blackpool tram ... (2716144675): BazzaDaRambler· CC BY 2.0

what is it?

The English Electric Balloon is a type of double-decker tram that operates 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.

who runs it

Blackpool Transport

base stats

speed 70 km/htop speed
power 170 kWpower output
seats 94passengers
built 27made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

First built 92 years ago, in 1934.
12.9 m long: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
Still in service after 92 years.

tram / light rail: Street-running or light-rail vehicles that share or skirt the road.

spec sheet

built: 1934
in service from: 1934
status: in service
number built: 27
kind: tram / light rail
traction: electric
origin: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
builders: English Electric
operators: Blackpool Transport
top speed: 70 km/h
power: 170 kW
electric system: 600 V DC (nominal) from overhead catenary
wheel arrangement: Bo′Bo′
length: 12.9 m
capacity: 94 passengers

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q5378243, Wikipedia: English Electric Balloon (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.