Blackpool's Illuminations

Judging by the thousands of people on the promenade at Blackpool this weekend it seemed as if most families in Lancashire had made the same decision as us by making the most of the fine weather this weekend to take a trip to the Fylde coast to see the famous illuminations.

These days the illuminations still emphasise tradition and a sense of the past, as they've retained their old fashioned character even though most of the displays have modern themes.

Having made the same trip many times over the years the illuminations always bring back memories of walking along the front, usually along the stretch between the Tower and the northern end of the lights, finishing up with a bag of chips at one of the many fish and chip shops at Bispham.

The chip shops are still there, though much larger and more commercialised than back in the 70s, but still just as busy.

We'd eaten our traditional fish & chips a little earlier in the evening at Lytham before driving through Blackpool as the sun was setting behind a bank of cloud out to sea. The lights hadn't yet come on, though by the time we'd found a space to park at Bispham and get back to the sea front, the lights were on and the crowds were out in force. At first we wanted to catch a tram into Blackpool so that we could walk back, but the queues at the tram station meant there'd be a long wait.

Instead we walked towards the centre, past the larger displays which have always been on show at this end of town. As we walked, a few of the special illuminated trams trundled past just as they had years earlier, though a few of the ones I remember as a child didn't seem to be there any more.

Having walked as far as we could, we waited for a tram to take us back, but after five had gone straight past because they were full, it seemed that we'd have to find the energy to retrace our steps. Luckily we'd only walked back to the next stop before another one came which had some seats available, so we could at least travel back to the car a little more comfortably.