A few photos of Blackpool Tower, taken in 1986.
Starting with a shot of the Tower as seen from South Promenade courtesy of my telephoto lens. The windmill was a replica only. It held a navigation light, visible out at sea and was generally found at the junction of Waterloo Road with the Promenade. A signpost on the right points out the direction to the Lido swimming baths, which were on the corner of Lytham Road with a street a little south of Waterloo Road.
A shot from the Central Pier. The tide has not long since gone out, as the sand is still dark and damp. The ice cream caravans, plus teas and snacks and seafood have all come out early as the tide recedes to get the best spot. The brightly coloured windbreaks are in evidence too - Blackpool is noted for its breezes!
Getting closer to the Tower. Woolworths have departed from their flagship building on the Promenade and Pricebusters have taken on the ground floor space, letting out stalls to market traders. On the north side of the Tower, the grand Lewis's building of the 1960s is still there, though its days are numbered.
By leaning against the railings at the very edge of the Promenade I can almost squeeze in a full image of the Tower, though even my wide-angle lens is unable to get both the very top and very bottom in the same shot. The Victorian arches over the doorways have been covered in garish plastic, though the archways are depicted in bright primary coloured spots.
As I cross the road to the front of the Tower, standing outside is "Little" Jimmy Buchanan, stooge to the great Charlie Cairoli. Jimmy was a star in his own right, recipient of Heaven only knows how many pies in the face over his many years performing with Charlie. He was happy to pose for this portrait which I hope brings out the warmth of his character.
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