Blackpool 2006 ,  16  years, how did it begin.....

16 years ago a group of lads from Manchester Branch decided to hold a convoy through the lights at Blackpool, originally starting from the Pleasure Beach. This seemed to take off immediately and it was decided to advertise it Nationally the next year , and a venue car park at the side of the Pleasure Beach was to be the starting point.

This also proved to be a winner and it was obvious from the start that this car park was not going to be big enough, so a new venue had to be found, strangely enough , it was the current venue we have used for the last three years.

Clifton Drive North was , at the time, a good venue , despite the uneven car park , with its go cart track , tram stop , food shops and petrol station near by. We stayed there for some years until , the road was made directional for the lights, hence making it very hard to get the then 300 Capris out into the lights in some sort of conformity.

A total change  of route and then we moved to a new starting venue at Little Bispham Tram Stop, this was the best so far, and remained the "home" for many years.

By then  the figures of capris were at an all time high , some 400 turned up on the day with as many as 350 that traveled  through the illuminations, which Bispham handled well.

A raffle was a favorite of the time  , but essentially the event was a free and easy turn up on the day , do what you wanted and cruise the lights at  night.

Originally , all capris' parked on the main car park , later, in 1995,  with the start of the capri280 Register, it was decided to put the 280s together on the sea front .

This was the way it remained for some years..... until the Council closed the car park for "temporary" work and as result of , all capris had to move on to the sea front.

However the car park was never to open again and three years later , the road was also closed, so making the  venue no longer viable.

Norbrek Castle Hotel, seemed ideal , just down the road, but unfortunately they did not want to let us have the use of their car park.

They say history repeats itself.... so, back to Clifton Drive North, this was then to be "home"  for the next three years.

And  that could be said is a very quick travel back in time over the last 16 years that capris convoy  the lights in Blackpool, a very brief resume of what has gone before, if space and time permitted , there would be  many more stories to tell , but that's probably true about most things.

And here we are back in 2006..... out of the Delorean and into the Capri....

October 1st 2006 , 16th year  that capris converged on Blackpool ,  the weather was tame for the time of year , with a couple of showers here and there .

Slightly earlier this year compared to last year as to avoid the hour change and the kids last night on holiday  before returning to school.

50 capris turned up on the day , this we think is a good figure , taking into account the decline in the number of capris over the  years.

Everything looked to be going well, despite the weather , until we convoyed into the lights......and the Police Closed our access making it virtually impossible to get a convoy up and running.

Plans are in place to make changes for 2007, because of the above, check updates later for more information.

It now just remains to thank everyone who turned up to support the event, a special thanks to the Branch from Scotland , for the distance traveled and for setting up a Branch Stand,  we hope to see everyone again in 2007.

Thanks Guys!

***Our Next Show***

capri280 Meeting     21 Years    Sunday  27th  May  2007    

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