CRICH TRAMWAY VILLAGE NEWS ROUND-UP Work is continuing on LUT 159 to the agreed timeframe. Recent progress has been concentrated on the manufacture of lower saloon light-fitting mounts and truck components.
The other major restoration project is Cardiff 131 which has seen its truck frame completely dismantled and some of the components are now awaiting shot blasting before non-destructive testing is undertaken. Machining has commenced on axle-box keeps and retention bolts whilst the primary and secondary springs have been sent away for refurbishment. The main components of the underframe have been assembled with the oak being primed with aluminium wood primer to prevent the acid in the timber attacking the steelwork. Work is also progressing on the overhaul of the controllers and resistor banks and the new water tank is nearing completion. It should be delivered in February. Finally, two trolley heads of the correct type have been located and a decision is awaited on whether to overhaul them or to replicate the design.
It has been decided to rewire Blackpool Toastrack 166 using a trainee at the Museum involved in the Industrial Heritage Skills Training. It is expected that the cost of materials will be £5,000 and the correct type of festoon lamps will also be installed at the same time. The tram is currently out of service because of wiring issues.
The lower saloon seats have now been refitted in Blackpool Standard 40 following their return from the contractors after re-covering. New tyres still need to be fitted to the tramcar but a heavy workload at the usual contractor is delaying this.
The work on the exterior paintwork of Glasgow 812 has been suspended for the time being because of the failure of the heating system in the Workshop. It will be resumed once this has been fixed. A new bow collector is also to be manufactured for the tram because of accident damage to the current one.
Finally, on the track the siding points at Wakebridge are to be removed for the 2008 season and replaced with curved track by contractors Balfour Beatty. The siding will be reconnected in winter 2008/9 when the Wakebridge track will also be realigned. A set of points are also be replaced at Cliffside this winter as part of the same contractor.
Source: Contact from the Tramway Museum Society
Crich Tramway Village – Sunday 27th January 2008
Work is to be undertaken on the wiring of Blackpool Toastrack 166 to return it to the serviceable fleet for 2008. The tram is always popular with the public and will be a welcome returnee to the fleet. Here we see the tram at Wakebridge on Tramathon Day - 12th June 2005.
Photo: Gareth Prior