Burton & Ashby 14 comes home

Following the amazing news late last year that a group of enthusiasts had worked together to save Burton & Ashby 14 and return the tram to its native country, it has now been confirmed that the car is back in the United Kingdom after an absence of well over thirty years. When put up for auction in Detroit along with numerous other assets, it was feared that the tram may be broken up but thanks to the determination of a few people, the tram is now back in the country where it spent the majority of its life!

14‘s exact whereabouts have not yet been disclosed, although it is understood that the tram has been moved to storage in Staffordshire after residing in Detroit since 1980, although not operating since 2003. It is believed that there will be some opportunities for interested parties to view the tram during the year ahead, whilst in the longer term, thoughts are already turning towards plans for its future display. However, just to have the car back in the UK is obviously a massive achievement! It has been reported that the tram was sold at auction for £22,700 making its repatriation all the more remarkable as even established preservationists could have been forgiven for struggling to raise such a large sum of money at such short notice, let alone a small group of enthusiasts and other individuals interested in local history. What they have managed to pull off is a fantastic example of ‘people power’ and certainly a powerful response to the many people in the tramway circles who possess a ‘cant’ do’ attitude!