Our “Picture in Time” today features another tram of the national collection, Sheffield 264. This is a tram which has not been used in passenger service at Crich since 1980 and requires workshop attention before it can once again become part of the operating fleet.
Dating from 1937 Sheffield 264 (not to be confused with Beamish’s Sheffield 264!) was an improved Standard tramcar with a domed roof and was built by Sheffield Corporation Transport in their own workshops. 264 remained in operation right up until the final day of the original tram system in Sheffield (8th October 1960) and at that time had not been selected for preservation, unlike some of the other Sheffield cars now at Crich. However it arrived at Crich in December 1960 but it was to be 10 years before it entered service. 264 then carried passengers every year until 1980 when it was taken out of use awaiting workshop attention. As with many other withdrawn trams at Crich over the past few years it has flitted between being stored in the depots and the exhibition hall and can, at the time of writing, be seen as one of the exhibits in the Great Exhibition Hall. It has however made several appearances outside since withdrawal, mainly during enthusiast events.
This view shows 264 at Crich during August 1979.
(Photo by Bob Hodges)