The National Tramway Museum has received its latest gift from Blackpool Transport just in time for Christmas, in the shape of Blackpool Brush Railcoach 630. This tram became the latest to leave Rigby Road for good aboard a low loader on the morning of Wednesday 21st December, bound for its new home in Derbyshire.
630 is the second Blackpool tram to move to Crich this year, following on from Jubilee car 762 which made the journey by road last month. Happily both trams are destined to operate at the Museum next year, and their modern appearance will provide an interesting contrast with the other more traditional trams at Crich. Although 630 dates from 1937, it was extensively rebuilt in 1995 and will represent the ultimate modernised appearance of the Brush cars, demonstrating the longevity of this class. It is still not clear what long-term plans exist for this tram, but hopefully one day it may be able to run alongside sister car 298 which is already at Crich, and awaits completion of a major restoration to 1930s ‘art-deco’ condition. This would make Crich the only place able to display the two opposite ends of the Brush car story together, i.e. original and final modernised appearance.
630 was withdrawn slightly prematurely to allow it to receive some workshop attention prior to departure, with its final use in Blackpool being on October 30th. Since then it has been partially repanelled and superbly repainted in the 1990s style green and cream livery, complete with black window surrounds and Blackpool Transport company logos. Unfortunately the fleet numbers have been reapplied using the font adopted in the last few years which don’t really suit the period that the tram represents, but it looks very smart nonetheless. Apart from the removal of its pantograph, no other work was needed to prepare 630 for its long journey and it was duly loaded early on December 21st with a little help from Balloon 717, onto the waiting lorry from Scott’s Heavy Haulage. As the tram’s electrical equipment is housed inside the enclosed pantograph tower, the tram had to take the ‘double-deck route’ out of Blackpool, avoiding all low bridges and therefore steering clear of motorways.
The departure of car 630 leaves just four of the once 20-strong Brush Railcoach class in Blackpool. Three of these – 632, 637 and ex-Permanent Way car 259 – are now
owned by the Lancastrian Transport Trust. The fourth car, 631 is still owned by Blackpool Transport and is expected to be kept for now as a reserve car; although in reality it is unlikely to be needed and therefore its long-term future may be in some doubt.