After making its first tentative moves under power for several years, the near-complete Sheffield 264 has now begun an intensive programme of test running at Beamish Museum. The tram has been undergoing a major overhaul for the past few years but is now at the final stage of this, with a return to passenger service after an absence of more than a decade expected in the spring of 2016.
As we reported previously, 264 moved around the depot for the first time since its rebuild commenced without being towed on Thursday 10th December, and was taken onto the main line the following day. It then managed its first complete circuit of the Beamish tramway on Monday 14th December, starting off what is expected to be a busy few days for the tram which is to be thoroughly tested in the run-up to Christmas so that final jobs can be tackled (such as completion of the top deck balconies, re-installing the staircases and replacement of windscreens) and then the tram will be fully painted early next year. Interestingly, a very small part of the tram has already received its final dark blue and cream paint, complete with full gold lining out – on the interior bulkhead area, so that the resistance boxes could be refitted. Needless to say this looks absolutely superb, and offers a small taste of how good the tram will look when it is finished!
Whilst Sheffield 264 has been making the headlines for the museum lately, steady progress has also been made without receiving much attention on the restoration of a horse tramcar to be known as Newcastle & Gosforth 49. This will ultimately incorporate parts from this tram – which had been stored in a derelict state for some time – along with the body of a Leamington horse car which was acquired from the Summerlee museum in Scotland a few years ago. This tram is now fully glazed and panelled, whilst the roofing/top deck floor has been cut to shape and fixed in position. This now awaits canvassing and then other tasks, such as the fitting of staircases and dash panels, can begin, to be followed by reconstruction of the currently absent open top deck.
Thoughts are also being turned towards future tram projects with the priority being to undertake a well overdue overhaul on Gateshead 10, to include a full repaint back into the original maroon livery in place of the dark green paint it adopted in 2012 when it temporarily returned to its later identity as Grimsby & Immingham 26. The car’s worn tyres will be replaced with a general bogie overhaul and other body work also expected. It remains serviceable for now but is to be withdrawn in the New Year, which will leave just two enclosed operational trams in the resident fleet, these being Sunderland 16 and Oporto 196. Naturally this situation will be improved greatly when 264 is launched and hopefully Gateshead 10 can join it by the end of 2016 which, along with open toppers Blackpool 31 and Newcastle 114 would give the museum a more credible six running trams. This number could increase further in the years ahead as thoughts inevitably turn towards longer term projects, as well as the possibility of repatriating Sheffield 513 at some point in the future… watch this space!
Sheffield 264 makes a fine sight in the period Town at Beamish during its first day of proper test running, 14th December.
In the works, progress on the reconstruction of Newcastle & Gosforth 49 to provide the museum with its first resident operational horse tram is making good progress as this recent image proves. (Photos x 2 courtesy of Beamish Transprort & Industry Blog)