The East Anglia Transport Museum normally closes its gates to paying guests at the end of September each year, but in a bold move the site re-opened for a few winter weekends in 2011. The Museum held its first ever Christmas event under the branding of ‘Santa Trams’, and this pre-booked event seems to have been a great success.
Winter visitors were greeted by the use of two Blackpool trams: Marton VAMBAC 11 and Standard 159, both of which were looking very cheerful as they were decorated with tinsel internally! 159 was also sporting small illuminated stars at each end, bringing back
happy memories of its stint as an illuminated tram during its latter years of service at Blackpool. There was also a brightly lit grotto in the woods, where children could meet Santa before catching a tram back to the main Museum site. With trolleybus and narrow-gauge train ride also on offer, this was a first class event and the EATM should be congratulated for deciding to take a gamble on this venture. Hopefully the success of 2011′s debut event will set a precedent and the Santa Trams will return in East Anglia in 2012!