Glasgow 1245 is once again a double deck tram with the top decks of the tram recently reunited in another major milestone in the tram’s restoration. Work on 1245 has stalled over the past year as a result of the Summerlee Transport Group having to divert their resources to returning Glasgow 1017 to service but now that the little single decker is operational again the next stage of the work can commence.
Despite the past year not seeing much physical progress the time has been taken to research the project. This has included working with the Glasgow Museums archive section to access all the records held by them on the Coronation class of tram which has informed the direction that the restoration needs to take. The group have also finalised the preferred control system details with several manufacturers and next year will be working with the Summerlee Museum management team on fund raising for this part of the project.
With the overhaul on 1017 complete and the tram back in service the group turned their attention to 1245 once again with the first major task being the lifting of the upper deck back onto the lower deck. This required the upper deck structure to be transported from the tram depot to the workshop before the two could become one and start to look like the distinctive Coronation class tram that it is.
With the two sections together again work has started on sorting out the hundreds of pieces in storage which will now be evaluated and a repair or restore programme can be finalised.
The upper deck on accommodation truck is prepared for lifting.
An unusual angle of the upper deck as it is lifted.
The upper deck is gently manoeuvred into position.
Complete again! (All Photographs courtesy of Summerlee Transport Group)
Lovely to see the tram back together again, after such a long time. Great work the team are doing well done all.
Can’t help thinking what might have been if this one had stayed in Blackpool… Potentially more useful and more attractive than 1016 given that the traditional “Scottish Week” is October and isn’t known for the finest weather!
I couldn’t agree more. A plan was drawn up but its then owner would not allow Lottery Funding to be applied for. I can’t help but think it would be a good swap for 16 once both cars are complete. 1245 surely won’t like the short run at Summerlee.
I suspect once complete 1245 will be locked into Summerlee. It’s too tall to get in and out as a complete car.
1245 had an even shorter ride at Lowestoft but it performed well no trouble with contactor cabinett control gear and the brakes worked fine, so it should go well at Sommerlee with their longer run.
Hasn’t all that equipment been removed now though? So was it regauged at Lowestoft?
Yes Keith and I re-gauged it. After trying several contractors and taking the wheels to Southend Pier engineering who put 78lb of pressure on the original southend tramways wheel press the seals gave out on the press, so, we decided to try it ourselves. Keith was a woodend boatbuilder and engineer of Sea-King Boatbuilders and used to unusual jobs so he set about making a large gas ring experimenting with various size holes for the gas ring and also different size jets till we got 4 inch flames from propane gas. We then suspended the axle vertically on a hoist outside the back of the tram depot. we then proceeded to heat up the tyre . Once heated we tapped carefully with a sledge hammer to just over 3/8th of an inch we then lowred the wheel down horizontal to the ground and inserted a 3/8″ bright steel circular ring behind the lip of the tyre then cramped it with very large g cramps and let it cool.