Always a popular tram when featured in any form on this website today Picture in Time takes a look at Leeds 602, but this time we aren’t looking at its preservation career as we catch up with it in Leeds whilst still in service.
This two black and white images were taken of 602 at some point between its entry into service in June 1953 and rapid withdrawal in 1957. The tram seems to awaiting departure with a service for Swinegate but not a lot more is known about the exact location of the tram or the exact date that the photo was taken.
As we all know 602 was preserved as part of the national collection and arrived at Crich in 1960. It has, at times, been part of the operational fleet at the museum but is currently situated in the Great Exhibition Hall on static display.
Both Photographs by Palle Gabriel
This appears to be the Hunslet terminus of route 25 to Swinegate, to which all three of the single deck railcars were allocated (some would say hidden away) for the last three years of their service. According to “Leeds Transport, Volume 4”, 602 operated on the 25 from October 1954 until withdrawal in September 1957, although often only at peak hours.
What a shame they never built the tram subways.
Just to rue, again, the decision of the National Tramway Museum not to rehabilitate no. 602, Britain’s most modern first generation tram not at Blackpool!! Come on Crich, let’s have a bit of enterprise!! Don’t you really want to show what the 60s and 70s COULD have offered to passengers, albeit with 602 towing a trailer as originally intended until the city politicians got cold feet?
I’ve approved this comment but have no intention whatsoever of going into the 602 debate once again. Unless any comments have anything new to say they will not be approved.