We are off to the north east for the next edition of Picture in Time with a visit to Beamish and a view of a tram which, although owned by the museum, hasn’t been seen running in those parts for a number of years – Sheffield 513.
Sheffield 513 is one of an attractive fleet of 35 Roberts double deck trams built for Sheffield Corporation Tramways between 1950 and 1952 (of the same class at 510 seen at Crich). 513 ran in the final procession in 1960 and carried the same Last Tram livery as still seen on 510 today and was still to be found in this livery until it was restored by Beamish in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It wasn’t a direct route for 513 to get to Beamish with stops at the Middleton Railway in Leeds, Halifax and York before arrival in the north east in 1976. Restoration commenced in 1978 with completion in 1983. A trip to Blackpool followed in 1984/5 before it was back to Beamish and it is during this period of operation that these photos were taken. After successfully running at Beamish for a number of years it returned to Blackpool for another loan in 2001 and remained there until the impending upgrading of the tramway saw another departure but this time it was East Anglia Transport Museum which was to be the location and that is where 513 can be seen today.
In this first view from October 1986 we see 513 in the town at Beamish – a town which has undergone a lot of development in the intervening years.
Another view of 513 this time as it arrives at the Foulbridge stop.
Both Photographs by Peter Narramore
I hope it will be back for the opening of the 1950’s area
But it is not intended that the tramway will serve the 1950s area (at lest not initially). It will primarily be served by the Trolleybuses…
That is correct and 513 had problems with the reverse curves in the town which is why it could be released for long term loan in 2001. Beamish have always said that 513 may nor be able to run the full circuit regularly. Surely another candidate to take refuge in Blackpool.