A tram which was in the news last year for its transfer of ownership is the feature of today’s Picture in Time – Bournemouth 85.
Built for Bournemouth Corporation Tramways in 1914 by UEC no. 85 was subsequently sold on to the Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway upon the closure of the south coast tramway in 1936. Renumbered 6 in Wales the tram continued to operate in its second home until 1955 when a second withdrawal came and the tram directly entered preservation. It originally went to the British Transport Museum in Clapham where it was displayed in its Llandudno guise. When the museum at Clapham closed the tram moved into the ownership of the Science Museum and it subsequently returned to the south coast where it was cosmetically restored back to its Bournemouth identity of 85. Following a period in its home town 85 was moved to the Museum of Electricity where it was displayed in cramped conditions making photography difficult. The Museum of Electricty was closed at the end of 2012 and the future of the tram was up in the air until the second half of 2016 when it was announced ownership was being transferred from the Science Museum to the Tramway Museum Society. It will soon be transferred to Crich where it is planned to use it to display a 3’6” gauge tramcar.
Both of these photos show 85 at the Museum of Electricity on 30th June 2002 (showing how difficult photography was!) including the trams interior.
Both Photographs by Bob Hodges
Great news
Surely better to move it to the Black Country museum and put it back into carrying people?
Potentially yes – but if they don’t want it then what can you do?
So they don’t want it! Museums are not overflowing with narrow gauge trams and unless Crich lays some mixed gauge track, which surely is not on the agenda then it remains static. Shame.
Someone would have to pick up the bill to restore it to working order, and the BCLM seem to have enough on their plates at the moment. Display at Crich will be a massive step up from it’s current situation. There is also currently no representative from the 3’6″ tram systems at Crich, and only one single car from south of London, so there is a niche for it to fill.
BCLM do not want anything at the moment which didn’t work in the Black Country hence Crich is getting the cable car body from them. Like all trams that haven’t run since they operated in their native system, a lot of money will be required for a full overhaul/restoration to working condition. As Raymond said there is no representative from a 3′ 6″ system or any narrow gauge system at Crich
I’d like to see this car restored to Llandudno colours at some point in the future. Very pleasing that this forgotten car will be going on public display again. Does anybody know what happened to the similar looking Cheltenham car that was once resident at Crich?