Ahead of the Blackpool tramway anniversary event this coming weekend, Blackpool’s operational Brush Railcoaches are now being prepared for their starring role over the weekend, in recognition of their 80th anniversary year. This has included the arrival of visiting car 630 whilst the major renovation of pioneer 621 is now almost complete.
As already reported, 630 departed from Crich Tramway Village on Monday 18th September with transport provided by Scott’s Heavy Haulage. The tram arrived back in Blackpool in the late afternoon and was then unloaded onto Blundell Street during the evening. Commissioning work should be pretty straightforward as only the pantograph was removed for its road trip, and fitting transponders should also be an easy job as 630 has low-voltage equipment and was indeed transponder fitted in 2010-11 before moving to Derbyshire. Some volunteers from Crich have travelled with their tram to assist with preparing it for service to ensure that it is ready for its planned debut on the ‘Cleveleys Flyers’ on Friday 22nd September.
Meanwhile 621‘s overhaul is virtually complete and on Monday 18th September the tram was tested along Hopton Road to ensure that its newly installed transponders were working correctly. A number of tasks remain to be completed, including fitting of its coupling boxes and destination blinds, but it too should be ready to enter service on Friday 22nd.
With resident Brush car 631 also recently returned to service following workshop attention to rectify some recurring electrical faults, and Heaton Park’s 623 already in regular service, plus the illuminated Trawler 737 – formerly Brush 633 – also back in service – Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours are all set to celebrate 80 years of the Brush cars in fine style and it should be a birthday celebration to remember for all the right reasons!