Sunday 22nd July will be a Tramtastic Day Out if you happen to go to the Heaton Park Tramway with Blackpool Brush 623 due to return to service following its return from a year long loan spell in Blackpool. But that isn’t all that is planned for the day with three trams in service plus several trams will be on display – including Blackpool Replica Vanguard 619 and Stockport 5 as their respective overhauls continue.
The day will start at 1100 with current service stalwarts Hull 96 and Manchester 765 in action before they are joined by Blackpool 623 from 1200. This will be the first passenger use of 623 at Heaton Park since its return from a loan spell in Blackpool and it is very much a welcome return for the tram which will help to take some of the pressure off 96 and 765.
The three tram service will continue until 1700 when 96 and 765 will come out of service allowing 623 the use of the whole tramway until the event ends at 1730.
Away from the operational trams Manchester 173 will be displayed at the Middleton Road stub – allowing for shots of the tram alongside the operational cars as they pass whilst the scene outside Lakeside Depot will be a busy one! Blackpool Railgrinder 752 will be displayed here along with Blackpool Replica Vanguard 619 and Stockport 5. The latter two trams are continuing to see major attention in the Heaton Park workshop and although they aren’t ready for a return just yet they will be available for display so you can see the latest progress on their continued works.
The day will also see a suffragette re-enactment at 1400 before a procession starts at 1500. This will be re-enacting an event which took place 100 years ago in Heaton Park where there was a demonstration demanding votes for women.
Tramtastic Day Out is the main enthusiast based event for 2018 at Heaton Park and looks set to be a day not to be missed!