The operational works car fleet at Crich Tramway Village has been boosted by one
now that Sheffield 330, a railgrinder and water car, has been commissioned for use. The tram had last operated in 2010, but the car has been looking increasingly tired in recent years, and so the fitting of rail scrubbing equipment to Cardiff 131 allowed 330 to be retired. However, with the Welsh car currently at Blackpool, there was a need for another works car to fulfil its duties in preparation for the Museum re-opening this month, and so 330 has been made available.
Readers might remember that Sheffield 330 had been absent for several years until a need to commission the trackwork at Town End led to it being reactived. Once Cardiff 131 was completed the tram was not expected to run anymore but events have once again dictated that 330 has risen from the dead! Although the tram has been commissioned to carry out a useful role, hopefully it may also appear occasionally for special events during the year ahead to add some extra interest to the tramway.
Incidentally, Cardiff 131 is still stored inside the new Blackpool tram depot at Starr Gate after being used to clean the rails on New South Promenade. Blackpool Borough Council have seemingly still not decided whether 131 will be required to assist with any further track commissioning work, so for now the tram is staying put with a growing number of Blackpool’s new Flexity2 trams keeping it company: a bit of a change from the vehicles it normally lives with!