Its nearly time for one of the highlights of the tram calendar with Simply Trams (a new title for 2018) taking place on Saturday 1st September at the Crich Tramway Village. We have seen over the past few years this event go from strength to strength with plenty of trams in service alongside some unique photo opportunties featuring both operational and static trams. But that’s in the past – just what will be happening in 2018? The theme for 2018 is Birthdays and Anniversaries with the star attraction likely to be the previously announced use in service of Blackpool & Fleetwood Rack 2 but that isn’t all that will be happening. Read on for an Event Preview containing everything you should need to know about the event if you’re planning a visit – and probably plenty you don’t!
When is it?
Saturday 1st September between 1000 and 5.30pm
Where is it?
Crich Tramway Village – home of the National Tramway Museum
What’s Trams are in service?
An intensive tram service will provide the backbone of the event with 17 different passenger trams due to run at some point in the day between Town End and Glory Mine. The first trams will start to run at 1030 but for the first half hour will only run through to Wakebridge to mark the 50th anniversary of trams to Wakebridge.
11 trams are due to be in service between 1100 and 1200 with 10 in service from 1400 to 1730.
Trams are due to run as follows:
All Day: Blackpool & Fleetwood 2, Blackpool 167, Sheffield 510, Blackpool 762, Liverpool 869
AM: Glasgow 22, Blackpool 40, Blackpool 166, Leeds 180, Leeds 345, Leeds 399
PM: Chesterfield 7, London County Council 106, London United Tramways 159, Blackpool 236, Blackpool 630
In addition Berlin 223 006-4 is scheduled to run at 1130 and 1430.
The afternoon will also see Works Cars running on the mainline (1400 to 1730)
Trams will run until 1730 with the last tram scheduled to be Blackpool & Fleetwood 2.
What Photo line-ups will there be?
One of the main attractions of Enthusiast Events at Crich is always the photo opportunities display of trams and 2018 will be no different.
Prague 180 – which is not only celebrating 50 years at Crich but also its 110th birthday – will be on the depot fan between 1030 and 1130.
Then as trams return to depot for crew lunch breaks there will be a photographic opportunity of the Birthday trams between 1200 and 1400 alongside other trams also in the depot yard at the time.
There will also be another photo line-up on the depot fan between 1430 and 1530 – details of which are still to be confirmed.
Away from the depot there will be other photo opps in the main museum street with Leeds 180 (50 years in service) at Town End and Blackpool & Fleetwood 2 and Blackpool 167 at Stephenson Place between 0945 and 1015.
Anything else?
There will be a Book Sale in the Great Exhibition Hall and the Whetstone models will also be in operation.
At 1100 40 years of trams running to Glory Mine will be marked with 1978 service cars running to Glory Mine with photographic opportunities of the cars together at Glory Mine.
At 1400 the Birthday cars – Blackpool & Fleetwood 2, Blackpool 167 and Croydon Tramlink 058 – will proceed to Glory Mine and return as a Cavalcade.
Full Provisional Timetable
The following is the current schedule – this is subject to final confirmation and the usual availability and operational constraints.
1030-1600: Book Sale and Whetstone Models in Great Exhibition Hall
0945 to 1015: Photo opportunities – Leeds 180 at Town End, Blackpool & Fleetwood 2 and Blackpool 167 at Stephenson Place
1000: Photo opportunities on depot fan as cars enter service along with shunting
1030 to 1100: 50 Years of Trams to Wakebridge – tram service starts with trams only running as far as Wakebridge
1030 to 1130: 50 Years since Prague 180 arrived at Crich – displayed on depot fan
1100: 40 Years of Trams to Glory Mine – 1978 service cars operate together to Glory Mine with photo opportunity of the cars together at Glory Mine
1100 to 1200: Intensive tram service using 11 trams
1130: Berlin 223 006-4 scheduled to run from Town End
1200 to 1400: Some trams return to depot for lunch with photo opportunities including the Birthday Trams at end of lunch period
1400 (approx.): Birthday cars proceed to Glory Mine and return as a Cavalcade – Blackpool & Fleetwood 2, Blackpool 167, Croydon Tramlink 058
1400 to 1730: Intensive tram service with 10 trams plus Works Cars in service
1430: Berlin 223 006-4 scheduled to run from Town End
1430 to 1530: Photographic line-up on depot fan – TBC
1530: Shunting starts to put all the trams away
1730: Last Tram from Town End with Blackpool & Fleetwood 2 in charge of the last trip
* The full programme can be downloaded from the Crich Tramway Village website.
How Much is it going to cost?
Standard ticketing arrangements will apply:
Adults – £17
Senior (60+) – £13
Child (4-15) – £10
Family (2 adults/3 children or 1 adult/4 children) – £40
12 month return tickets and tramway society passes are also valid.
What else is on offer?
As well as the offerings above all other parts of the museum will be open as usual. This includes the chance to look around the depots, view progress on restorations and overhauls from the Workshop Viewing Gallery and the Great Exhibition Hall where many more trams can be found. There are also exhibitions in the Stephenson Discovery Centre and the Assembly Rooms including Survive and Thrive – The Electric Era and Arms to Armistice.
The Weather
As with any event of this type the big question is what will the weather be like?
Take a look at the BBC Weather forecast for Crich for full details.
British Trams Online coverage
We will have regular “Live” update on Facebook throughout the event.
Full coverage from the event will follow on the website around mid-September.