Two trams from South of England under threat

Recent developments in the UK tramway scene have caused many tram enthusiasts to fear for the future of various Blackpool trams that have been sold off and placed in outside storage for various new owners. However, it is even more alarming to have to report that two much rarer trams are currently facing uncertain futures: the most complete surviving tram from the Bournemouth system, and a horse car originating from London.

Bournemouth 85 has had a somewhat difficult history in preservation. Once displayed at the ill-fated transport collection in Clapham, 85 then moved to its home town’s own transport museum, after this too had closed down the tram, was transferred into the care of the Museum of Elecricity at Christchurch. Unfortunately, when this museum closed at the end of its opening season in September 2012, this turned out to be the very last time that visitors would be admitted. A recent review of this museum indicated that the needs of visitors, particularly those with a disability, were not being satisfied. The costs of bringing the building up to the required standard is seemingly too high to be justified, resulting in staff being laid off and the museum’s assets facing up to an uncertain future. Of these, finding a home for the tram is likely to be particularly challenging due to its size. A major stumbling block is the fact that Bournemouth trams were narrow gague, and therefore 85 would require significant structural alteration before it could operate on any museum tramway in the UK apart from that of the Black Country Living Museum, which has very little depot space and tends to focus its efforts on local vehicles. The tram is, however, a beautifully restored static exhibit that would enhance another collection, and with the Bournemouth system not very well represented in preservation, hopefully this tram will find a good home where the public can enjoy it again. Although 85 remains in situ at present, any plans to develop the museum site in the future could well change this and if this happens then a new home may have to be found quickly for the tram.

Incidentally, some other unrestored Bournemouth cars do survive, along with two more which have been rebuilt in different guises: one has formed the basis of replica Llandudno & Collwyn Bay 7, whilst another, car 106, has been reborn as Seaton 16. The fact that neither is obviously recognisable for its original guise makes it essential that 85 must survive, and ideally remain on public display.

The other tram under threat is an unrestored North Metropolitan horse car, owned by the Tramway Museum Society and currently stored at Clay Cross. The TMS have recently made the rather questionable claim that this tram body has deteriorated to the extent that it cannot be restored, and state that its future within the collection is now under review. It is also claimed that other similar cars which are in better condition exist, hence there being less justification to retain it. Hopefully if the Society do decide to dispose of this tram, it will be offered to other museums who may be interested in giving it a home, rather than simply being broken up. The recent plan to transfer the remains of Gateshead 52 to Beamish Museum could well be replicated here, and at least if no expressions of interest were made, the Museum would have attempted to rehome the car.

The negative attitude towards this horse car has come as something of a surprise as the London County Council Tramways Trust had previously indicated that they would potentially consider sponsoring its restoration, as it would nicely complement the various electric trams hailing from London which are preserved at Crich. Whilst not everyone finds horse-drawn trams particularly appealing, they are obviously far less common than their electric cousins and therefore the loss of any one, having survived for around a century after its heyday ended, would be regrettable.