Brush Railcoach 637 has become the latest tram to leave Blackpool for good after being sold following a lengthy period in storage at Rigby Road. The tram left the seaside town on
Monday 6th February, having last run in passenger service way back in September 2004. 637 has kept its imaginative all-over advert livery for Blackpool Zoo since its last repaint in the summer of 1998, and is now one of the last few trams to retain a hand-painted advert.
637 has been one of the most elusive of the long-term stored cars at Rigby Road and has rarely emerged from the back of the depot since it bowed out from service. However, it was extracted from its resting place last week and moved to the Electrical Compound where its
pantograph and tower were removed. The tram was then expertly loaded onto an impressive new low loader from Scott’s Heavy Haulage with some assistance from Balloon 723, and left shortly after midday.
The car was originally purchased by the Lancastrian Transport Trust for potential use as a source of spare parts for use on other vehicles. However, ownership of the tram has since been transferred to Merseytravel who intend to use a number of heavily modified ex-Blackpool trams on the heritage line at Birkenhead, subject to their takeover plans being successful. It is believed that 637 has gone to Knowsley for temporary storage alongside sister car 625, with trailer 687 (also bought by the LTT for spare parts) expected to follow
imminently. In return, Towing car 671 has now officially joined the Trust’s collection of preserved trams following some earlier confusion regarding its ownership. The tram had been moved to Knowsley in December 2011, and with this in mind the lorry used to transport 637 has now collected 671 and returned it to Blackpool for a further period of storage, albeit not at Rigby Road.
For anyone who is getting confused, a full report on the latest developments involving cars 637, 671 and 687 will follow on British Trams Online later this week, by which time more information will hopefully be available!