A potentially exciting year for the Crich Tramway Village got off to a belated start on Saturday 18th February, when the Museum opened its doors to the paying public for the first time this year. The attraction had been forced to postpone its re-opening by a week due to heavy snowfalls, and the severe winter weather unfortunately meant that it wasn’t possible to operate a full tram service for the first weekend as work on commissioning the relaid line to Glory Mine has been delayed.
However, a three-car service was operated between Town End and Wakebridge on the first
weekend of the 2012 operating season. The same trams were used on both Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th February – these being Glasgow 22, Blackpool 40 and Leeds 399. Although this may not have been a particularly inspired selection for regular visitors, it was good to see any trams running at all after the previous week’s enforced closure. Of course, there should be a lot more variety in the running fleet at Crich this summer: with new arrivals, the anticipated entry into service of London United Tramways 159 and a big event to mark 50 years since Glasgow’s tram system closed, 2012 should be an exciting year for the Museum and hopefully the key events will be well supported by enthusiasts, to show that their support is extremely beneficial to the attraction’s development.
Behind the scenes, a lot of hard work has gone on to prepare both the site and the tram collection for a busy year. The area around the bandstand has been transformed and is being redeveloped as an attractive park area, with a brick wall and railings erected adjacent to the tram tracks. There have also been some alterations made to the George Stephenson Workshop exhibition, with one of the displays being turned around as sounds generated by two of the exhibits were drowning each other out. Discussions are also taking place regarding modifications of the exhibition area located within the Derby Assembly Rooms, and the recently delivered London LRV mock-up is being dismantled so that part
of it can be incorporated within the available display space. It is intended therefore, that more space will be free outside the building in time for the Easter 1940s event.
Returning to the trams themselves, and work is progressing well on three ongoing workshop projects. As well as LUT 159, Leeds 345‘s truck parts are being overhauled and painted. However, the most visible progress involves the Access Tram Berlin 3006 which has recently been mounted back on its wheelsets as its overhaul nears completion. An overhauled motor generator set has been fitted and other electrical work continues. Further additions have been made externally to complement its revised appearance, such as new route displays and transfers. As reported previously the tram has been repainted cream and will in future be known by its full fleet number of 223-006-4… but we hope you’ll forgive us if we still refer to it as 3006 simply because it’s so much easier to type!!!