The UK tram preservation movement is known for throwing some very welcome surprises at enthusiasts on occasion; something which seems to have become more common over the last few years, with tram loans and increasingly ambitious events taking place on our museum tramways. However, a recent development has come as one of the biggest shocks involving a British tram for many years, and it concerns a very unexpected new acquisition by the East Anglian Tranpsort Museum!
Glasgow 488 is a four-wheel double deck ‘Standard’ tramcar dating from 1901, which has resided in France for the past five decades, since the closure of its native system in 1962. Following withdrawal from service after a lengthy operating career, it was preserved by the Paris Transport Museum and, following some cosmetic attention in Glasgow, it was shipped to France where it has remained ever since. The demise of the Paris museum saw 488 moved into secure storage some years ago, but secret talks have now been succesfully concluded, resulting in the tram being sold and shipped back to Britain after some fifty years away! As was the case with the last double-deck tramcar to be repatriated back to Britain – Blackpool Standard car 147 in 2000 – Glasgow 488 was split into two parts for its long journey by sea, with the upper and lower decks travelling seperately. Despite a lengthy period of storage, the car appears to be in a surprisingly good condition, at least externally, and should certainly be a more straightforward restoration project than many other historic trams now returned to their past glories.
However, in a further twist to this already bizarre tale, instead of moving straight to East Anglia, the Glasgow tram has instead been transported to Wales. It is understood that it will be restored at the Boston Lodge workshop premises of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway Society, where various different vehicles have been renovated in the past. Once complete, the car will presumably move to its new home and enter service at the East Anglia Transport Museum, where it should become a much valued working exhibit alongside the Blackpool, London, Lowestoft and Amsterdam trams already on site. It is not known what plans exisit to accomodate Glasgow 488 at the museum, as their tram depot is presently full to capacity. One suggestion has been that Sheffield 513, currently on long-term loan to the EATM, may be returned to Beamish, although it has now been suggested that this car will also be staying put even after 488 arrives.
Whatever happens next, the East Anglia Transport Museum Society deserve considerable praise for making the seemingly impossible become a reality, and bringing a neglected British tram back to its native country for a more prosperous future. With Lowestoft 14‘s reconstruction progressing well, the next few years could be a very exciting time for this museum which is clearly proving itself as another key player in the UK tram preservation movement. No other British museum has ever returned a British tram to the country after it spent time overseas, and if ever proof were needed that the EATM is committed to the future of its tramway exhibits, then this is certainly it!
488 still on the back of the lorry which had been used to transport it to Wales as the crane prepares to unload it onto Welsh soil. (Photo: John Peduzzi)
The lower deck of 488 sits on Welsh soil for the first time. This is now the third country this tram has been in with a fourth to come when it is completed and moves to Carlton Colville - how many other trams have spent a period of time in that many countries? (Photo: John Peduzzi)
Now, this is news! Expect the unexpected in the UK tram preservation scene!
It would be nice to see the repatriation to the UK and restoration of the Liverpool, London and Glasgow trams from the museum in the USA where they have been shut away unseen and deteriorating since they arrived there decades ago.
I was lucky enough to be in Glasgow when 488 was returned to service just after the 1961 depot fire at Dalmarnock and was able to get a few photos (b+w) and ride on the restored tram to Baillieston, on route 15. It certainly looked very much smarter than the other few standard trams which were returned to service after the fire.
If you care to send me your pictures of 488 I am sure we could space to add them to the web site. My contact details can be found on the web site.
David Bradley
A shock? Rather a welcome surprise… I think all the Paris exhibits have always been kept under cover so the state of the car should be very decent.
Wow! Still have great memories of the London Tram and Trolleybus Eventlast May. Gets better.
Well done East Anglia Museum
I too had a trip to Baillieston on 488 following its return to service. It had a flat wheel but this did not detract from the pleasure of traveling in a newly-painted Standard.
See the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland site on Facebook, for the most recent pictures of Glasgow 488’s lower deck and truck on arrival in Wales. NB – Its condition isn’t as good as some seem to think :o(
You neglet to say where the top deck has gone . Also what period in this cars life will 488 be restored to . Even as a small child and my father used to take me to LTHS meeting have i found the Glasgow standards a stunning traditional British tram . If i lived in the area i would be beating down the door to give them a helping hand .
The top deck has yet to arrive in Wales but will be following soon. The two decks were split some time ago when they were put into storage in France.
And we have just added a couple of photos of the lower deck shortly after arrival.
Yet another feather in the cap for the Boston Lodge works, who must by now have an unbeatable reputation in the world of restoration and indeed building of new items such as replica Pickering coaches for the Welshpool & Llanfair railway and replica Lynton & Barnstaple railway loco, not to mention the new locos and coaches they have built for their own Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland railways. Replica tram, anyone?
With the developments at Carlton Colville, Heaton Park and Beamish this should prove an exciting year for us tramway enthusiasts.