You may recall back in September one of the photo line-ups on Blundell Street in Blackpool featured three trams which were set to head through the workshops for a rewire and return to the tracks – Boat 230, Brush 634 and Twin Car 675+685. It has now been revealed that the Boat Car has been moved into the workshops for a start to be made on this work in order for it to return to action – the first time since it was withdrawn in 2016.
In the wake of the fire on Twin Car 272+T2, a number of trams were taken out of use requiring a rewire and this included two Boats Cars, 227 and 230. Whilst 227 was returned to service after work in 2018, 230 remained out of action but the recent appointment of new staff in the workshop has now allowed work to commence.
230 – named George Formby – will have a full rewire and will also have limited interior attention. However, unlike 227 which was restored to an earlier condition inside for 230 it will be more of a tidy-up and repaint to show the condition of these popular trams in their later years of service on Blackpool Prom.
It is hoped that 230 will be ready to return to the rails at some point in 2020, after which attention will be able to turn towards Set 5 and 634.