Work on preparing Blackpool Jubilee car 762 for service at its new home, Crich Tramway Village, is continuing to progress, with an ever-increasing list of jobs being tackled to allow this unique tram to be demonstrated at the museum. This recently led to a rather macabre discovery, when the decaying remains of a seagull were discovered beneath the tram!
With 762 having spent most of its time in the workshop since being delivered to Crich in November 2011, this seabird has gone unnoticed for a remarkably long time – perhaps it had hoped to become part of a museum collection itself before its demise!? Instead, the remains have now been removed, along with sand, dirt and various other detritus which have been discovered during the lengthy process of cleaning and painting 762‘s underframe, once again highlighting the harsh operating conditions which Blackpool’s trams endure. In addition to this, the car is now being partially rewired and has recently received attention to some issues with its low-voltage equipment and the circuit breakers. Whilst it may seem odd to undertake so much work on a tram which had bowed out of ‘proper’ service just a couple of days before it arrived at Crich, hopefully the level of investment will ensure that 762 will be fit for many more years of operation in Derbyshire, allowing the museum to represent a much more modern type of tramcar than it has ever been able to before.
Other workshop activity has largely been focussed on commissioning the slightly depleted operating fleet for the 2013 season, with seventeen passenger cars expected to be available during the spring. Sheffield 510‘s overhaul has continued to make good progress; the detailed artwork for its decorative panels is now being applied, and work on the car’s wiring is also well underway. Finally, the trolley tower has been removed from Blackpool ‘Boat’ 236 for attention following the discovery of some corrosion (is this included in the original £90,000 bill for its restoration, one wonders?). Its removal has also allowed the central roof canopy to receive a new canvas, replacing a plywood panel which originated from its previous stint of operation at Crich back in 1985.