This weekend’s Spring Gala event at the Heaton Park Tramway seems to have suffered from more than its share of bad luck, with numerous changes to the billed events happening due to events beyond the organisers’ control. Unfortunately, there has been another blow – Leeds 6 will not be able to make the trip from Beamish to Manchester ahead of the event, and will therefore be unable to operate as planned.
Leeds 6 was expected to be the one of the stars of the show at the March 24th event, having spent almost three years at Beamish. Sadly, due to a problem experienced by the haulage firm who had been contracted to move the tram, it will not be possible for it to be transported back home to Heaton Park in time for this event. The move will now be re-arranged, and any plans to relaunch 6 into traffic at Manchester will of course be announced in due course. The same issue has also affected Lisbon 730’s move from Birkenhead to Beamish, which was due this week. The car is now expected to head to the North East some time next week instead, ready to appear at the museum’s tramway anniversary event in April. Unfortunatley this situation really is just ‘one of those things’, as it is believed that the low loader which was to be used for these moves is currently out of action.
Although the Heaton Park Tramway’s Spring Gala will obviously be poorer for the absence of Leeds 6, it is hoped that the event will still attract a good crowd. This will of course be the first chance for visitors to ride upon the rejuvinated Stockport 5, and with Blackpool 623 and Manchester 765 also operating as well as two visiting buses from the Lancastrian Transport Trust collection and hopefully a few other surprises, this should still be a good day out… and if that doesn’t appeal, there will also be cake!
Realy feels like someone has got it in for Heaton Park at the moment. All seems to be going wrong at the moment. The depot delayed, 680 still in Blackpool, 5s visit to Beamish cancelled and now 6 delayed.
But it makes it all the more important that as many of us as possible visit this weekend and show our support for this ambitious tramway. Even if all their plans don’t always come to be, at least they keep trying.
And let’s hope that the weather being threatened for the next couple of days doesn’t throw even more of a spanner in the works for the event. But knowing the guys at Heaton Park they won’t let a little bit of snow put them off!
Absolutely not going to stop us for one minute. Besides we do like our firsts and you cant get much more of a first than a spring gala in the snow.
I’m sure you will do your utmost not to let the weather spoil the show. Let’s hope the visitors show the same determination!
Disappointing about 680, 5 and now 6 but I’ll still be there (weather permitting) to show support for the one tramway group who are really showing they are trying to make progress even if fate is currently conspiring against them.