Following a safe journey from the North West, Blackpool ‘Boat’ car 605/233 arrived at Beamish Museum early on Monday 1st March. This was an unusual instance of a tram ending a journey in a different month to the one it started in! On arrival, and after being driven along the Museum street on board the Scott’s low loader, 605 was safely unloaded and shunted into position on the depot track fan, with some assistance from a fellow visiting tram, Leeds 6 from Heaton Park. This was completed before the Museum opened to visitors in order to minimise disruption and keep the modern lorry away from public sight!
Representatives of the Lancastrian Transport Trust, who retain ownership of 605, visited
it at its new home today and have given it a much-needed heavy clean. The tram will now pass through the normal commissioning process required for any ‘new’ trams at Beamish, and the trolley tower will also be stripped and overhauled. Surprisingly, it is now thought that the car may be repainted before it joins the operating fleet – although the Museum are hopeful that this work can be completed in time for Easter. Although it would be nice to see the tram run again in its current guise, it would certainly be excellent if it could be
restored to pristine condition ahead of its public debut. Whatever decision is made, British Trams Online will of course keep readers up-to-date on the tram as part of our commitment to its future.
Our thanks go to Beamish Museum for allowing us to publish the picture below, taken from Paul Jarman’s Transport & Industry blog which can be found here: http://beamishtransport.blogspot.com/ We hope to upload a gallery of photos showing 605 leaving Blackpool and arriving at Beamish in the next few days, which will include a number of previously unpublished images.