The expected homecoming of Chesterfield horse tramcar 8 for a single day, as part of the inaugural Chesterfield Arts Festival. The tram was loaded up at Crich Tramway Village late on Friday 3rd May, before travelling to its former home town early the next day where it was prominently displayed in the town square. A small tent was erected around the tram although this did not detract too much from its appearance.
Some Tramway Museum Society members were on hand with a display stand alongside the horse-drawn tram to hand out leaflets and answer questions from visitors keen to find out more about the origins of the tram and where it had come from. Thankfully unlike the similarly short visit of fellow Crich-based tram Grimsby & Immingham 14 to Immingham Dock last summer, Chesterfield 8 was able to be taken off its low loader and therefore made a much more pleasing static exhibit at the event. It was also accompanied by the Sweet Sisters, who were on hand to encourage passers-by to dress up in period costumes.
As the afternoon drew to a close, Chesterfield 8 was re-loaded for the trip by road back to Crich. Both journeys saw it travel on an unusual sloping trailer supplied by Scott’s Heavy Haulage, thought to be the one which has previously carried Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘Rack’ 2 and Blackpool Brush Railcoach 623. Mere hours after being loaded up for departure, 8 was safely back inside the Great Exhibition Hall, leaving its little adventure behind it and ready to settle back into a more mundane existence. Having last carried passengers back in 1993 before it was withdrawn for unspecified reasons, and rarely venturing outside since, this was a welcome chance for the diminutive horse car to bask in the limelight once again and also allowed the National Tramway Museum to reach a wider audience than usual.
Seen in its display tent, Chesterfield 8 is in position on the morning of May 4th, ready to welcome visitors to the Arts Festival in its old home town. (Photo supplied by Crich Tramway Village Facebook page)