Leeds 345 celebrates its centenary

With the heyday of the British tram being in the early years of the 20^th century there are plenty of significant anniversaries which have celebrated over recent years and the latest tram in the Crich Tramway Village collection to reach a major milestone in 2021 is Leeds 345 which will be 100 years old on 27^th March. Now restored to operational condition and a popular member of the running fleet at the museum it hasn’t always been so, indeed it only ran for the first time in Derbyshire in 2006 despite originally arriving at Crich in December 1959.

Built in 1921 as an open balcony car, 345 started off life in the Brown, Yellow and White livery (as still seen on fellow Leeds car 399 at Crich) but would receive the far more familiar Dark Blue and White colours during 1927. The tram was fully enclosed in 1939 and it would remain in this condition until withdrawal in September 1948. It was converted into a joiners’ shop for use at Swinegate Depot which helped it to survive into preservation.

The Leeds Transport Historical Society acquired 345 in 1959 and it would arrive in the Derbyshire countryside on 18^th December 1959 – just the fourth tram to arrive. The original plan was for it to be restored in its original open balcony condition but as early as 1978 it has been decided to restore it as a “Convert” car as it was from 1939. But it wasn’t to find workshop space immediately and would head to the Clay Cross store in 1982 where it would remain for 20 years. Returning to Crich in 2002, work commenced on its restoration and it entered service finally in 2006.

It is planned that 345 should be part of the 2021 operating fleet at Crich – providing it successfully gets through the usual commissioning process.

Leeds 345 in the depot yard at the start of its road to return.

A more up-to-date view of 345 during 2020 as it arrives at the stop for Victoria Park. (Both Photographs courtesy of Crich Tramway Village)