The project to restore Glasgow 488 so it can operate at the East Anglia Transport Museum in Carlton Colville has reached a momentous milestone as the lower deck has left Wales and arrived at a storage location in Suffolk. There it joins the truck which is under overhaul for when the tram becomes one once more.
The project to restore Glasgow 488 to service started back in 2013 when it was repatriated to the UK from France (where it had been since preserved in 1961) thanks to a bequest from Peter Mitchell. It has always been the intention that the tram would operate at the East Anglia Transport Museum but having not run for over 50 years (at that time – now 60) a full restoration would be required and the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales were contracted to complete the body restoration. After the two decks were transported to Wales separately in 2013 work started in earnest on the lower deck pretty soon following arrival and this has been completed for many years with work awaited on the upper deck.
With the lower deck having remained completed but stored at the Ffestiniog Railway it was first reported at the start of this year that it would be transported to the East Anglia Transport Museum – who are now the owners of the tram – during summer 2021. A slight change to this announced plan though has seen the lower deck instead go elsewhere in Suffolk where it will be securely stored until the upper deck is finished. It arrived at its temporary home on 10th August 2021.
Work on restoring the upper deck will also be completed at the Ffestiniog Railway in due course after which the two decks will be reunited once more in Suffolk. In addition a truck for the tram is being overhauled in Suffolk.
The last plan was that all parts of the tram would be brought together in the first quarter of 2022.