It seems to have been a long time (two years in fact!) but Saturday 18th September finally sees the return of Tram Day at Crich with up to 14 passenger trams due to be in service during the day plus the usual photo line-ups and Works Cars in action on the mainline as well. And if all that isn’t enough for you passengers will also be able to get on and off trams at Glory Mine all day!
The highlight in the calendar for enthusiasts at Crich every year the event wasn’t able to take place in 2020 but is back for 2021 and although it won’t quite see the number of trams in action as previous years it still looks like being a great day and 14 trams is always going to be better than none!
Trams in Service
There are due to be 10 passenger trams in service in the morning and 10 in the afternoon but not all trams will be used all day. Highlights of the service trams look set to be the first use of Blackpool 630 in passenger use this year (its been confined to driver training so far) along with Leeds 180 which was only commissioned earlier this week.
Subject to availability and weather the following are due to be in service (details will be finalized just before the event):
Morning only: Blackpool 630, Leeds 345, Leeds 399
Afternoon only: Chesterfield 7, Glasgow 22, Blackpool 167
All day: Sheffield 74, London County Council 106, Leeds 180, Blackpool 236, Oporto 273, Metropolitan Electric Tramways 331, Liverpool 869
In addition Berlin 223 006-4 will be in service for pre-booked passengers only
Passenger trams will run 1030 to 1700 starting with a Leeds cavalcade at 1030 to help celebrate 100 years of Leeds 345.
Glory Mine tramstop will be in use throughout the day but the Bandstand and Wakebridge northbound stops remain closed with Bandstand southbound unloading only. This is for Tram Day only – for other days at Crich Glory Mine remains closed for boarding and alighting.
Works Cars
Works Cars will on demonstration runs between 1030 and 1200. It will not be possible for passengers to be carried on the works cars this year.
Photo Opportunities
Tram Day isn’t Tram Day without some photo line-ups and this year Workshop activities will dominate. Highlights include:
0945-1015: Curtain Raiser at Town End
1030-1130: Current Workshop Programme on the Depot Fan featuring London County Council 1, Newcastle 102 and London Passenger Transport Board 1622
1230-1330: Winter Workshop Programme on the Depot Fan with those due to enter the workshop this winter to return to service in 2022
1400-1600: Future Workshop Programme on the Depot Fan with Blackpool 298 to be displayed with its new underframe and Blackpool 630 will also be stabled alongside
In addition to this there will be a Book Sale in the Learning Centre and the Whetstone models will be in operation in the Great Exhibition Hall between 1030 and 1600.
- To see whats going on when throughout the day you can download the full programme of events frpom the Crich Tramway Village website at https://www.tramway.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Tram-Day-Programme.pdf
Oh, and if you like British Trams Online “Live” coverage head over to our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/BritishTramsOnline) where we should have regular photo updates throughout the day.