Back in last August we reported about the Heaton Park Tramway’s latest acquisition – the Wootton Tramway, a 7 ¼” gauge portable tramway which had been seen around the country at events for many years. Donated to the Manchester Transport Museum Society by the late Howard Burford, it had remained in storage on the Isle of Wight until it was possible for volunteers from the MTMS to collect it – and that time was in early September when a group headed south to bring the trams to their new home.
The new acquisition includes two trams – number 27 and 96 – track, working overhead plus the tramavan which can be used to transport them to other events around the country to give the tramway some extra publicity.
The group of volunteers from the MTMS headed to the Isle of Wight earlier this month and as well as collecting the trams et al they gave no. 27 one final run on the track on the island (albeit manually propelled) before the track was lifted and the tram was readied for its lengthy trip up north.
Now that the equipment is all safely at its now home attention will be turned to preparing it for use in the future when it will be another string to the bow of the tramway and enable them to get the word out there all about their tramway.
27 out on the line for one last time. 96 looks on from the shed behind.
A close-up of the end dash of 27.
The tramavan is readied for departure.
27 loaded ready for its trip north.
On board and ready to go.
96 at its new home getting ready for unloading. (All Photographs by Martin Bryan)