Having only just resumed operation after the eventual lifting of Covid restrictions by the local Council it has now been announced that the Wirral Heritage Tramway will not be running again until essential repairs to the track are completed. The tramway had only run for the first time since March 2020 over the weekend of Saturday 20th November and Sunday 21st November before this decision was made.
Wirral Borough Council – owners of the tramway infrastructure – and the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society released a joint statement explaining more: “Birkenhead Heritage Tramway is temporarily closed due to an engineering problem. Following problems with the pointwork at Woodside Ferry, an independent firm of rail consultants was called in by the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society who operate the popular tourist attraction on behalf of the Council.
“In a recent report which took two years to compile, the experts identified other work was needed on the line and consequently the tram enthusiasts decided temporarily to cease operating tramcars until any necessary repairs are carried out.
“Wirral Transport Museum in Taylor Street, Birkenhead is unaffected and remains open to the general public.”
This news will come as another blow to the dedicated volunteers of the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society who were hit by the longest closure of all heritage tramways in the UK and have then only been able to run on two days. But the main thing now is that these repairs are completed as soon as is practical so that in the future a full service can resume once again.
- The Wirral Transport Museum is currently closed but will reopen from Saturday 8th January 2022 between 1300 and 1600. It will then be open every Saturday and Sunday.