The North East Land, Sea & Air Museum near Sunderland will be hosting its very first tram event on Sunday 11th August this year, in order to allow interested people to have a good look at each of the trams on site. As has been extensively reported before, several trams from the North Eastern Electrical Traction Trust’s growing collection have already arrived on site and this will be a great opportunity to view them all.
This event is being billed as an ‘open day’ and it is intended that visitors will be able to inspect the former Blackpool residents now based at Sunderland – Centenary car 647, Twin set 674+684 and Balloon 721 – along with Krefeld 412. It is also likely that a fifth tram will have joined them by the time the event takes place, and it should be possible to board all of these trams and look inside them. A display of model trams should also be present, and of course the usual attractions, such as historic aircraft, will be on view. The museum is currently working hard to improve the selection of items for sale in its gift shop, so there should be plenty to see and do during the day. Obviously there will be no chance of any tram rides, although of course Beamish Museum isn’t too far away for anyone seeking even more tram-related excitement that day!
In other news, there has been more visible progress on two of NEETT’s Blackpool trams, with all of the advertising vinyls now removed from car 647, exposing the plain yellow base coat underneath, as well as traces of pink from an even older advert livery! Meanwhile, work is also continuing on Balloon car 721 and recently part of the upper deck ceiling has been removed for attention, as well as the damaged end dome at one end which has revealed the basic wooden framework of the car. Knowing this organisation it is difficult to predict how these trams will look in a few weeks’ time, so the open day is sure to be a very interesting one!
Blackpool 647 is seen in its current condition at Sunderland, following the removal of its B & M Bargains advert vinyls, on Sunday 14th July. (Photo courtesy of NEETT)
Will the museum have intentions of running the trams in future or are they going to be static, hopefully under cover?
As has been widely reported, a new depot is going to be built soon and should enable the trams to be housed undercover later this year. The museum has a longer-term aim of building a working tramway at the site but obviously there’s a lot of work to be done first!
I Hope they can get a good gathering to support there Museum
Thank you, for that information.
Visited NELSAM Sunderland site today. All Blackpool trams look to be in very good condition and standing on temporary rail . A gang of workmen were busy laying a double track layout at the rear of the site, presumably
the permanent home for the trams when the new shed is built around this layout.