Saturday 18th February was the start of the February Half Term holidays in the northeast of England and marked the first time in 2023 that a three tram service operated at Beamish and saw the first use of open topper Blackpool Marton 31 for the year. The other two trams running were the familiar winter pairing of Sunderland 16 and Sheffield 264.
31 and 264 were running on the clockwise circuit with 16 operating in the anti-clockwise direction and to provide even more transport capacity both of the Daimler buses, the open-top B Type replica and Crosville 716 were in service as well. With the start of half-term it also marks the first daily opening of the museum of the year with it open every day until 26th February before it reverts to Wednesday to Sundays only until the end of March.
2023 will be a significant year for Beamish as it is the 50th anniversary of the tramway. An event to celebrate this milestone is planned for the extra Coronation Bank Holiday weekend between Saturday 6th and Monday 8th May. “Fares Please! Public Transport Weekend 2023” will not only include a celebration of 50 years of trams but there will also be a host of buses in service and on the Sunday and Monday there will be a model Beamish Tramway exhibition. More details of this event are expected in due course.
Blackpool 31 stands in the Town with a good load of passengers. Who can resist an open top tram ride in February with all the weather that brings?!
Lots of transport at the Entrance. Crosville bus 716 and the B Type replica are in the foreground on the right whilst we see Sunderland 16 heading anti-clockwise and Blackpool 31 clockwise on the tramway beyond.
The rain has come and most visitors now feel that the lower deck of 31 is a better option! This is the Entrance where it has Sunderland 16 for company.
The other tram in service was Sheffield 264 which is also pictured at the Entrance.
Away from transport and some recent tree felling has opened up new vistas across the vast museum site. Looking down towards the Colliery we also see the relatively new 1950s farm in the distance on the left and the Town is just possible to be made out over the trees in the middle. (All Photographs by Trevor Hall, 18th February 2023)