News has reached us that one of the Blackpool Open Boat Cars which resides in the United States of America is up for sale. 226 which currently calls the Western Railway Museum home has been deemed surplus to requirements and is looking for a new home – but it won’t be cheap as they are looking for $50,000 for the tram.
226 – which was renumbered 601 in 1968 – ran in Blackpool until 1971 when it was withdrawn from service and sold to the Bay Area Electric Railroad Association. It had been due to run on San Francisco’s Market Street line as part of British Week but despite arriving in October 1971 a dock workers strike meant that its unloading was delayed and so it instead went directly to the Western Railway Museum.
It did finally get to run in San Francisco during 1983 for the first Trolley Festival and its popularity led MUNI to purchase their own Boat Car (228) and allowed 226 to return to the Western Railway Museum.
226 has been out of service for a number of years after it suffered a defective traction motor. This will need repairing before it can be returned to action.
We’ve been told that the museum is looking for $50,000 to release the tram (that’s £40,520 on current exchange rates) and then you have to add in costs for transportation and then repairs to the motor which led it to being withdrawn from service to realise that this would not be a cheap sale!
Three photos of Boat 226 at the Western Railway Museum showing its current condition both externally and internally. (All Photographs by Mike Crabtree)
Hi where have I heard this before, sounds very like Flying Scotsman. Do we have any willing business men!. More likely the tram has spent more time States side so its failed motor and whatever else has worn or been replaced with a differing component will mean some searching of wallets and good fortune in any UK recovery unless the release fee is recalculated and or the potential of scrapping at some stage.
If the desire is sufficient then a collection by donation is possible, but until someone with the knowledge to judge its true condition can be made just another tram that has come to its final stop.
They can ask what they want but they will get offers for what it is worth. “Antiques” always have an exaggerated price tag over there.
I visited Rio Vista way bck in the early nineties and it was intact but not in a good state then.
As Muni has two boat cars already there is really no need for a third – watch this space! Repatriation has happened before
It’s ashame that this tram was not considered instead of 605 then 605 could have remained at Beamish but I guess 605 was cheaper, in better condition and a runner.
It wasn’t available, its that simple. 605 was (and should never have been but thats another story)
For a runner its not exactly run in san Francisco…….
At £40,520 it’s actually a bargain for someone like Muni, who run their trams on a commercial basis. Consider a bog-standard modern motor bus costs in excess of £100,000 and a modern LRV getting on for a couple of million and even if you double the price to include repairs and restoration to a servicable condition, you still have favourable numbers, even before you consider it’s unusual design that money simply can’t buy.
If Blackpool’s heritage fleet was run on a proper commercial basis, with full service days every day, it would even make good economic sense to bring another of this popular design of tram home. How much does one of those borring purple caterpillar things they’ve just bought for the North Station extension cost?
The comparison between a modern fully accessible vehicle for daily service and an example of an obsolete design and suggesting that older cars can be used commercially for normal service throughout the year is frankly ridiculous. Whilst I am not qualified to say what the requirements for commercial daily service are in the USA it is well known that any tram/light rail vehicle intended for the provision of normal public service must be fully accessible which none of the Blackpool Heritage fleet are. If anyone seriously believes that 601 should be repatriated for preservation I suggest that they investigate the costs involved and set up an appeal to fund such action along with negotiating an agreement with a body prepared to accept the car.
The two Boats currently at MUNI (228 & 233) are both fully compliant with the Californian fully accessible regulations, as are all of the PCC cars operation lines E and F. The conversion work has been done very well, and the parts removed have been carefully stored for future refitting if necessary.
If old Trams for daily service is such a ridiculous idea I suggest you go to Lisbon! No reason Blackpool’s fleet cannot run specials/Heritage service stopping at stops (or next to, to avoid a gap) – plenty of examples worldwide. Of course all day commuter service is not practical anymore here. ALL MUNIs trams including Heritage are accessible BUT they hve different requirements as a plank across from a ramp would not be acceptable here.
Are the PCCs which operate from Fisherman’s Wharf to Castro in daily service fully accessible? I don’t think so.
All trams on lines E and F, including the PCCs conform fully to California’s strict accessibility regulations, there are no exceptions. This incudes a certain free clear space for wheelchair users, and each stop is fitted with a suitable access ramp to give flat access into the tram.
MUNI have enough work needed for many decades to come without this 601. Their boats rarely come out so not needed.
Repatriation did happen with 147 and on that occasion it was ostensibly a swap for 606. As Blackpool desired a Standard, it was deemed worthwhile. I’m not so sure about the value of another Boat for the UK as there are three in Blackpool, which should be more than sufficient to cover their requirements and indeed one at Crich. So while repatriation has a precedent, so also has scrapping unfortunately, as with the Blackpool Belle. However, it may be that another country such as New Zealand could show interest or even mainland Europe – only time will tell.
Exotic vehicles in museums are often the first to go as nobody local has any emotional attachment to them. ‘Deaccessioning’ from museums is not unknown in the UK as with the National Railway Museum disposing of locomotives of outstanding historic merit. If this tram were repatriated, what would happen to it? These are already so many restoration projects of unique vehicles that a boat car would be way down the priority list.
Talking about repatriation Leeds 517 has been in USA for many years,with nothing happening!
Not 517, that was scrapped many years ago in Parkside after being wrecked due to severe vandalism over several years. The one in the USA is 526.
It’ll have been a smart investment if they get $50,000, as they only paid Blackpool £100 for it. Plus transport, of course.
I visited Rio Vista in 1995, and when they found out I was from Blackpool, they very kindly got the Boat out of the “barn” and gave it a couple of passenger trips down the line. It looked fine then.