It’s time again for us to remind you just where you can travel on heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man over the next week or so. All the information here is given in good faith but you are advised to check before travelling any significant distance with the organisations involved.
Beamish, The Living Museum of the North
Open daily between 1000 and 1700 with trams operating each day round the Museum circuit. Agricultural Power from the Past takes place until Sunday 1st September which includes the last runs in the UK of Blackpool Boat 233 (aka cash cow) before it is banished to the USA by the Lancastrian Transport Trust.
Birkenhead Heritage Tramway
Trams operate every Saturday and Sunday with the first tram from Woodside Ferry at 1300 and the last tram departing Woodside Ferry to Depot at 1630.
Black Country Living Museum
Open daily between 1000 and 1700 with one tram in service.
Blackpool Tramway
Nightly operation of heritage trams resumes on Sunday 1st September (until Sunday 10th November) with the traditional Illumination Tours departing Pleasure Beach from switch on each evening.
Between 1st and 12th September the first tour each evening will be in the hands of a heritage tram as it will need to turn at Bispham to ensure it can get back to Pleasure Beach to operate a second tour during the evening. From 13th September the majority of tours will be operated by Western Train 733+734, Frigate 736 and Trawler 737 except for Fridays and Saturdays. On Fridays and Saturdays at least two heritage trams will supplement the Illuminated vehicles with five trams being used to operate tours.
Crich Tramway Village
Now open daily until 3rd November. Museum is open between 1000 and 1730 with trams operating daily.
Next Special Event: Classic Ford Day – 8th September
Douglas Horse Tramway
Operating daily until Sunday 15 September. First tram departs Strathallan (by the Manx Electric Railway terminus) at 0900 with departures every 20 minutes (with a slightly longer frequency over lunch) until 1720. Trams return from the Sea Terminal at 0920 and then every 20 minutes (with a longer frequency over lunch) until 1740.
East Anglia Transport Museum
The Museum is open every Thursday (1300-1700), Saturday (1300-1700) and Sunday (1100-1700) until the end of the September.
Next special event: End of Season Gala on 14th & 15th September, with all available trams, trolleybuses and other vehicles operating over the weekend and evening vehicle rides until 2100 (Saturday only).
Great Orme Tramway
Services run daily every 20 minutes between 1000 and 1800 until the end of September.
Heaton Park Tramway
The tramway operates every Sunday, with trams running 1200-1700 until the end of September. The main service tram is currently Stockport 5.
Next special event: Trans Lancs Rally & Model Tramway Exhibition – Sunday 1st September
Manx Electric Railway
Operating daily until Sunday 6th October. Timetable D (14 departures from Douglas between 0940 and 1640) is now in operation until Sunday 1 September.
From Monday 2nd September timetable C resumes (10 departures from Douglas between 0940 and 1640 – all but the last service run all the way to Ramsey) and will be used until Sunday 29th September. Evening services run between Douglas and Laxey on Fridays 6th, 13th and 20th September.
Next special event: 120th Anniversary of the Manx Electric Railway – Saturday 7th September
Seaton Tramway
Open daily until the start of November.
Saturday 31st August and Monday 2nd September until Wednesday 4th September the Purple timetable will run. This mainly includes the “Eastbourne Trams” (2, 4, 6, 8 and 12) operating the service every 20 minutes between 1000 and 1700 from Seaton, returning between 1030 and 1730 from Colyton.
On Sunday 1st September the Red timetable will be in use with departures every 20 minutes between 1000 and 1700 from Seaton returning from Colyton between 1030 and 1730.
Thursday 5th to Sunday 15th September uses the Blue timetable. This has services leaving Seaton every 20 minutes between 1000 and 1620 with return trips from Colyton between 1030 and 1650.
In addition every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until 8th September will see special Dinosaur Train departures from Seaton at 1100, 1240 and 1400.
Snaefell Mountain Railway
Operating daily until Sunday 6 October with timetable D (every half hour between 1015 and 1545) in operation until Sunday 1 September.
Between Monday 2nd and Sunday 29th September timetable C (every half hour between 1015 and 1545) is in operation with evening services (for summit diners only) running on Fridays 6th, 13th and 20th September.
Summerlee – The Museum of Scottish Industrial Life
The Museum is open daily between 1000 and 1600.
The information provided above is given in good faith and is correct to the best of our knowledge. If you know of any errors please contact us by using the comments section below or by emailing gareth@britishtramsonline.co.uk.
The Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust are planning the move of this unique tram later in September. Special arrangements are in place for its transfer to covered storage – which will be announced in due course. The Trust have produced a 2014 Heritage Tram Calendar featuring many of Blackpool’s popular traditional cars including the latest ‘boat’ car repaint and of course 761. The Calendar is being published by Rigby Road Publications and will be on sale shortly at £6.99 plus postage if mailed. It will be available also through Blackpool Transport Services information offices, Brooks Models on Waterloo Road and the train model shop next to Cleveleys tram station. Sale of the Calendar will raise funds for the transport costs of 761’s pending move. Enthusiasts will be pleased to know that this does not involve any overseas travel. 761 will remain on the Fylde coast as example of the innovative crafts and engineering efforts by Blackpool’s tramway workshops in the 1970s.