Traditionally the first Sunday of October sees the Wirral Bus & Tram Show take place around the Wirral Heritage Tramway with trams running alongside a selection of heritage buses, many from the collection housed at the Wirral Transport Museum at Transport Museum. However, it has been confirmed that the show in its usual format will not be able to take place in 2023 because of works needed at the Museum as well as on the tramway. All is not lost for transport enthusiasts though as its been announced that an alternative event will be taking place on Sunday 1st October to be titled the Wirral Transport Show.
As we’ve reported before the Wirral Heritage Tramway and Museum was closed from mid-April. The tramway was initially closed ahead of an ORR inspection and work needed for that with the Museum following a couple of days later. At the time Wirral Council said that it was temporary but the closure has remained in place and it now looks as if there will be no reopening until the transfer of ownership to Big Heritage from the Council. This is due to happen by October.
To add to the issues preventing a reopening the Museum itself will be closed to all volunteers for around 6 weeks from 1St September to allow a refurbishment to take place. Even without this museum closure it will not be possible for trams to run because of a “health and safety backlog”.
Knowing the popularity of the Bus & Tram Show it has been decided to still run an event on 1st October although this will be a different style of event centred on the Pacific Road building. To be known as the Wirral Transport Show there will also be additional vehicle displays at Taylor Street and Woodside with a free bus service linking the three sites. This is similar to an event held in 2021 which included outdoor trade stalls at Taylor Street but this time access to Pacific Road means these can be held undercover. There will also be refreshments provided by the 201 Bus Group.
I hope things get sorted out at Birkenhead and the trams are able
to run again fairly soon. At the moment no trams are operating at Summerlee and at
the Black Country Living Museum either. This is a tragedy for the preservation movement.
Perhaps consolidation only way anything at all survives mind. Ultimately only thing that matters is tramcars operate in a manner in accordance with all regulations in a manner that is safe. The biggest risk to the movement is someone somewhere getting hurt..
Fleet displacement (asside from the Council owned Hong Kong Trams) whilst clearly controversial might be the lifeline other attractions/museums/operators need.
Liverpool 762 could certainly operate in Blackpool for a whie having proven itself in 2010, which woud provide an opportunity to experience a liverpool tram in action other than the one at Crich. Having in fact been to Blackpool recently, the general impression is that despite the obvious increase in ‘staycations’, the resort seems to be in something of a decline in almost every respect – closed/demolished hotels, closed high street stores and indeed a growing risk of heritage tram shortages. With this in mind, the loan of a tram such as 762 coud hardly happen at a better time.
On the matter of decline, it seems that places like Birkenhead Tramway and Summerlee merely reflect the general slow decline of the nation as a whole if not the Western world. Maybe when things start to pick up we will see such organisations return to action once again. At least in the meantime we still have places like Blackpool and Crich to keep us satisfied.
Please note comments on this article have now been closed to prevent speculation on the Wirral Heritage Tramway at this time. As noted above the tramway and museum remains closed until further notice whilst the ownership of the infrastructure is transferred from Wirral Council to Big Heritage. Until that deal is concluded no official statement is able to made and there is no substance behind the speculation of sending trams elsewhere for use. Once the parties involved have concluded a deal and it is possible for further information to be announced it will be announced.