With the start of November traditionally the end of most heritage tram operating seasons across the British Isles (with just Beamish and Blackpool now offering the regular chance to ride on a heritage tram over the next couple of months, outside of special pre-Christmas trips) so it feels like a good time to have another look at which heritage trams have run across the British Isles. We are again aiming to feature all heritage tramways and which trams have run in service during this calendar year and to qualify the tram has to have run with passengers on board so private hires count but testing does not. If you notice any errors or omissions please let us know by using the contact details at the end of the article.
Beamish – The Living Museum of the North
Blackpool: 31
Newcastle: 114
Oporto: 196
Sheffield: 264
Sunderland: 16
Beamish is open Wednesday to Sundays until 24th November then daily 25th November to 24th December and 27th December 2023 to 7th January 2024.
Black Country Living Museum
The tramway remains closed as redevelopment works take place at the Museum.
Blackpool Tramway
Bolton: 66
Boat: 227, 600
Brush: 621, 631
Centenary: 648
Railcoach: 680
Balloon: 700, 707, 711, 713, 717, 718, 723
Illuminated: Western Train, Frigate, Trawler
Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours continue to run Illumination Tours, Coastal Tours, Promenade Tours and Mini Festive Tours until the end of December 2023.
Crich Tramway Village:
Berlin: 223 006-4
Blackpool: 40, 166, 167, 236, 630, (Electric Locomotive)
Cardiff: 131
Croydon Tramlink: 058
Glasgow: 22
Leeds: 180, 399
Liverpool: 869
London United Tramways: 159
Metropolitan Electric Tramways: 331
Oporto: 273
Sheffield: 74, 510
Crich Tramway Village will re-open 9th March 2024.
Douglas Bay Horse Tramway
18, 21, 29, 36, 42, 45
Douglas Bay Horse Tramway is due to run again from 26th March 2024.
East Anglia Transport Museum
Amsterdam: 474
Blackpool: 11, 159
London Transport: 1858
Sheffield: 513
East Anglia Transport Museum will be open for Ride the Lights 2023 on the weekends of 2nd/3rd, 9th/10th and 16th/17th December.
Great Orme Tramway
4, 5, 6, 7
Great Orme Tramway will reopen March 2024
Heaton Park Tramway
Blackpool: 619, 623
Hull: 96
Manchester: 765
Stockport: 5
Heaton Park Tramway will run on 27th December 2023 as an additional winter running day. Normal operation resumes April 2024.
Manx Electric Railway
Motors: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 14, 16, 20, 21, 22, 32, 33
Trailers: 19, 40, 41, 42, 44, 47, 48, 49, 51, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62
Works Vehicles: Freight Trailer 26, Works Car 34
The 2024 season on the Manx Electric Railway will get underway from 12th March 2024.
Seaton Tramway
4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19
The Polar Express Tram trip takes place on selected dates from late November to Christmas, for ticket holders only. Post Christmas trams will run 27th December 2023 to 1st January 2024 with the 2024 season getting underway from 10th February 2024.
Snaefell Mountain Railway
1, 2, 4, 5
Services on the Snaefell Mountain Railway resume on 19th March 2024.
Statfold Barn Railway
Burton & Ashby: 14
Summerlee Museum
The tramway remains closed and has not run since late 2022.
Volk’s Electric Railway
4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Services resume Easter 2024
Wirral Heritage Tramway
Birkenhead: 69, 70
Liverpool: 245
Wallasey: 78
The tramway remains closed whilst a takeover of the infrastructure is completed by Big Heritage and maintenance works take place on the tramway.
Information is believed correct up to and including Monday 6th November 2023. This list is intended to show those trams which have run in some form of passenger service during 2023 (and thus does not include those on test/driver training) and is as accurate as possible, although errors may have occurred. Various online sources and information sent directly to us have been used to collate this information.
If you know of any mistakes or anything not included above either please leave a comment below or email gareth@britishtramsonline.co.uk.