After what may have felt like a long (almost) three months the good news to report from Beamish is that trams are running around the museum once again! Operations resumed from Wednesday 2nd April 2025 with the track relay on the edge of the 1900s town having been completed and fully tested.
The last time trams ran at Beamish was due to be on Sunday 5th January but in the event snow forced the museum to close on that day so it was actually Saturday 4th January that visitors could enjoy a ride around the tramway circuit.
Almost immediately following that date work started on various infrastructure tasks, the biggest and most noticeable of which was the renewal of the tracks at the east end of the (original) 1900s town. The work – which used external contractors – saw the curve on the tramway as it comes out of the town, passing the bakery and the entrance to the (new) 1950s town completely replaced. It had progressed well and as we saw just last night the rails had been fixed in place during March and since then testing has happened and the final road surface has been put down.
That led to trams being able to return to public service on Wednesday 2nd April and this included the use of Blackpool 31. This is actually the first standard gauge open topper to have run in the UK so far this year, and with a pleasant spell of weather currently being experienced that definitely seems to have been an appropriate choice!
Other recent infrastructure works on the tramway have seen SPL Powerlines being contracted to replace parts of the OLE, including span wires and insulators. Earlier in the winter some of this work had been completed in-house but a contractor was pulled in for this work to get it done in time for the tramway to reopen and also for more specialised equipment for more complicated areas. The contractors concentrated on the section between the Town and the Entrance.
Beamish is now in its main season and is open every single day between 1000 and 1700, so there are plenty of chances to go and enjoy a tram ride in the northeast of England!
With Beamish opening it now means you can enjoy a heritage tram ride there, at Crich Tramway Village, on the Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno and the Seaton Tramway in the UK whilst on the Isle of Man the Manx Electric Railway and Snaefell Mountain Railway have started running for 2025. The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway launches their new season tomorrow (Thursday 3rd April) and will be followed rapidly by the Volk’s Electric Railway in Brighton on Saturday 5th April and then the East Anglia Transport Museum on Sunday 6th April.
Just where the work has taken place is clear to see with the fresh tarmac standing out.
And a sight for sore eyes! A tram in the town at Beamish with passengers on board enjoying the early spring sunshine. That tram is, of course, Blackpool 31. (Both Photographs by Gordon Bulmer, 2nd April 2025)