The Crich Tramway Village has reached double figures of fully commissioned passenger services with Wednesday 23rd April seeing the return to action of Blackpool 236 for the first time in 2025.
As with eight of the other trams which have run so far this year, 236 was also part of the operational fleet in 2024, and the Boat Car is always a popular tram for this fine and sunny days experienced during the Great British summer (and late spring and early autumn!).
236 – which is currently the only Blackpool Boat Car which is running in the UK, with its three Blackpool based sisters confined to Rigby Road Depot/Tramtown whilst that operation is suspended – becomes the third Blackpool tram to be used in service at Crich this year (Standard 40 and Brush 630 the others) and is not due to be the last with the commissioning programme far from finished yet!
The ten trams which have now run are Blackpool trams 40, 236, 630, Chesterfield 7, Glasgow 22, Leeds pair 345 and 399, London Transport 1622, Newcastle 102 and Sheffield 74.
With the school Easter holidays now over, Crich has returned to being open Saturday to Wednesday each week. This opening pattern remains until the last week of May when it will be open daily for the school half-term break.
236 is seen on its first outing of 2025 at Wakebridge as it returns back down to the main museum site. (Photograph by Andy Martin, 23rd April 2025)
Had a ride in 236 last Wednesday. She looked very clean & tidy. The other car operating was 1622.
Thank goodness for 236 and thank goodness for Crich without whose efforts there would be nowhere on this side of the ‘Pond’ where one could still ride on a wonderful Boat Car and unlike those languishing within the old, decaying depot in their home town, this one has been restored to authentic appearance. Indeed, for the perfect Blackpool heritage tram experience, Crich is surely now the go-to destination.