After over 30 years stored behind closed doors Cheltenham 21 is being offered to interested parties with the Council admitting they have no plans for its restoration or display. The tram – which in the preservation era has called both Crich and Bournemouth home before returning home – is part of the collection at the Council owned Wilson Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum but its size makes it difficult for them to display it which has led to the decision to look at deaccessioning no. 21.
First noted in a report to the Council Cabinet in April 2025 it is stated that “The current condition of the tram is poor. The tram is in storage in two sections. The top deck has been deconstructed and the remaining body stored on a trailer. The tram is missing its truck so only the body of the tram is present. Whilst in fairly good visual condition the tram has deteriorated over the years and could not be put on display in its current form. Paintwork is peeling, some external metalwork is corroded and several plywood panels have delaminated and bowed out of shape.
“Whilst the storage conditions are currently stable, it is anticipated that the tram will continue to deteriorate without any intervention. It has been widely recognised that the future of the Tram poses a dilemma for the Council in how to find a suitable location and use to secure its longer-term future.”
Because of this the report goes on to say: “After over 30 years in storage in Cheltenham, it is time to explore future options for the tram and to deaccession Tram 21, subject to a viable plan being agreed that secures the tram’s future in Cheltenham, makes it accessible to the public and allows Tram 21’s story to be told.”
The key points here seem to be that the Council’s wish is that it will remain in the Cheltenham area and so they are seeking any local community groups who would be able to provide a new home for no. 21, as well as being willing to conduct a restoration to make it look more presentable than it is now.
Cheltenham 21 was built in 1921 by English Electric in Preston and operated on its home tramway (which was a 3’6” gauge system) until the network closed at the very end of 1930. Sold on for another use it ended up with the Boote family who used it mainly for storage. The Cheltenham Tramcar No. 21 Group was set-up in 1961 and they took ownership of the tram that September.
Initial restoration took place in Cheltenham – firstly in situ, then from 1962 in Moorend Road, Cheltenham – but by 1965 they were looking for a new home. That new home was to be National Tramway Museum at Crich with it moving there in July 1965. It was initially put onto a standard gauge truck but its restoration was not fully completed and it remained a static exhibit in Derbyshire.
In 1981 21 would be on the move again when it was agreed to transfer ownership to Bournemouth Borough Council and it moved there to the transport museum with hopes it could run on its correct gauge – 3’6” – on a short operating line alongside trams from Bournemouth which also operated on that gauge. Obviously that didn’t happen as time wore on it was decided a Cheltenham tram had no place in Bournemouth.
This led it to returning to Cheltenham after a Deed of Gift was made on 11th November 1991 between Bournemouth Borough Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and the Tramway Museum Society (which included the TMS having the right to reacquire the tram if Cheltenham decided to dispose of it in the future). Moved to Cheltenham it had been hoped it would be able to go on display but these plans have never happened and its remained stored for over 30 years, and is now not in one piece meaning significant work would be needed for it to look presentable again.
Whether that time is now remains to be seen but the Council are hoping to hear from people who have a plan for it to be moved in the local area.
Logically nº 21 ought to be rehoused at Crich; hopefully all the lower saloon and top deck fittings are restorable? It was on a standard gauge truck many decades ago, so if still available it would make an interesting restoration project. I’m tempted to suggest that the truck should be 3′ 6″ when finally restored! Stretching the connection up the M5 a tad would be to have a restored nº 21 on the Black Country Museum system so the good citizens of Cheltenham could have a ride upon it, not too far from their Spa Town? But firstly somewhere for the skills to be applied on restoration, and also the BCM tramway to re-open!
As an aside to this, I have often thought what a splendid gauge 3′ 6′ was for many British towns & cities with old street patterns and buildings. And where there were dual carriageways the central reservations were quite adequate as constructed in Birmingham’s suburbs. Indeed the whole of the electric tramway system of the Black Country, Birmingham & Coventry was 3′ 6″.
If it went to Crich it would probably be hidden away at Clay Cross and never be seen again.
I gather Crich are looking to move everything from Clay Cross back to Crich and have got plans for more sheds at Crich to enable this. However, time and money are limiting factors on this or course
Since Clay Cross is to be vacated ASAP it certainly won’t end up there!
It’s a pity you can’t give the TMS some praise for their efforts over the 60+ years that they have existed and the 60+ tramcars they have managed to preserve and the millions of pounds that have been raised and spent on the museum premises and tramcar restoration and operation.
Difficult to give praise when they are given 3 trams and cant even be bothered to take off the blue rope holding bits together.
If there is ‘blue rope’ holding bits together then it will be to ensure that those ‘bits’ are not mislaid whilst workshop space s found to work on them. I was at Crich yesterday and Workshops were full. I checked the ‘Birkenhead trio’ and was impressed by their cleanlines compared to when they arrived. This is not a criticism of anybody, but does show that they are being cared for at Crich. Let’s not forget that Crich accepted the orphan trams at very short notice and the team put in a huge amount of work to find them accomodation in a very overcrowded environment. I do wish that armchair experts would stop carping!
It’s very easy to criticise from the comfort of your armchair. All volunteer groups have to prioritise their activities to make best use of scarce resources. I would imagine present priorities are focused on keeping the available fleet running.
Crich is the only operator attempting to keep 16 heritage tramcars in serviceable condition for a period of over 6 months alongside carrying out at least one major restoration, one major 8 year service and many other engineering tasks.
Most of the above requires research, work flow planning and the input of dedicated employees and volunteers.
They weren’t “given” 3 trams, they were asked to give a safe, secure home to 3 trams that faced an uncertain future. The logistics of accommodating said cars are not easy.
Your attitude is at best poor!
Some people forget that these trams represented a huge part of some people’s lives and it gives a cba impression which naturally irkes some people a little bit.
No ones saying they aren’t doing a splendid job, but would half a day just to bolt on and unfasten really have made that much difference to the year?
You’re quite right. Crich is very good at looking after Blackpool trams and we know how rare those are.
Yep with nearly all of them being unique either in condition or surviving type. Only 712 has a condition duplicate.
Correct, most of the Blackpool trams in the Tramway Museum Society collection are rare or unique and would likely have been scrapped had the TMS not taken them on. 166, 167, 59, 4, the Tramroad cars, 298 which will be unique as a Brush car in 1930s condition.