The North East Land Sea and Air Museums in Sunderland has been home to a selecion of trams – mostly ex-Blackpool – for a number of years with those trams once being owned by the North East Electrical Traction Trust. The tram all remain stored undercover in one of the buildings on site and haven’t changed appearance for some time, but one recent change has been the opening up of Blackpool Twin Trailer 684 to allow visitors to the museum to get on board once again.
The museum has an eclectic mix of transport from the trams and buses (and Bradford trolleybus) to cars and various aircraft. It has also recently seen a Chieftain tank arrive direct from the army and a Sea King helicopter is to be the latest addition to the collection.
It is open every day from 1000-1600 with admission for adults being £7, concessions and children £4 and a family ticket (2 adults+2 children) is £20. More information at https://www.nelsam.org.uk/#information
Just in case you’ve forgotten what Trailer 684 looks like from the outside here it is on display at NELSAM in its Metro Coastlines livery. Centenary 647 is directly behind it and we can also see Balloon 721 on the right.
On board the tram and it still has many of its traditional features in place. Note the period route map on the right.
Into the cab.
The tram still has its Z type controller in place.
How times change! Can you imagine modern public transport operators attempting to put this in place as a policy?!
Not sure we’ve ever featured a real life tank on these pages before! One of the latest arrivals at the museum is this Chieftain tank. (All Photographs by Trevor Hall, 17th June 2025)
I fail to understand why it should not still be the rule that children should not be in a seat on a PSV when adults are standing, especially elderly or less physically able adults. Certainly, when I was a child (I am now 80), I would not have dreamed of remaining seated when there was an adult standing.
You say in the caption to photo # 5 “How times change!” – not for the better, in my opinion.
Its pretty wild that in 2025, the only Blackpool Twin set that is accessible to the public – and quite possibly the one with the most secure future – is this one at NELSAM! Fair play to the museum though for not only preserving it, but also for letting people have a look inside it. I wish another of these trams would find a new home, as they’re so interesting and represent a little-acknowledged aspect of UK tramway operation.
Apart from the half one in St Helens………