We change location for “Picture in Time” again for this week as we head to the Crich for some more images of trams at the home of the National Tramway Museum in 1982.
The first tram we feature isn’t really a tram at all but it has operated exclusively on a tramway throughout its life – the Blackpool Electric Locomotive. Built in 1927 this steeple cab locomotive was ordered to haul wagons of coal from a railway siding just behind Copse Road Depot, Fleetwood to Thornton Gate sidings. It continued into this role until 1949 when those workings ceased but it remained part of the Blackpool Corporation fleet until 1965 in use by the permanent way department. It was acquired by Crich in 1966 and soon found a role for shunting around the museum. 1983-4 saw it undergo a well deserved overhaul and since it has continued to be a very useful acquisition, often seen moving stored tramcars especially during enthusiast events.
Today we are well used to seeing the tram in its later all green livery but back in 1982 it was still in what was its original red livery when seen in a very familiar location for the tram – the depot yard.
Photograph by John Moore, 1982
I think the restoration at Bolton mentioned is when the loco was restored to its red livery – if so then the date on this picture must be wrong. This is confirmed by the Exhibition Hall being clearly visible, which was built some years later. Could it be 1992 perhaps?
Great photo by the way, whenever it dates from – and I do actually remember the loco in red!
Looks like 1992 to me. The electric loco is one of those restorations that wasn’t quite right as to paint it red it should also be fitted with railway style buffers to operate in it’s original role of shunting railway wagons between Fleetwood and Thornton Gate. By 1992 though the loco was the workhorse of Crich, being used both as depot shunter by the workshop and also an emergency recovery vehicle. It was used by the overhead line and p/way departments too.
Whilst it’s true that the loco was used on occasion for depot shunting its main use as I recall was with the tower wagon. It was considered rather too quick off the mark for shunting trams unless extremely carefully driven. It would give whatever it was coupled to quite a rough jolt. I was at the museum on Tuesday and was fortunate to see it in use