Over the past couple of years the number of trams located at Hooton Park has increased with it having become the new home of three horse trams owned by the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society. Those three trams have joined a longer-term resident in the shape of Chester 4, the last surviving electric tram from the small system which once ran in the Cheshire city.
Hooton Park Hangars is the home to a wide range of transport exhibits and is managed by The Hooton Park Trust, which was formed in 2000 with the aim to oversee and manage the restoration of the remaining World War I hangars on the former RAF airfield. This hangars are now able to become the home of a number of local transport groups to display and restore their vehicles – and trams are included in that.
The Hangars are usually open at least once a month and as part of those open days the Chester tram is on display to allow visitors to see the continued excellent progress being made on the restoration of the tram. The MTPS trams – Liverpool 43 and Douglas Bay Horse Tramway pair 11 and 47 – are not on normal public display at these open days though.
Sunday 10th August 2025 saw one of their Open Days take place and as well as seeing the latest progress on Chester 4, Ken Jones was able to also visit the MTPS threesome.
- Details of the Hooton Park Hangars – including the next open days – can be found on their website at https://hootonparkhangars.co.uk/
Its been three years since we last featured Chester 4 on these pages – and its been quite a change since then! In 2022 we saw just a lower deck under restoration but now the tram is a double-decker once again! Built in 1903, the tram is a product of G F Milnes and was constructed as an open topper. It remained in service until 1930 which is when Chester’s small (just over 3.5 miles long) 3’6” gauge tramway closed. As well as the obvious progress with it having two decks again you can also see that seats have been installed on the top deck.
Another view of 4 in its hangar.
The MTPS trams are all tucked away off public display and here you can see just what the focus of attention has been. When the Douglas trams arrived in the UK they were showing the effects of many years of outside storage but work has clearly taken place on 47 with bright red paintwork in evidence in this view. 47 was built in 1911 and hasn’t run since 1978.
This is 11 – built 1886 and also last operated in 1978 – which is stored at Hooton Park whilst work is concentrated on 47.
Liverpool 43 is the third of the horse trams at Hooton Park. Built in 1890 this open top double deck horse car has previously been on loan at Crich but was a fairly long-term resident around the Wirral Heritage Tramway and Museum.
A view of the two Douglas horse cars.
Also at the event this time were two regulars on the event circuit. These two models are of a Bournemouth tram and trolleybus and are fully operational. (All Photographs by Ken Jones, 10th August 2025)