The restoration of Brighton 53 is one of a number of projects being undertaken across the UK by small groups and societies, and is one that we have featured occasionally on these pages. In this article we return to Sussex for some more photos of the work being undertaken on what is the last remaining passenger tram which once ran on Brighton Corporation Tramways.
Overall there were 166 passenger trams built for use on the tramway between 1901 and 1937, and 53 was one of the last to be built when it was released from the Lewes Road Depot. It would only have a very short working life though as the tramway would run for the last time in 1939, meaning that after just two years 53 was redundant. But the tram would survive with it being sold on to a West Sussex farm for further use, although obviously not as a tram! It remained there until 1970s.
In 2010 the Brighton Tram 53 Group, now Society, was formed with the aim of restoring the tram which had lain untouched in a shed for over 30 years. Since then more than £90,000 has been spent on restoring the tram and this has been shown in excellent progress of bringing the tram back to how it once looked.
The Society have been working on the tram more recently in Pulborough, West Sussex where Brighton Works Car 1 can also be found in flat-pack form, along with the remaining parts of Graz 225. But they have ambitious plans to return the tram to Brighton and Hove and have been garnering support from local Councillors to see it moved to Stanmer Park, with a long-term ambition being that some track will be laid here to allow the tram to run in Brighton once again – by which time it may well be at least 90 years since trams last did.
- Find out more about the Brighton Tram 53 Society and the restoration visit their website at http://www.brightontram53.org.uk/
Brighton 53 is a double decker and work is continuing on the upper deck as seen here. The panelling and paintwork of the lower deck has also seen much progress.
One end of the tram on the drivers platform where some equipment has already been fitted. (Both Photographs by Rod Bramley, 17th September 2025)