2014 is shaping up to be a bumper year for Crich Tramway Village, as the site prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of electric tramcar operation there. As well as having several new attractions and amenities for visitors to enjoy, the number of trams that are available for service is set to increase considerably in the build up to the main celebratory event in September. Now, British Trams Online is delighted to bring you a complete list of the trams which have been commissioned for use so far this year, as well as those trams which are currently undergoing varying levels of workshop attention before taking their place in the operational fleet for 2014.
So far this year, 15 different electric passenger trams have been made available for service at the museum. These are: Chesterfield 7, Glasgow 22, Blackpool 40, Southampton 45, Sheffield 74, Blackpool 166, Leeds 180, Blackpool 236, Leeds 345, Leeds 399, Blackpool 630, Glasgow 812, Glasgow 1068, London Transport 1622 and Berlin 223-006 4. In addition, four more trams – Oporto 273, Sheffield 510, Blackpool 711 and Blackpool 762 – have all operated on test and will enter service once the programme of test running has been completed, and Blackpool 167 also went through the commissiong process at Crich before heading to Beamish. Once it completes a further loan period at Blackpool, this tram is due to return to Crich in September, in time for the ‘Electric 50’ event.
London United Tramways 159 was seen in the works last week and should be available for service imminently, whilst even more welcome news is that Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘Rack’ 2 is currently being commissioned, after sitting out the 2013 season. As this was the first electric tram to carry passengers at Crich, its return to service in this very special year is excellent news as well as being highly appropriate.
The running fleet should also be boosted later in the year by the return to use of London County Council 106, whilst Blackpool & Fleetwood ‘Box’ 40 will also run at Crich for the September event, and horse car Sheffield 15 will also be made available for special occasions. This mouthwatering list is certainly the best selection of trams to have run in a single calendar year at Crich for many years, and with a cavalcade of 25 trams lined up for the aforementioned ‘Electric 50’ event in September, this should ensure that the 2014 season will be unforgettable for all of the right reasons!
Our grateful thanks to TMS Workshop Co-ordinator Dan Heeley for kindly providing the information in this article.
A previously unpublished image from the 'Big Shunt' at Crich earlier this year, with Oporto 273 & Blackpool 236 seen inside the depots. 236 is already in the running fleet, whilst 273 should shortly return following a period of disuse. (Photo by Andrew Waddington)
Is there any way to find out specifically when 711 will be running once it has completed its testing? I wanted to make a visit specifically to ride on this vehicle.
I’m sure if you wait like the rest of us, the TMS will announce when 711 will be entering service nearer the time. Alternatively, visit for the Electric 50 event in September when it is sure to be running.
Great news although I am bit disappointed that MET 331 is still sitting on the sidelines as it is out of service for something that was essentially not its fault.
The Workshop team at Crich notify the Traffic department each day which trams are available for service, sometimes with an engineering preference. The drivers and conductors then decide which trams they wish to take out based on: the weather forecast, booked parties expected, how busy we expect to be, where trams are located in the depot (i.e. is shunting necessary?) and a bit of personal choice.
Absent from this list are LCC 1 (Leeds 301), Sheffield 46, 189, 264, MET 331, Leeds 600, 602, Liverpool 869, Glasgow 1100, 1115, 1282, 1297 and the Den Haag PCC.
Most, but not all, have been long-term sidelined for years (or never run at all) due to various structural or mechanical issues, though many are on static display.
But are there no plans/funds/open workshop schedules to get one or more back into actual service in the next couple of years?
A. D. Young
Well it largely depends on funding. I doubt they know the long term future of what can be restored. I know they were planning on overhauling 869 2 years ago but there was a budget cut in the workshop.
As well as the well-publicised appeal for donations towards restoring LCC 1 there is also an appeal to do major work on Glasgow 1282. I expect MET 331 won’t be out of action for long as it should only need minor attention. As for the rest… well let’s be realistic, most of them need completely rebuilding and will have to wait their turn! I’m not sure what your point is by saying these trams are ‘absent’ from the running fleet this year as most of them have been for decades, and the PCC will probably never run at Crich due to it being single-ended. As Paul said, if you have a big pile of money lying around offer it to the TMS and pick your tram, and they’ll most likely get it restored!
LCC 1 is intended to be the next major project with financial support from the London Transport Trust and I believe Liverpool 869 is near the top of the list needing much less work than some others. As to the rest, it’s basically a case of if you have a favourite you want to see restored sooner rather than later, come up with the necessary funding and you will be warmly received…
Also, how is LCC 106 coming along? Is there much left to do?
106 is currently being fully repainted. The truck is being re-assembled with new wheel-sets including gears . 869 needs (at least) the EP unit rebuilding (air leaks), and a body overhaul. 331 is not a simple job as there is body/under-frame structure damage. 510 is all but finished. Blackpool711 should be in service for “by the seaside” week. It is unlikely that 762 will be ready for passenger service for this event.
Thanks 🙂 I thought 331 only needed one or two things rectifying, my mistake. Same with 869, I hope it is not too long until it is back.
If you work in the workshop I just want to say that I appreciate the work you guys do as the quality of restorations is outstanding.
>it’s basically a case of if you have a favourite you want to see restored >sooner rather than later, come up with the necessary funding and you >will be warmly received…
I have no problem with that-it comes with the territory in this line of endeavour, yet some cars, stalwarts of the early days, have never seemed to attract money, attention or anything else since they were sidelined, sometimes decades ago.
Many have been/are out of service for legitimate reasons, yet undeniably some are more favoured than others when it comes to restoration/repair/overhaul. Leicester 76 for example has been passed over, so it would appear, many times since its restoration (a restoration which by today’s workshop standards probably wouldn’t pass muster) ostensibly because it has a bent axle.
This job I guess couldn’t be done then with the on-site resources available, but almost 50 years have passed since the and surely with forward planning and outsourcing to a specialist firm, surely fixing the problem wouldn’t difficult now. Would it? It would add a badly-needed 2-motor open balcony car to the operating fleet.
Static display is certainly acceptable. The Exhibition Hall has always been a treat ever since it opened. It would be more acceptable still if access to the interior of all or some of the cars were available to the public.
Ah well. Be thankful for small mercies I suppose-this year’s operating fleet and the level of service offered is most promising and the opening of the Glory Mine end to the visiting public can only be a plus.
A. D. Young
“it’s basically a case of if you have a favourite you want to see restored sooner rather than later, come up with the necessary funding and you will be warmly received…” If that its the case what about the £100,000k + that is supposed to be in place for Blackpool 298 which has not been spent on restoring it to at least static display status? It seems to me to not be quite that simple.
It is that simple…
It has already been publicly stated that as soon as someone comes up with the other £150k reckoned to be needed (according to Crich accounting methodology) it will be completed to operational standards.
There isn’t enough money in that fund to restore it. If there was, it would have been worked on a while ago. It is going through the first stages of it’s long awaited overhaul though. However, these are very early stages.
With regard to the comment that A D Young made ‘yet some cars, stalwarts of the early days, have never seemed to attract money, attention or anything else since they were side lined, sometimes decades ago.’ I fully understand why some once serviceable cars aren’t in use anymore, after all these vehicles were already decades old when they were first used at Crich and time and use means overhauls and money are at some point required.
What I do sometimes find disappointing is that some of these early stalwarts never seem to attract any real intent to get them operational again. This is obviously down to which trams are the favourites when money is available. What would be refreshing is if there was a more balanced view on which trams received attention, based on factors like the historical merit and significance the tram has to the collection. For instance the likes of Blackpool 59 or even Sheffield 46 fill gaps not in the collection at present. 59 due to its historical significance and 46 due to there been no 4 wheel single decker with open platforms (original condition) preserved anywhere in the country to my knowledge.
I suppose that is what the TSO is for, (to which I contribute) to combine donations and then make such a decision. But I question some of the trams picked in the last few decades through this process, why for instance was Leeds 345 restored over some of the other possible candidates?
At the end of the day there will always be some of us who would like certain trams restored who never get the fulfilment of seeing them operational again and there will be others, who collectively, like the London tramcar trust that will, due to the breadth of support for certain trams gain.
Must remember to put that lottery ticket on !
When 345 was restored the TMS was required to operate all year as part of the accreditation / designation rules. There was a shortage of totally enclosed cars for use during the winter months, driving an open platform car in Crich winter conditions is an unenviable task. 345 is also a hand-brake car that can be driven on the H1 licence and therefore eases the crewing problems that seem to be a constant issue. These factors made it a prime candidate.
Many other cars have exotic licence types that require driver training resource to ensure that enough crews will be available to make it worthwhile having that particular type of car available at all.
There are many factors that determine which cars might get repaired / restored, money, sentiment, operational practicality are but a few. I suspect that not even all the money in the world would guarantee a particular tram’s future!
Great news about Rack 2, never ridden on it before so hopefully I can this year. I was just wondering whether anyone knew if it was only making a temporary comeback, like Southampton 45, or whether it was returning to service on a more permanent basis? Really impressive lineup for Crich, well done all, and for those on this site for providing the updates.
You’re very welcome Tom, and I’m sure the people from Crich who make it all happen will appreciate the comments too. You’re in for a treat with Rack 2, its awesome! I would imagine it will only be a temporary return as I believe its tyres are nearing the end of their life, although hopefully it will go through the works to enable a more permanent return to service in the not too distant future.
Thanks and no problem. I’ll be going for the Beside the Seaside event so fingers crossed it’ll be out by then.