This is your one stop guide to when and where you can ride on heritage trams in the UK and Isle of Man. The highlights of the next week include a special event at the East Anglia Transport Museum (Suffolk Made & Operated on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May), the start of operations for the year on the Douglas Horse Tramway (Monday 12th May) before the next special event takes place at the Crich Tramway Village: The Best of Sheffield (Saturday 17th-Friday 23rd May).
Beamish: The Living Museum of the North
Current Status: Open daily
Opening hours: 1000-1700 (last admission 1500)
More info @ http://www.beamish.org.uk.
Birkenhead Heritage Tramway
Current Status: Operating every Saturday and Sunday
Operating hours: Services run from Taylor Street Museum at 1300 and then every half hour until 1630, returning from Woodside Ferry at 1315 until the last possible return at 1615.
More info @ http://www.mtps.co.uk
Blackpool Tramway
Current Status: Operates Bank Holiday weekends and selected other dates until end of August.
Next service:
Saturday 24th-Monday 26th May with a 3 tram service on each day. Further details to follow but the weekend should see the launch into service of Blackpool 167.
More info @ http://www.blackpooltransport.com/services/heritage-trams.
Crich Tramway Village
Current Status: Open Daily
Opening hours: 1000-1730 (last admission 1600). At least 3 trams should be in service each day (subject to availability)
Next special event: The Best of Sheffield – 17th-23rd May. A full preview of this event can be found at http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/news/?p=7374.
More info @ http://www.tramway.co.uk
Douglas Horse Tramway
Current Status: Closed. Re-opens Monday 12th May 2014.
Operating hours: First tram departs Strathallan at 0900 and then every 20 minutes until 1720. Return journeys commence from the Sea Terminal at 0920 and then every 20 minutes until 1740.
More info @ http://www.douglas.gov.im/index.php/leisure/horse-trams#.UzXDlGdOWM8
East Anglia Transport Museum
Current Status: Open (details of when see below).
Opening hours: Every Thursday 1300-1700 (last admission 1600) and every Sunday 1100-1700 (last admission 1600). Also open Bank Holiday Monday 26th May 1100-1700 (last admission 1600), Saturday 10th May for the Suffolk Made & Operated event and daily Tuesday 27th to Saturday 31st May 1300-1700 (last admission 1600).
Next special event: Suffolk Made & Operated – Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th May
More info @ http://www.eatm.org.uk/index.html
Great Orme Tramway
Current Status: Operates daily
Operating hours: 1000-1700 (from April 1000-1800). Trams every 20 minutes
More info @ http://www.greatormetramway.co.uk/index.asp
Heaton Park Tramway
Current Status: Open every Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays.
Operating hours: 1200-1700 using at least one tram.
Next special event: 765 100 Not Out – Sunday 6th July
More info @ http://www.heatonparktramway.co.uk
Manx Electric Railway
Current Status: Now in operation. See below for details of when.
The following services will be running during May:
Until Friday 23rd May – Timetable B (7 departures daily between Derby Castle and Ramsey and return starting at 0940 from Derby Castle)
Saturday 24th-Friday 30th May – Timetable D (14 departures from Derby Castle between 0940 and 1640, 5 of which only run as far as Laxey)
Saturday 31st May-Friday 6th June – Timetable F (15 departures from Derby Castle between 0910 and 1740, all but the 0910 and 1410 run all the way to Ramsey)
Fridays 9th, 16th and 23rd May see additional evening services.
Next special event: Manx Heritage Transport Festival 2014 – 30th July-3rd August
More info @ http://www.gov.im/publictransport/Rail/Electric/
Seaton Tramway
Current Status: Daily running.
The following services will be running during May:
Mondays-Fridays until Friday 23rd May – Yellow timetable. First tram Seaton at 1000 and then every 30 minutes until 1600 with returns from Colyton starting at 1030 until the last departure of the day at 1630.
Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th May, Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th May and then daily from Saturday 24th May until Friday 11th July – Blue timetable. First tram Seaton at 1000 and then every 20 minutes until 1700 with returns from Colyton starting at 1030 until the last departure of the day at 1730.
More info @ http://www.tram.co.uk
Snaefell Mountain Railway
Current Status: Open
The following services will be running during April/May:
Until Friday 23rd May – Timetable B (hourly departures between 1015 and 1545 – return from the Summit at 1110-1645)
Extra evening services will run on Fridays Until 23rd May for summit diners
More info @ http://www.gov.im/publictransport/Rail/Snaefell
Summerlee – The Museum of Scottish Industrial Life
Current Status: Open daily
Opening hours: 1000-1700. One tram is usually in service each day.
More info @ http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=15877.
The information provided above is given in good faith and is correct to the best of our knowledge. If you know of any errors please contact us by using the comments section below or by emailing gareth@britishtramsonline.co.uk
The last of three tramways on the Isle of Man starts operation on Monday 12th May with the Douglas Horse Tramway commencing daily running until September. This photo shows horse Keith hauling 36 towards the Sea Terminal on 14th August 2013. (Photo: Gareth Prior)