The mock-up tram which was used to offer a taste of the future in Edinburgh is now homeless, and potentially available to interested parties, according to an article published by the Edinburgh Evening News. With the city’s new tram system finally open for business, the mock display tram is now considered surplus to requirements and is presently in store at Lothian Buses’ Seafield depot pending a decision on its long-term future.
The large mock-up was made to show locals what the city’s new trams would look like, and was seen by around 74,000 when it was prominently displayed in the city centre. Although lacking wheels and mechanical parts, the 9 metre long tram is fully fitted out internally and even the driving cab is kitted out with realistic-looking controls. As so much effort went into the construction of this life-sized model, transport bosses are keen to find a suitable new use for it rather than sending it to a scrapyard.
A number of ideas have already been suggested for the mock-up tram’s future, including use at the Risk Factory at Chesser, where it could have been used to demonstrate the potential dangers of large railed vehicles to children. However, its large size proved to be a stumbling block and alternative ideas are now being looked at, with the most likely option currently being to use it as a novel tram ticket office at Edinburgh Airport. Another option would be to use it as a canteen, or to offer it to a museum for display to represent Britain’s latest tramway developments, with the Riverside Museum at Glasgow being one suggested destination for it. Alternatively, perhaps it could be housed at the National Tramway Museum to represent the UK’s second generation tramways, and provide an interesting contrast with Edinburgh 35 in the Exhibition Hall? Whilst a previous attempt to preserve a modern mock-up tram there ended with the item in question being disposed of, this would certainly help the museum to bring the story of the tram right up to date and would probably be of considerable interest to younger visitors in particular.
Whatever the future has in store for this tram, it is encouraging that Councillors and transport bosses are keen to re-use it in some form and hopefully a positive plan will be agreed upon and announced before too long.
The answer should be obvious……..the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum, Lathalmond who are already in the process of restoring an Edinburgh horse tram. Additionally, the museum is “home” to a large number of Edinburgh Corporation/Lothian buses and acquisition of the mock up tram would enhance their Edinburgh collection.
My thoughts exactly
A few years back, crich bought the cross river tram, but left it outside and it was scrapped. So if crich are still interested in the exhibition they were creating in the assembly rooms, they have a second chance!
Personally I think it would be much better utilised in the Exhibition Hall as either a ‘then & now’ display alongside Edinburgh 35, or next to Leeds 602 to bring the story of tramcar development in the UK right up to date. Admittedly the Cross River tram mock-up’s disposal suggests that this is unlikely to happen, but as the Edinburgh tram scheme has actually materialised I would think that this is of much greater significance.
At least there wouldn’t be any restore or conserve argument!
I hope it is (re-)used, a museum sounds ideal, it would fit right in at Riverside or Crich a like.
The Manchester Museum of Transport has the mock up of the T68 and it looks well amongst its more historic neighbours, (mainly but not solely buses). If one of the Scottish museums with an existing transport display could take it that would be great. However, at 9 metres it is quite a long exhibit. Perhaps the alternative would be to split it so that one part could be displayed in a local museum with the remainder either going to another museum or being put to use as the novel ticket/enquiry office as suggested in the article.
I think next to Edinburgh 35 and would be ideal place to do the exibition hall talk for visiting school kids particularly with such a high capacity and comfortable seats.
But having seen how they dumped the London Mock up outside which inevitably resulted in it sustaining damage and eventually disappearing completely perhaps Crich is not the place for mock up.
I think we should park it outside Leeds railway station, ” The transport system Leeds deserved but never got ! “
Or on the concourse with Leeds 602 to make the point!!!
Gents, if I remember rightly we were given very short notice about the London mock up so a chance was taken with a view to putting it into some sort of exhibition in the Assembly room. There wasn’t time to properly measure and assess what was needed. Only once on site was it found not fully suitable [think it was to do with its actual construction and condition but open to corrections]. Hope this helps to clarify matters
Not perhaps the first to come to mind but there’s the Museum of Scottish Railways at Bo’ness – a Registered Museum with a full-time professional Curator. I’m not sure all of the other mentioned will have achieved this status…
the vintage bus museum would be a good idea,spent some time there during truckmania a couple of weeks ago. riverside and summerlee would also be good space permittting
Interesting to note comments relating to Edinburgh 35 now “lost” to Crich. In many respects it’s a shame that 35 was sent south, albeit originally for the Blackpool celebrations. I always thought that 35 was owned by Edinburgh Corporation and was unaware that it had left Scotland for ever.
Let’s have the “mock up” together with 35 side-by-side in Edinburgh’s Chambers Street museum ?!