After 49 years Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 has once again carried passengers at the Crich Tramway Village. After undergoing attention in the Crich workshops 40 was cleared to join the operational fleet and was allocated to service on Friday 1st August alongside Blackpool 236 and Leeds 399.
As previously reported 40 had arrived at Crich on Monday 21st July and although it had undertaken its first test runs as early as Wednesday 23rd July the tram needed some attention in the workshop before it could enter service. 40 had suffered from some wheel spin issues during its operation at Fleetwood Tram Sunday and the cause of this needed to be investigated before the tram could be released for service. Ahead of the overhaul of the tram an area for concern had been identified in the motors and despite attention by the contractor during the overhaul these problems had not been completely ironed out.
During commissioning at Crich a number of defects were discovered with the tram’s resistances (there are two resistance boxes under the tram) and both were removed for further investigation, The first of these was easily repaired and was fitted back to the tram again on the same day but the second box was discovered to have multiple defects and provided very little resistance which is what was causing the wheel spin issues. Although there was no direct replacement in stock the workshop team managed to build up a box with the correct resistance and these were fitted to the tram. On Saturday 26th July, after the Museum had closed to the public, the chance was taken to take 40 on a test run and it performed much better.
Some further adjustments and testing was required on 40 and this was undertaken over the following few days before the tram was cleared to join the operational fleet. Rather than have a launch event to introduce the car back into the serviceable Crich fleet (for the first time since 1965!) it was decided (for unknown reasons) to have a quiet entry into service with no publicity and so it was on Friday 1st August that 40 was chosen as one of the three car service with it performing reliably throughout the day. Although Crich do not publicise in advance which trams will be in service on a daily basis it is expected that 40 will be regularly used over the next few weeks ahead of its role at the Electric 50 celebrations being held on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th September.
On Tuesday 22nd July 40 stands in front of the Workshop with Blackpool 236 shunting in the background. (Photo: David Beardsell)
The two Blackpool & Fleetwood Tramroad cars meet again: 40 and 2 outside the Workshop. (Photo: David Beardsell)
On Saturday 26th July and a line-up of Blackpool trams outside the depot: 40, 630, 711 and 762. (Photo: Keith Chadbourne)
A week after arriving back at Crich 40 is seen on a test run following attention in the Workshops to solve the wheel spin issues. (Photo: Keith Chadbourne)
Another view of 40 at Glory Mine. Last time it operated at Crich Glory Mine was but a distant dream. (Photo: Keith Chadbourne)
on Friday it was not Leeds 399, it was Met 331, Leeds came out on saturday.