As we reported yesterday Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 entered passenger service at the Crich Tramway Village for the first time since 1965 on Friday 1st August. The tram had been undergoing investigation and commissioning work in the workshops since arriving at the Museum on 21st July with repairs undertaken to solve the wheel spin issues encountered on its one and only day of operation in Blackpool this year and after the completion of this 40 was cleared to enter service which it did with no fan fare at the start of service on 1st August. Photos provided by Hazel Quarmby.
Box 40 waits at Town End with Leeds 399 for company ahead of operating its first passenger service at Crich for 49 years.
40 at Glory Mine having arrived with its first fare paying passengers since 1965. Last time 40 ran at Crich it would not have been able to run this far making it the furthest north on the museum tramway it has ever been. (Both Photos: Hazel Quarmby)
40 definitely looks at home. Only minor spoiler is the hi-vis green destination blinds – would have been nice to have had the original stencilled blinds as per 167.
Stencilled blinds would be no more appropriate. Tramroad cars didn’t have them. That said 40 is a hybrid of interior and exterior styles.