The repaint of Brush 630 into the 1990s Green and Cream fleet livery by Blackpool Transport on behalf of the trams new owners – the Tramway Museum Society – has been completed with a move for the tram likely to be imminent.
The tram was released from the Paint Shop during the morning of Saturday 17th December and with its pantograph and lifeguards already removed it was parked at the front of the Rigby Road depot presumably awaiting the infamous Scotts low loader to come and take it to its brand new Derbyshire home.
The livery carried by the tram features the black window surrounds and the tram also carries the “waves and Tower” Blackpool Tramway logos as carried by the trams back in the 1990s. As well as receiving a repaint from its old Karting 2000 all over advert the tram received a few panel repairs – believed to have been caused by water ingress behind the advertising vinyls.
When 630 does make the journey to Crich it is expected to become part of the operational fleet for 2012 which could well have a big Blackpool flavour with fellow recent arrival Jubilee 762 also hoped to see use, Boat 607 due to be completed in Blackpool Transport’s workshops sometime next year before moving to the country along with long term residents Standard 40, Fleetwood Rack 2, Toastrack 166 and possibly Pantograph 167 (depending on whether repairs are undertaken to its troublesome motors).