Our regular monthly round-up of all the latest news of the trams at the Home of the National Tramway Museum. This update includes news on Chesterfield 7, Cardiff 131, Leeds 180, Sheffield Works 330 and MET 331.
We start, as ever, with an update on the restoration of Cardiff 131. The traction motors have now been installed in the truck and all outstanding brake components have been supplied by a contractor and are now being fitted to the truck. The dash panels have been rolled to shape by a contractor and installed along with all mouldings and headlight units. Finally, painting of the body continues and it will be completed in the Cardiff fleet livery of 1908/1914.
MET 331 remains in the Workshop for its overhaul with the wheelsets now having been sent away to a contractor to be overhauled. Both the bogies and track brake assemblies have been dismantled, cleaned and inspected.
The work to revarnish the upper deck drop windows of Chesterfield 7 has been completed and a supply of paint to seal the existing roof canvas is being investigated.
Leeds 180’s 8 year overhaul is now overdue but this may not take place and the tram withdrawn. This is because the seating needs repairing and is currently life expired. A complete recovering of the seats with leather upholstery is between “20,000-£25,000.
Sheffield Works 330 is to receive workshop attention to repair the damage sustained by the tram during a collision with Leeds 180 around the Depot. If time permits the chance will also be taken to cosmetically restore the bodywork. The tram is needed for use in connection with the Wakebridge trackwork.
* This news is taken from Contact: The Newsletter of the Tramway Museum Society. The only way to receive this monthly is to become a member of the Tramway Museum Society. As well as this monthly newsletter membership carries with it the right to a free copy of the Society’s illustrated quarterly Journal, free admission and free rides on the trams when the Museum is open to the public, and a voice in running Britain’s National Tramway Museum. Full details on how to join can be found here.
Source: Contact from the Tramway Museum Society