The Heaton Park Tramway season has come to a premature end after the announcement that they won’t be able to operate trams again until 2025. This early end to the season is immediate and does mean that the previously advertised Tramtastic! event (due to take place Sunday 8th September) is cancelled. The decision has been taken to allow the upgrade of equipment in the substation.
In a statement posted on Facebook the Manchester Transport Museum Society said: “As many of you will be aware from our posts earlier in the year, we had a component in our tramway’s substation fail that prevented us operating the tramway until June. As part of the actions following this failure, our partners at Manchester City Council, who own and maintain the substation, have been working with us at the Manchester Transport Museum Society to completely renew all the components within the substation with more modern equipment, as obtaining replacement components for repairs to our existing equipment, which dates from the 1980s, has become increasingly difficult.
“These works have now been scheduled and will commence in September – meaning we are unable to operate our trams until the works are complete.
“As such, to allow all parties involved to prepare for the works, our operations have now finished for the season – meaning our running days during September, our Tramtastic gala & November are now cancelled.
“Although these works curtail our season this year, it will result in us having a brand new substation ready to serve us for another forty years – and displays the commitment Manchester City Council have to the tramway and its parks.”
The start of the 2024 season was delayed until 15th June because of the failure of the component within the substation ahead of the planned operating season having got underway. Since then the tramway has operated at most weekends with Blackpool trams Replica Vanguard 619 and Brush Car 623 along with Stockport 5 and Hull 96 having been used in service.
The last day of the season ended up being the highest single output on Saturday 31st August with three trams in service during the Model Event – 619, 623 and 96 all in use.
The hard work will now start to prepare things for the upgrade work and for it take place over the winter to allow the tramway to have a successful season again in 2025.
Whilst the Tramway has had one of the shortest seasons ever for various reasons, one can only applaud the investment by the City Council in its future. This should ensure the Tramway outlives us all.
Perosnally, I think Blackpool Council should be taking notes from Manchester & Heaton Park
Big statement for a Council to actually invest in infrastructure (instead of declaring operation at risk and demanding money).
Are you having a dig at any certain place in particular, or are you meaning 2 or 3 places?
If your having a dig at a certain (nearby) Seaside Resort Tramway that still retains a fleet of Heritage Trams, It really does seem that they’re treating their fleet of Heritage Trams (bar a small few of them), and their old depot as Disposable. The depot has been closed for the best part of a year while they “Await a structural survey” and yet, progress seems to have been none-existent since January.
At this Rate, I feel like these Restoration works (If they ever actually) will almost certainly go through the entirety of next year, and continuing well into 2026 (With a possibility of these works slipping into 2027). These current scenario at Blackpool really does make me scared that we could lose those Heritage Trams altogether.
The people at Heaton Park seem confident that the works will secure the long term future of the Tramway, and that they have the backing of the Council.
As a MTMS member for more years than I would care to admit, and a regular visitor to both tramways, I see no reason not to believe them.
Geoff. I think your missing my point.
When I said the following:
“I feel like these Restoration works (If they ever actually start) will almost certainly go through the entirety of next year, and continuing well into 2026 (With a possibility of these works slipping into 2027).” I was actually referring to the situation with Rigby Road Depot at Blackpool here.
I’m sorry but i’m not really convinced that the restoration of Rigby Road depot is going to ever get off the ground judging by the current situation. Losing Rigby Road depot means losing the Heritage Trams in Balckpool.
I feel like Blackpool Council should be doing the same thing to Rigby Road and their Heritage that Manchester Council is doing with Heaton Park Tramway, and funding these restorations from their own pockets rather than having to rely on public donationsm
At the minute, I feel as of Blackpool are treating the majority of their Heritage Trams (barring a small number of them) as disposable and they probably couldn’t care less if they go.
It seems that there has been a little bit of confusion and people talking at cross purposes on this thread and its partly my fault for allowing comments through not fully relevant to this story.
Please note as a reminder when leaving comments on an article it should be relevant to the particular article in question and in future I’ll try and do better at making sure that is the case. Also please note continual repeated (very nearly) identical messages will not be approved – this isn’t aimed at anyone on this particular thread but just a general reminder of what will and won’t be approved in future.