If all goes according to plan the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester should be running again this summer, following the news that Manchester City Council have awarded £400,000 of funding for the essential substation repairs to be completed. Yes, we have a positive news story about heritage trams in the UK!
The tramway was closed in September 2024 as works were required to upgrade the substation and now with the funding in place this work should start in the spring allowing heritage trams to once again run in Manchester, on what is the only “preserved tramway” in the UK (as it operates on the former Manchester Corporation Tramways alignment within Heaton Park).
This summer marks the 125th anniversary of the opening of the first electric tramway route in Manchester in 1901, so the re-opening of the tramway to commemorate this significant milestone seems rather appropriate.
Speaking about the funding award, Cllr Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said: “Our support of the much-loved Heaton Park Tramway not only preserves an important piece of local heritage, but a piece of living history. It will be welcomed by visitors to Heaton Park who come to enjoy the outdoor space as well as the variety of attractions that this wonderful park has to offer. The vintage trams hold a special place in the hearts of many people, and I’m delighted that they will be up and running again in time for the 125th anniversary.”
Geoff Senior, Chairman of the Manchester Tramway Museum Society, said: “This is the wonderful news our volunteers have been looking forward to, representing a huge vote of confidence in the hard work and dedication they have shown in the last almost 50 years of working with the city of Manchester to build, develop and run this vital piece of Manchester’s transport heritage, not only for the citizens of Manchester but those who travel to the park from wider afield. We look forward to welcoming visitors to the park back onto the tramway in the coming months and would love to hear from anyone who wants to get involved with helping run this unique part of Manchester’s history within this wonderful green space.”
Keith Whitmore, Chairman of the Manchester Tramway Company Limited, added: “It is well known that the tramway is a jewel and a must-see attraction in North Manchester, and the commitment of Manchester City Council to support the restoration of the Electricity Sub Station to a safe working condition demonstrates their commitment to ensure that the Tramway continues to be a must visit on a Heaton Park day out. As Tramway Company Chair, I am proud of the work that our Tramway volunteers undertake come rain and shine, and also the help given by the City Council and park officials to keep the tramway running in the Park, especially following incidents such as the theft of tramway wiring a few years ago, and now to get the electricity substation fit for purpose following an anxious and difficult year for us all. It is especially fitting that we should be seeing the tramway back in operation during the celebrations of 125 years of electric tramways in Manchester.”
During the 18 month hiatus, the track has also been treated to some attention with TfGM and VolkerRail helping to relay sections of the line, as well as resurfacing following the installation of the track.
No date for any potential reopening has yet been set, but watch this space for more news as we will hope to have more positive updates to come in the next few months!
Scenes like this will hopefully be seen once again after the completion of the substation works. Manchester 765 and Stockport 5 on the double track section to Middleton Road Gates. (Photograph by Gareth Prior, 1st July 2022)
Congratulations to everyone involved. This perfectly illustrates the necessity of maintaining professional relationships with political leadership and officers within a council. It will have been an incredibly difficult time for the tramway and it would have been very easy to let emotions spill over and into the public domain.
It says a lot about the blinkered attitudes of so many so-called enthusiasts doesn’t it that so few have troubled to comment on the good news from Manchester.
Sorry about that. I had already commented on Heaton Park’s own site, which I had deemed sufficient!
My comment was not aimed at you Geoff as I had already seen your post on the Heaton Park release. It was a more general comment.
Nor did they scream and shout and write threatening letters to the Council when they thought they might close……….
I too congratulated on the Heaton Park website, and a couple of other places. You highlight, however, something incredibly important: being a volunteer organisation does not exclude a ‘professional’ approach. Heaton Park have a well-thought-through, realistic approach which works.
This is tremendous news and shows the massive commitment of all parties involved in the Heaton Park Tramway. Such massive long term investment looks forward to a good future.
Just checked the Heaton Park site. The Press Release has 114 likes.
A credit to everyone involved at Heaton Park. No doubt a good deal of behind the scenes negotiation has taken place to achieve agreement for the substation upgrade. As others have commented, this is a great example of what can be achieved by working collaboratively with a local authority, and other organisations, including working on the tramway infrastructure during the hiatus in operation.
Without labouring the point too much, the Blackpool situation and those involved could learn much from Heaton Park’s approach. Quiet negotiation, collaborative approach, no emotive statements on social media, no misinformation (intended or otherwise!), unintentional intimidation of councillors and consequent generation of much heat and very little light, is unlikely to achieve desired results.
Well done to Heaton Park, and look forward to visiting when the trams are back running.
You are quite correct, except for one fact. Manchester Council is not in a catastrophic situation, whereas Blackpool Council is £570 million in debt.