One minute it’s the never ending month of January and then boom, its almost time to start another operating season at the National Tramway Museum in Crich! With the museum set to open for the first time in 2026 on Saturday 14th March preparations are well underway to commission trams for service, and again a mixed fleet of trams is set to be made available for service.
Initially the following trams will be commissioned:
London County Council 1
Glasgow 22
Blackpool 40
Blackpool & Fleetwood 40
Sheffield 74
Newcastle 102
London County Council 106
Blackpool 167
Blackpool 236
Oporto 273
Leeds 345
Leeds 399
Sheffield 510
Liverpool 869
London Transport 1622
Subject to the completion of its motor overhaul Blackpool 762 should also join the fleet, and Metropolitan Electric Tramways 331 may also be used later in the season subject to the completion of controller work.
Blackpool 645’s conversion to become the new Access Tram is due to be completed this year and when that is done it too will join the operating fleet of trams.
Chesterfield 7 and Blackpool 630 remain in reserve whilst Blackpool 166 and Leeds 180 are likely to remain out of use until 2027 to allow controller work to take place. Work on overhauling Johannesburg 60 is also due to start this summer, although its not expected to be completed to run in 2026.
The National Tramway Museum opens on Saturday 14th March and will then be open every single Saturday to Thursday until Sunday 1st November. It will also be open on Fridays during local school holidays.
Thanks to Peter Whiteley for providing the tram fleet information above.