In Pictures: Crich kick off their 2026 operating season

Saturday 14^th March 2026 saw the National Tramway Museum at Crich reopen for another season, with a more than planned action packed day for anyone who took the time to visit the museum. The day may have started with a standard three tram service but a tram failure led to a fourth passenger tram and a Works Car out.

With sunny weather, the first three trams allocated for service in 2026 included two open toppers. The chosen three were Newcastle 102, London County Council 106 and Leeds 345.

Unfortunately, Newcastle 102 suffered a fault on the day which saw it stuck at Glory Mine for part of the day, and also meant that trams were only able to run Town End to Wakebridge for part of the day.

102 was replaced in service by Glasgow 22 and Cardiff 131 also made an appearance out of the mainline.

The second day of the season then saw a further three trams used for the first time in the year with Blackpool pair Standard 40 and Pantograph 167 joining Leeds 399 in service. Two days into the operating season and seven passenger trams used isn’t bad going is it!

• A video of action from the first day is available on Steven Hughes Transport Videos YouTube page at https://youtu.be/4iRXui6US44?si=ogD8OwoPzzv23qnk

The first enclosed tram in use of 2026 was Leeds 345. The wooly hats of the visitors on the left suggest this may well have been a popular choice on this day!

London County Council 106 pulls forward to the loading stop at Town End with some nice later winter sunshine for company.

Glasgow 22 was a replacement tram on the first day after Newcastle 102’s fault. This view shows that tram at Town End.

Cardiff 131 and Newcastle 102 return to depot. We see the trams here at Wakebridge.

Newcastle 102 has now made it back to Town End and now waits to head it back to depot.

A look inside the Workshop where work continues on both Blackpool 298 and Blackpool 645. Closer to the exit we see two trams which are being commissioned for the 2026 season – Blackpool & Fleetwood 40 and London County Council 1. (All Photographs by Steven Hughes, 14th March 2026)