We feature another edition of “Trams &” today and we’re at a familiar location to see a tram and a bus – the East Anglia Transport Museum Chapel Road terminus.
We have featured photos at this location many, many times over the years but within “Trams &” we haven’t actually ever included a photo of Blackpool Marton VAMBAC 11! That is remedied in this edition though as we see the stunning single-decker (the only currently operational tram in the UK fitted with VAMBAC equipment) sitting at the Chapel Road terminus as it waits for the second tram in service to go into the woods and back once again.
It is just being joined by a similarly stunning vehicle as AEC Regal OR2 comes around the trolleybus turning circle to pull into the stop before it too can carry passengers around the museum site. This bus was built in 1946 for Maidstone and District and was initially fully covered but was converted into an open topper in 1957. It remained in service until the mid 1970s before it was sold on and saw use in Edinburgh, Stratford and the Cotswolds. It is now preserved and made a special appearance at Carlton Colville for the Seaside Event in July 2025.
Photograph by Gareth Prior, 12th July 2025
That bus was also at Sandtoft Trolleybus Museum in November 2024 for their “Twilight” event. Fortunately, as I recall, the weather was kind to us, so enabling us to get a (dry) ride on it round the museum site !