Some good news to report from Crich Tramway Village is that visiting Blackpool Balloon car 711 returned to service on Thursday 26th June, after a period of approximately one month out of action. This was due to a dewirement incident at Town End which resulted in some damage to both the tram’s pantograph and the overhead wires, both of which have since been repaired.
711 is of course on loan to Crich for the season in exchange for Blackpool 167 but had only operated in passenger service during the ‘Beside the Seaside’ event until June 26th. Hopefully the car will now be used much more extensively, both in service and for public driving courses, to justify the efforts made to bring it to Crich for a relatively short period of time. Incidentally, the costs of transporting 711 to the museum have been funded by a very generous member of the Tramway Museum Society, whilst Scott’s Heavy Haulage have offered a discounted rate, no doubt thanks to their close working relationship with this museum.
Called at the museum yesterday briefly when 711 was in service. Talking with someone who undertakes track maintenance at the museum, 711 and 630 both allegedly due to wheel profiles are having an adverse effect on the track work in terms of wear. This does not bode well for the permanent resident but once 711 returns to Blackpool (hopefully soon) it will reduce such a problem. I wonder what the wheel profiles of 762 are like? If the same, I would expect its use to be restricted to prevent undue track wear. In the past, re-profiling tyres to the TMS standard was almost a pre-requisite at Crich if the tyres could take a “turn”. But it all cost money, time and labour, just like track replacement.
I have it on good authority that 711 was out today, but on Driver Experience duties.
Does 236 suffer from the same problems and will 762?
Sorry, just realised you’ve now mentioned 762.