{"id":58195,"date":"2025-04-24T22:00:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T21:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/?p=58195"},"modified":"2025-04-24T19:17:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T18:17:01","slug":"crich-launch-fundraiser-for-new-access-tram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/?p=58195","title":{"rendered":"Crich launch fundraiser for new Access Tram"},"content":{"rendered":"

The project to create a new Access Tram for Crich has moved a step forward with the official launch of a fundraising which would allow the tram to be completed and in service by spring 2026. This important project would see Blackpool Centenary 645<\/strong> used to become Access Tram II, as well as retaining capacity for seated passengers.<\/p>\n

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Crich has been without a suitable tram for visitors who are less physically able since Berlin 223 006-4<\/strong> was withdrawn from service during 2022 for technical and safety reasons. Using lessons learnt from the use of the small Berlin tramcar, the plan is that 645<\/strong> will feature a larger capacity ground-level wheelchair lift, and the museum\u2019s experienced workshop team is even exploring the possibility of adapting controls to allow wheelchair users to drive the tramcar under supervision.<\/p>\n

Roger Shelley, Fundraising Manager at Crich, said: \u201cIf we can build safe positions for disabled drivers into this vehicle, it will be the first time this experience can be offered on a heritage tramway in this country.\u00a0 It\u2019s an exciting prospect for our charity, and we\u2019re looking for local firms to get on board with sponsoring the project and its wraparound colour scheme.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zoe Etheridge, a volunteer at the museum who uses a wheelchair and crutches following an accident in 2017, said: \u201cI am really looking forward to having a tram I can ride with my family and friends that won\u2019t cause me extra pain that I get from trying to get on board one of the historic trams.\u00a0 I\u2019m even more excited at the prospect of being able to drive it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crich need to raise \u00a3150,000 to complete the project by spring 2026, and is encouraging members of the public to either donate online at www.tramway.co.uk\/contact\/make-a-donation<\/a> or by buying Derby Community Lottery tickets that support the Tramway Museum Society at www.derbycommunitylottery.co.uk\/support\/crich-tramway-village<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The finished tram will be able to transport both wheelchair users and up to 40 seated passengers. With the tram being built as a one person operated vehicle it would also enable it to be used on quieter days when volunteers are less freely available.<\/p>\n

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Volunteers and visitors at Crich in front of 645 at the launch of the fundraising appeal.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Volunteer Peter Whiteley inspects the wiring on the tram. (Both Photographs courtesy of Crich Tramway Village)<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The project to create a new Access Tram for Crich has moved a step forward with the official launch of a fundraising which would allow the tram to be completed and in service by spring 2026. This important project would … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58195"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=58195"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58195\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58199,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58195\/revisions\/58199"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=58195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=58195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=58195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}