National Tramway Museum

The National Tramway Museum at Crich, Derbyshire, England, is home to many trams, most of which ran through the streets of cities throughout the United Kingdom and some of which are from other countries. Most of the tram networks, with a few exceptions (mainly Blackpool) closed in the 1960s, although there has been a recent revival with new networks such as the Sheffield Supertram and Manchester Metrolink being built. The museum is based in the Crich Tramway Village, a recreated period village near to the modern village of Crich, near Matlock. The nearest railway station is Whatstandwell railway station on the Derby-Matlock line, a steep uphill walk to the museum.

History

A Glasgow tram arriving at Crich Town End, the terminus for the Trams

A Johannesburg, South Africa tram at the intermidiate stop of Wakebridge.

A 1926 Leeds tram at the museum's Terminus southern terminus.

George Stephenson, the great railway pioneer, had a close connection with Crich and today's tramway follows part of the mineral railway he built to link the quarry with Ambergate.

While building the North Midland Railway from Derby to Rotherham and Leeds, Stephenson had fund rich coal seams in the Clay Cross area and he saw a new business opportunity. Crich was already well know for the quality of the limestone, and Stephenson recognised that he could use the local coal and limestone to produce burnt lime for agricultural purposes, and then use the new railway to distribute it. Cliff Quarry, where Crich Tramway Village is now located, was acquired by Stephenson's company and to link the quarry with the limekilns he had built alongside the new North Midland Railway at Ambergate, Stephenson constructed a metre gauge line - apparently the first metre gauge railway in the world. Stephenson was born in Wylam in Northumberland in 1871, but he lived the last 10 years of his life in Chesterfield, often bringing visitors to Crich to see the mineral railway and take refreshment in one of the village inns. He died in 1848 and is buried in Holy Trinity Church in Chesterfield. Stephenson's railway soldiered on for many years.

In the period after the Second World War, when most of the remaining British Tramways were in decline or actually closing, the first event in the history of the National Tramway Museum took place. A group of enthusiasts on a farewell tour of Southampton Tramways in August 1948, decided to purchase one of the open top trams on which they had ridden. For the sum of £10 they purchased number 45 - now the doyenne of the tramcar collection at the Crich Tramway Village. From this act of faith - at the time there were no preserved railways, Museums tended to be dull of glass cases and the idea of amateurs running a tramway or railway seemed incredible - grew the idea of a working museum devoted to operating tramcars. From the original group developed the Tramway Museum Society, established in 1955, incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in 1962, and recognised as an educational charity in 1963. Over the years, the Society has drawn its members from men and women of all age groups and all sectors of the community, working together in different ways to create the tramway museum.

After a sustained search across the country, in 1959 the Society's attention was drawn to the then derelict limestone quarry at Crich in Derbyshire, from which members of the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society were recovering track from Stephenson's mineral railway for their pioneering preservation project in Wales. After a tour of the quarry, members of the Society agreed to lease - and later purchase - part of the site and buildings. Over the years, by the efforts of the society members, a representative collection of tramcars was brought together and restored, tramway equipment was acquired, a working tramway was constructed and depots and workshops were built. Recognising that tramcars did not operate in limestone quarries, the society agreed in 1967 to create around the tramway the kind of streetscape through which the trams had run and thus the concept of the Crich Tramway Village was born. Members then turned their attention to collecting items of street furniture and even complete buildings, which were then adapted to house the Museum's collections of books, photographs and archives.

The vision of the pioneering members who established the Museum, and the work of members who turned the vision into a reality was recognised formally in 1995, when the Secretary of State for Culture, the Media and Sport announced that the Museum was included in the first 26 Museums which had been designated because of the outstanding nature of their collections.

In recent years the work of the Society Members and the income earned from visitors has been supplemented by much appreciated grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Designation Challenge Fund of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and the DEFRA Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund. The Crich Tramway Village is however still an independent charity, which receives o core funding from the state or local government and it could not function without the ongoing voluntary contribution made by members of the Tramway Museum Society.

Timeline

• 1963 - First horse tram service
• 1964 - First electric tram service
• 1969 - Opening of purpose built workshops
• 1975 - HRH The Duke of Gloucester become Patron of the Society
• 1978 - Opening of scenic tramway to Wakebridge by Secretary of State for Employment
• 1982 - First phase of museum library opened
• 1985 - Museum loans trams to Blackpool for Electric Tram Centenary
• 1988 - Museum loans trams for Glasgow Garden Festival
• 1990 - Museum loans trams for Gateshead Garden Festival
• 1991 - Exhibition Hall inaugurated
• 1992 - Bowes-Lyon Bridge opened by Minister if State for Transport
• 1997 - First AccessTram for visitors with disabilities
• 2002 - Opening of Workshop Viewing Gallery
• 2003 - Library Reading Room and Archives Store opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester
• 2004 - Woodland Walk and Sculpture Trail inaugurated by the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire
• 2007 - Leeds 345 wins the Best Self-Propelled Vehicle in the Heritage Railway Association Carriage & Wagon Awards, after its 3-year restoration and return to service in 2004.

A Day at the Museum

A day at the Tramway Museum starts at the ticket office where on payment of the entrance fee one is issued with an Old Penny (1d) or Half an Old Penny (½d). The Tramway is reached by walking down the steep hill beyond the ticket office.

On reaching the tramway the Bowes-Lyon Bridge is visible to the left and the Tramway to Glory Mine is on the Right.

It is suggested that waiting at the Tram stop on the right, without crossing over the tracks, and taking the next tram to Stephenson Place is a good start to the day.

On stepping aboard, the conductor in period uniform, will ask you for your old penny, and in return the visitor is presented with two replica tickets - one for the journey, and one to guarantee all day travel.

With a clang of the bell, and a shout of "Hold Tight Please" the tram will pull off, passing under the bridge. On the right the large depots can be seen, and ahead is the period street.

On alighting the tram next to Barnett's Sweet Shop, and the Public Conveniences the village, depots, workshop galleries, gift shop, the Red Lion Pub, and the Derby Assembly Rooms can be visited.

In about 10-15 minutes, the next tram will be ready to depart from Crich Town End Terminus. On busy days, an early arrival is suggested to avoid waiting for the following tram if the tram at the terminus is full. If, however, this does happen, the museum's very own T.A.R.D.I.S can be visited, as well as the Derby Assembly Rooms and the Sweet Shop!

Just before boarding the tram, the conductor can be asked to leave seating space allowing the visitor to watch the trolley pole being turned or the bow collector being flipped. The visitor can also ask the driver for permission to sit or stand in the cab - this is sometimes allowed after reaching the intermediate station of Wakebridge.

With another clang of the bell and another "Hold Tight please!", the tram sets off for Glory Mine. The conductor will come through to issue tickets - presenting the all-day ticket or old penny will suffice. The tram will slow at the Car Park tram stop if someone wishes to board, otherwise it will continue on.

At the start of the single track section, the tram may wait for a while for the tram ahead to clear it and present the driver with the single-line token - if the visitor is in the cab, the driver may allow the visitor to collect the token from the token-pole.

On reaching Wakebridge, the tram will slow and the token will be placed on a new pole. The visitor can alight here, but travelling on to Glory Mine is the recommended route.

With the usual clang and shout, the tram will continue on to Glory Mine, the terminus. Here, the visitors will be asked to turn their seats around, done simply by sliding the seat back to the other side. The visitor may even be asked to flip/turn the bow collector/trolley pole!

The tram now returns to Wakebridge, where alighting is recommended. There are displays and sculptures to see here and the Woodland Walk back to the main terminus, which if it is a fine day is a very pleasing stroll. For those more interested about the actually working of Tramcars, a visit can be made to the Electric Sub-Station, which supplies electricity to the overhead wires. Whilst at Wakebridge you can also visit the Rock Shop and in the Summer "The Kiosk", a refreshments stand.

On returning to Stephenson Place, the main village can again be explored or food and drink can be obtained in either Rita's Tearooms or The Red Lion Pub.

Tramcar fleet

The museum has trams from Berlin, Blackpool, Chesterfield, Den Haag, Derby, Douglas, Dundee, Edinburgh, Gateshead, Glasgow, Grimsby, Halle, Howth, Johannesburg, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, New York, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Oporto, Paisley, Prague, Sheffield, Southampton and Sydney.

Not all the trams are operational at the moment, but on each operating day the Museum picks three or four trams, usually from the same area, with the exception of the AccessTram, and operates them over its line. The Southampton tram was the very first to be preserved by the Tramway Museum Society, purchased for £10 in 1949. The Berlin tram is a single-deck tram, adapted for the access of people with disabilities. Another (Halle 902) is currently undergoing conversion for the same purpose. The majority of tramcars are double-deck vehicles built between 1900 and 1930, some with open tops. A few trams in the collection were constructed after World War II, including a single-deck prototype from Leeds, which gives an idea of how the UK tram manufacturing industry could have developed given the opportunity.

There are currently 14 trams in an operable condition, available for public use, with 2 being restored/converted, and many more either on display, in store, or available for works use.

Original System	Car Number	Status	Livery	Year Built	Seats	Notes
Derby Corporation Tramways	1	On Display	Green with Cream on the side of the Upper Deck and just above the wheels	1896	45	This tram has never run at Crich as it is to a non-standard (4 feet (1,219 mm)) gauge. It was used for crew training prior to the opening of the electrified system in Derby where it ran for 30 years. When Derby 1 was originally restored, it was done so on the standard gauge truck from the Blackpool "Gondola" illuminated car. When it was seen in Osmaston Road Depot in Derby, it's wheels were in only one of the tram tracks.
Douglas Head Marine Drive	1	On Display	Crimson and Cream	1896	75	Originates from the Isle of Man and is the oldest tram at the museum equipped with a trolley pole. This tram is on loan from the Science Museum. Enthusiasts often refer to it as DHMD 1, to save the mouthful that would otherwise be said!
Leamington and Warwick	1	Unrestored	-	1881	?	This car is on display in the Exhibition Hall and is unrestored.
London County Council Tramways	1	On Display	Red with Cream bands around the window. Paintwork flaking in places showing original Blueg livery.	1932	66	Currently in a red livery, it gained the name Bluebird from its attractive and distinctive livery of royal blue and white. This livery can still be seen today after numerous repaints under the red. The LCCTT has set up a fund to restore this car.
Blackpool and Fleetwood	2	Out of Service	Brown and Cream	1898	56	This tram is often referred to "Rack 2" on account of its seating style. It is very similar to Blackpool 166, which was built several years later. It is also one of the ten original trams supplied to the Blackpool & Fleetwood coastal tramroad
Blackpool Electric Tramway Company	4	On Display	Orange, Green and White	1885	32	This is the oldest electric tram at Crich and used the conduit method of current collection. It was converted to a works car with a trolley pole, and restored in the 1960's. To simulate conduit running, it was fitted with a new, home-built truck powered by lead acid batteries. It ran for the 50th anniversary, though not carrying passengers. It is often referred to as "Conduit 4"
Blackpool	5	In Store	Green and Cream	1972	?	This tram is one of the possible candidates to be turned into AccessTram 2
Gateshead and District Tramways	5	Out of Service	Crimson and Cream	1927	48	Built in 1927 for Gateshead and District Tramways, it was transferred to British Rail ownership in 1951 when the Gateshead Line closed and they were transferred to the Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway, the same tramway that 14 originates from.
Chesterfield Corporation Tramways	7	Operational	Crimson and Yellow	1904	?	This Tramcar is one of twelve built by BRUSH for use in Chesterfield. It is a tram with many great escapes, being found as a cottage.
Chesterfield Corporation Tramways	8	On Display	Cream and Blue	1904	16	Tramcar No. 8 was one of the last horse trams built for normal passenger service. It is on loan from the Science Museum
Oporto	9	On Display	Yellow, White and Red	1873	20	This trailer car from Portugal is the only vehicle in the collection which has been hauled by three different forms of traction: mules, steam and electricity. It is also the oldest tram in the collection.
Hill of Howth	10	On Display	Brown	1902	73	This tram operated on a short but scenic route north of Dublin and is the only Irish car in the collection at Crich. This tram was also one of the stars of the 2006 Enthusiast's Day, and also the first time it had been outside in 15 years. Hopefully it will be less than that until the next time it appears!
Grimsby and Immingham Light Railway	14	On Display	Green	1915	72	When the Great Central Railway laid the Grimsby and Immingham Line, they needed some traction. This was the result. This tram is one of three trams being considered to be AccessTram 2.
Sheffield Corporation Tramways	15	Out of Service	Red and Cream	1874	16	Number 15 holds quite a special place in the Museum's Collection - it was the first tram to operate in 1963, before the overhead wires were functional. It is also the museum's sole operable horse tram.
Dundee and District Tramways	21	On Display	Green and White	1894	66	This is a Steam Tram Trailer, being towed instead of powered.
Glasgow	22	Operational	Orange, Crimson and Cream	1922	62	Built in 1922 and withdrawn from active service at the end of 1960, No.22 operated nearly four thousand miles at the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988.
City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh	35	On Display	Crimson and Cream	1948	62	This tram has operated in Edinburgh, Blackpool and Glasgow Garden Festival before being displayed at Crich. The ownership of this tramcar is under debate: Edinburgh want it to go to the TMS, the TMS want it, but the people want Edinburgh to keep it AND for it to return to Edinburgh.
Blackpool and Fleetwood	40	On Loan to Blackpool tramway	Varnished Woodwork and Cream	1914	44	This tram is currently on loan to Blackpool Transport, where it regularly operates on the promenade. It is hoped that it will return to Crich one day soon, if just for a brief visit. It also often referred to as "Boxcar 40" because of its square, box-like shape.
Blackpool Corporation Transport	40	Under Overhaul	Red, White and Teak	1926	78	This was the last open balcony tram to operate in Great Britain. It is currently in the workshop undergoing attention.
Southampton Corporation Tramways	45	Operational	Red and White	1903	56	This tram was the very first tram to be acquired for the museum, and was bought for the very expensive (in those days) sum of £10. More about the Southampton Corporation can be found here.
Sheffield Corporation Tramways	46	In Store	Blue and Cream	1899	22	No. 46 was one of twelve single decker trams purchased for the opening of the electric tramways, before later being converted to a works car. It was moved into to store in 2003, along with Leeds 600 and Glasgow 1100.
New South Wales Government	(47)	On Display	Brown	1885	N/A	-
Blackpool Corporation Transport	49	On Display	Green and Cream	1926	78	This Tram represents the full development of the Blackpool Trams, now with closed balconies, instead of open balconies only 9 Trams earlier (Number 40).
Gateshead and District Tramways	52	In Store	?	1920	32	This tramcar was one of the first cars acquired by the TMS. It is, however, fire damaged and its future at the museum is now not known.
Blackpool Corporation Transport	59	In Store	Red, White and Teak	1902	93	-
Johannesburg	60	Operational	Red and Cream	1905	62	This tram has bi-lingual signs in both Afrikaans and English, and was one of many built in the UK for export to all corners of the British Empire. It has also starred in many TV and Film productions.
Paisley and District Tramways	68	Out of Service	Red and Cream	1919	63	When the Glasgow Corporation took over Paisley's Tramway, this car gained an enclosed top and the number 1068 - but the Scottish Tramway Museum Society saved it and returned it to its former glory! When rebuilt at Glasgow it was given larger motors, which it retains
Sheffield Corporation Tramways	74	Operational	Blue and Cream	1900	52	After being sold to Gateshead, where it ran in much modified form until that system closed, Sheffield 74's lower deck survived as a suburban garden shed in the town. During its restoration at Crich it was fitted with an Edwardian Sheffield top deck.
Leicester City Tramways	76	On Display	Brown and Cream	1904	56	This Tramcar was originally built as an open top car, but was fitted with a roof shortly after the First World War. A second rebuilding resulted in the car gaining a totally enclosed saloon on the top deck and vestibules on each platform. It was discovered on a farm near Snaith in Yorkshire, and has been restored to its 1920s condition
Manchester, Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramway	86	In Store	?	1886	N/A	It is a Wilkinson Patent Vertical Boiler Steam tram built by Beyer Peacock in 1886, running until 1905 when it went to a foundry in Wigan until 1954. It has recently been given to the the NTM from the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. It is one of two Wilkinson Patent Vertical Steam Boilers, the other being "John Bull". It is often referred to as MBRO 86 for ease of speech!
Newcastle Corporation Tramways	102	On Display	Black, Yellow and White	1901	84	This Tram has the second largest seating capacity at Crich, being beaten only by Blackpool 59, a very similar tram, and as a result was often seem taking Dockers to work in its home town. This tram was originally a single-Decker
London County Council Tramways	106	Out of Service	Cream and Crimson	1903	57	The first tram restored by the LCCTT, this made its inaugural run at Crich exactly 80 years after its original line opened! Originally had conduit pickup.
Cardiff Corporation Tramways	131	Under Restoration	?	1905	N/A	This Tramcar is a works Car that was used as a water-carrier. It is planned to be the next tram that is restored. The last surviving Cardiff tram.
Kingston-upon-Hull	132	On loan to Hull Museum of Transport	?	1910	62	-
London United Tramways	159	Under Restoration	?	1901	69	Restoration for this particular tramcar is being funded by the London County Council Tramways Trust. This trust was originally set up to help restore Number 106, above. It completed this objective, and has since also restored London Tram Number 1622
Blackpool Corporation Transport	166	Under Overhaul	Red and White	1927	64	Known as a "toastrack" car, this was once used by the BBC as an outside broadcast vehicle. It is planned to return it to service on 2008 by finally repairing the wiring. It will be a welcome return as it is always a popular fine weather car!
Nottingham	166	In Store	?	?	?	The third Nottingham tram (others being 121 and 92) to be acquired by the Museum
Blackpool Corporation Transport	167	Operational	Green and Cream	1928	52	This was the first of 10 single deck cars built to operate the Blackpool and Fleetwood inter-urban tramway
Leeds City Transport	180	Operational	Red and Cream	1931	60	These trams were known as "Showboats" or "Horsfield" when they first entered service.
Prague City Tramways	180	On Display	Red and White	1905	24	An early tram, with an amazing history! As well as what is noted in the "Trivia" section, it also made a dramatic escape from Czechoslovakia just as Soviet Tanks and Warsaw Pact Troops were advancing to seal the border...
Sheffield Corporation Tramways	189	On Display	Blue and Cream	1934	61	This is the only surviving example of Sheffield's Standard Cars. It made an unexpected appearance into Daylight at the 2007 Enthusiast's Day, and was expected to move down next to 264 which was on the spare track at Town End for photos. It was decided against however, due to MET 331 being stabled there.
Sheffield Transport Department	264	On Display	Cream and Blue	1937	61	This is the only surviving example of the rebuilt Standard Cars, known as Dome roof cars. It made a surprise appearance at the 2007 Enthusiast's Day, being the star of the show!
Oporto	273	Out of Service	Ochre and White	1927	?	This tram represents the type of design used in countries with hot climates. The side windows can be slid into the roof, making the tram open sided and allowing the passengers greater comfort. The restoration of this tram was done with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and has received an award from the Heritage Railway Association.
Blackpool Corporation Transport	298	Unrestored	?	1937	?	-
Sheffield Transport Department	330	Works Car	?	1919	N/A	Originally a 4 feet (1.2192 m) gauge Bradford double decker, bought by Sheffield during WW2 to replace bombed trams. Converted to water carrying car/rail grinder. Currently Out of Service following an incident with #Leeds 180.
Metropolitan Electric Tramways	331	Awaiting Overhaul	Red and White	1930	70	Feltham prototype, with centre entrance doors instead of end doors. This didn't suit London's conduit system, so it was sold to Sunderland to become No.100. Restored funded by British Steel, and appeared in a BS blue livery at Gateshead garden Festival in 1990. Known by enthusiasts and staff as MET 331.
Leeds City Tramways	345	Operational	Blue and White	1921	62	A Leeds enclosed double decker. Withdrawn early due to poor bodywork, was used as a carpenters tea shed at a Leeds depot. One of the first cars at Crich, most recently restored tram. Provides a good alternative to the usual Leeds Colour Schemes - and the other normal schemes at Crich! (Red!)
Leeds City Tramways	399	Operational	Brown, Yellow and White	1926	70	A Leeds "Hamilton Air-brake" car. The second Tram to arrive at Crich, it underwent a lengthy restoration, returning to service only in 1990.
Sheffield Transport Department	510	Awaiting Overhaul	Cream and Blue	1950	62	A Roberts car, believed to have done more mileage at Crich than in service. It carries a special "Last Tram" livery, and, along with its sister 513 at Blackpool, took part in the farewell celebrations.
Leeds Corporation Transport	600	In Store	Red and White	1930	34	This car became one of three experimental cars in 1954. The others were 601 and 602.
Leeds City Transport	602	On Display	Purple and White	1953	34	One of three experimental tramcars, the others being 600 and 601. 602 is the only tramcar at the museum to use VAMBAC. It is identical to 601 with the exception of livery and control system, 601 using EP. 601 was preserved, but was destroyed in an Arson attack. 602 was originally withdrawn in 1995 due to a leaky roof, but was resurrected in 2003 for the Tramathon. It then disappeared again, but in 2005 returned once again for the Tramathon, TMS 50th Anniversary and the Enthusiast's Day. It has now however been removed from service again as the leaky roof is persisting.
New York 3rd Avenue Transit	674	On Display	Cream and Red	1939	48	No. 674 is the only American tram in the collection at Crich. It was also sent to Vienna after World War 2.
Manchester	765	On Loan to Manchester Transport Museum Society	?	1914	62	-
Glasgow Corporation Tramways	812	Operational	Orange, Yellow and Brown	1900	59	Built in 1900 as an open top tram, 812 acquired a top cover with open balconies ten years later and platform vestibules within a further two years.
Liverpool Corporation Passenger Transport	869	Operational	Green and White	1936	78	869 was sold to Glasgow in 1954, withdrawn in 1960. It is often referred to as the "Green Goddess".
Halle	902	On Display	Red and Cream	1969	?	This tram is from Halle near Leipzig in East Germany. It wass planned to be converted to AccessTram 2, but its future at Crich is now being reviewed as it needs more work doing than originally thought.
Glasgow Corporation Tramways	1100	In Store	Orange, Green and Cream	1928	69	An attempt at modernising old trams to look like Glasgow's new streamliners (like 1282 and 1297), known as the Horrornation due to extreme ugliness. Unusually, it has EP controller but only 2 motors.
Glasgow Corporation Tramways	1115	On Display	Orange, Cream and Red	1929	68	Kilmarnock Bogie. What 1100 once looked like.
Den Haag	1147	On Display	Cream and Green	1957	?	A European styled example of a USA design classic PCC (Presidents Conference Committee) car built under licence by La Brugeoise, Belgium in 1957. It is single ended, and its control gear was copied by the Tatra T3 type Trams.
Glasgow Corporation Transport	1282	On Display	Orange, Cream and Green	1940	64	A Glasgow "Coronation" streamliner, 1282 ran in the closing procession in 1962.
Glasgow Corporation Transport	1297	On Display	Orange, Cream and Green	1948	70	A Glasgow "Cunarder" streamliner, 1297 also ran in the closing procession in 1962.
London Passenger Transport Board	1622	On Test	Red and White	1912	73	Represents the "rehabilitated" E1 London trams of the 1930s.
Berlin	3006	Operational	Orange and White	1969	? + ? Wheelchairs	This is the museum's AccessTram and has been specially adapted to carry wheel chairs. It is known as "Erich" among enthusiasts and staff alike.
London Tramways Co.	?	In Store	-	c1985	?	The Curry Rival Horse Car (aka the London Tramways Co. Unnumbered tram) was transferred to Clay Cross in February 2005.

Methods of current collection

The museum's overhead wire system has been built so that trams with any type of current collection can be used. The museum currently houses trams with the trolley pole, the bow collector, and a couple even have the modern pantograph.

Other forms used to demonstrate how current can be collected:

• Conductors set in steel troughs under the roadway, as used in Blackpool, and represented in Crich with Number 4
• The stud contact system, as demonstrated with a dummy stud between the rails in the yard. This is the only known example of this form remaining, and is from Wolverhampton.

Trivia

• The steam tram engine John Bull has an intriguing past —- it is rumoured to have fallen into the sea on its way from New South Wales to Manchester; it disappeared in Sydney; and re-surfaced in 1980!
• Sheffield Tram No. 510, entered service in 1950 and was withdrawn, still almost brand-new, when the city's tram system closed in 1960! Ironically, this tram has in fact now done more years at the museum than it did in Sheffield.
• When made redundant, Blackpool Tram No. 166 was commandeered by the BBC, along with its sister No. 165, as an outside broadcast unit. Many seats were removed, and cameras and recording gear were mounted, to allow the illuminations to be filmed —- the already congested promenade could not take any more traffic, ruling out conventional outside broadcast units.
• Not many of the museum's trams can claim to have been on tv or front page news, but one can! Prague No. 180 had more press coverage than the rest of the fleet put together. This is because when it was transported to Crich, it was running just ahead of the "Iron curtain" of communist occupation. It became a symbol of the plight of the country. It was restored by its original manufacturers, Tatra, who later made 902.
• The 1904 Chesterfield tramcar No.7 has had many adventures, and some great escapes! First, it survived a depot fire which destroyed many other trams. Then, it was used as a house by Mr. Eric Cocking —- who had actually travelled to school in it. Finally, the museum found the tram, and now, after restoration, it lives happily amongst the operating fleet.
• Similarly, recently restored Leeds 345 is a very lucky tram. Withdrawn early due to rotten bodywork, it was used as a carpenters' tea shed at a Leeds depot. It was rescued by K. Terry, and for years sat at Crich. It was moved to an outside store, where later on a fire was started. When restored, parts of the lower deck ceiling were found to be singed.
• Sheffield 74 is in fact made of 3 trams. The top and bottom decks are from different Sheffield trams, and the truck from Leeds.
• London County Council 1622 was originally an open ended unrefurbished car, but was restored as an enclosed "rehab" car. Its bogies are ex Feltham.

Upcoming Events

2007

December

8th and 9th - Christmas Market and Santa Specials
15th and 16th - Santa Specials

2008

March

23rd and 24th - Easter 1940's weekend (Premier Event!)

See also

• Beamish Museum
• Light Rail Transit Association
• Scottish Tramway and Transport Society
• The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft
• East Anglia Transport Museum
• Blackpool tramway

External links

• Official website
• Topical Pictures of the Museum
• The London County Council Tramways Trust - Responsible for the Restoration of Numbers London 1, 106, 159, 1622
• The Tram Centre. All sorts of information can be found here on all types of Trams
• Photographs and Description
• The Tramway Museum's Yahoo! Group