Popular tramcar returns to public service

The Blackpool 236 tramcar made its return after it was launched back into official public service last month.

Tramway Museum Society president Alan Barber officially launched the tramcar at a ceremony on Tuesday, April 25, in the Crich sunshine which was appropriate for an open-top tram.

Alan thanked all those involved in the restoration work, cutting the ribbon and a special cake, and inviting members of the public, staff and volunteers to take a ride on its first trip to Glory Mine.

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The restoration work was undertaken during the closed winter period here at the museum, with the main focus on the seats and interior paint work.

The old toffee paint was painstakingly stripped to reveal the original teak wood, which has now been varnished by the workshop team, including Lawrence Dutton, Matthew Linaker and Sandy Williamson.

Matthew said: “The most difficult part of the work has been stripping the seats back to the original teak, which was painstaking.”

Sandy added: “The best part was how the original wood looked when we had finished it – it justified the hard graft we had put in.”

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As well as the seats, the interior paintwork on the sides of the tram was changed from a toffee colour, back to its original chocolate colour.

The combination of the darker chocolate paint and the varnished seats, makes for a stunning appearance to the interior of this popular tramcar.

The museum contains over 60 (mainly British) trams built between 1900 and 1930, and is set within the popular tramway village – a period village containing a pub, cafe, old-style sweetshop and tram depots. The museum’s collection of trams runs through the village setting with visitors transported one mile out into the local countryside and back.

For more about the museum or tramway village visit: www.tramway.co.uk.

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