Crich tramcar celebrates its centenary in 1930s condition
CRICH Tramway Village-based tramcar No. 345 celebrated a centenary of public service on March 27.
In 1939, the tram was rebuilt by Leeds City Transport, which involved a conversion from an open balcony car with reversed stairs into a fully enclosed tramcar with direct stairs, platform doors, and added vestibules. The original trolley pole was replaced by the current bow collector and new faster motors were also installed. The upper deck bulkheads were removed, and seats upholstered at the same time.
Officially withdrawn from service on September 17, 1948, while still in operational condition, the tram was converted into a joiners’ shop for use at Swinegate Depot, the headquarters of Leeds City Tramways.
In 1959, it was acquired by Leeds Transport Historical Society, which saved it from the scrapyard and transported it to Crich on December 18 that year. In 1963, No. 345 was intended for restoration in its original condition as an open-balcony tramcar, but then in 1978 it was resolved to restore it as a ‘Convert’ car, so demonstrating the changes made in 1939 to make it look more modern and more comfortable.
After a period in off-site storage, it returned to Crich in 2002 and entered service in 2006 after a full restoration in the museum’s own workshops.
Malcolm Wright, a volunteer at the tramway museum since 1964 and museum board member, said: “It is a delightful tram for visitors to enjoy a journey, just as the citizens of Leeds did in the 1930s.”
Subject to a successful commissioning examination, the tram is planned to be in operation during the 2021 season.
In line with current Government guidelines, Crich Tramway Village will open its outside areas with limited tram rides from April 12 to May 16, and then internal areas from May 17 with Covid-19 measures in place. Visit the website www.tramway.co.uk for details.