To the rescue following Crich Village shutdown
NOTTINGHAM Trams Limited and railway maintenance contractor Pod-Trak came to the rescue of Crich Tramway Village to replace two corroded traction poles, allowing the tram service to restart on Saturday, July 2 following a seven-week closure.
As reported last issue, following a visit on May 17, Office of Rail and Road inspectors condemned the depot fan area poles and ordered an immediate shutdown. The move followed several weeks during which trams have been restricted to 4mph because of overhead line concerns.
Two traction poles, which hold up the overhead line in the depot area, had become corroded and were deemed to be a safety risk, hence the tram depots, main exhibition hall, and children’s soft play area were cordoned off.
Nottingham Trams Limited donated the two modern traction poles, complete with all necessary paperwork, to allow Pod-Trak Limited to install them.
Pod-Trak, which has previously carried out renewal work for Seaton Tramway and Heaton Park Tramway, said it was delighted to be involved in getting the popular heritage attraction back on track. Overhead line engineering construction manager John McAlinden said: “I personally supervised the work and it was a real privilege to be involved in combining the modern with the vintage to get the trams running again at this superb working museum.
“As part of the £25,000 contract, we replaced the original poles with modern ones that are bolted down on to a concrete base; the original poles were, as was the custom in firstgeneration tramways, simply put into a pre-dug hole and concreted in.
“Today’s poles are much stronger. We did everything we could to help the new poles blend in by painting them green, and the museum even came up with heritage finials to complete the picture. The clamps and fittings are, of course, modern, but the overall effect blends in well. Crucially, the new poles allow the museum to start running trams again.”
Crich Tramway Village’s general manager, Dr Mike Galer, said: “We are very grateful to Nottingham Trams Limited and we are now offering all NET employees free museum admission to say thanks.
“We have some NET staff members who already volunteer with us and enjoy an excellent relationship with our 21st century tramway nearneighbour.
“Pod-Trak was fantastic and came as soon as it could, completing the job to our entire satisfaction. We have had one or two adverse remarks about the modern traction poles but without them the museum would not be running.
“We hope to make up for lost revenue over the summer, especially as Pod-Trak completed the work to ensure we would be open for the main holiday season. Trams are now operating at normal line speed and we have provided the ORR with full documentation, including Pod-Trak signing off the job.”
Dr Galer added that the museum is now instituting a full survey of each one of its 67 traction poles on its running line and will be mapping out a rolling replacement programme over five and 10-year periods.
“The lesson in all of this, and it applies to heritage railways too, is that we need to future-proof our assets by recognising that materials which may, in some cases, be 60 or 70 years old, and well-used before we obtained them, do have limited life spans,” he said.
“We must be able to demonstrate that we have robust assessment and replacement regimes in place.
“It’s about running in the 21st century with 20th century and even 19th century equipment and rolling stock, but recognising that today’s inspection standards are much more process-driven than in the past, and complying with that level of scrutiny.”
Full details of Crich’s summer opening and special events are online at www.tramway.co.uk