East Anglia Golden Anniversary gala
Trams take part in 50th birthday celebrations at Carlton Colville.
EAST Anglia Transport Museum (EATM) marked a half century of public opening on May 29, with one of the busiest days for visitors in its history.
Over 1000 people attended the day of celebrations, which featured three trams in operation, including Blackpool Corporation No. 159, which had worked the first public services exactly 50 years earlier. The tram recently returned to use after having its motors overhauled.
Also in action were London Transport HR/2 No. 1858 and Sheffield ‘Roberts’ car No. 513. The loop at Hedley Grove was used for the three vehicles to pass each other.
First tram
On outdoor display was 1904-built Lowestoft open top car No. 14, the first tram to be preserved (in 1962) by the group of enthusiasts who went on to found EATM. They rescued the body of the vehicle, which had been in use as a summerhouse in nearby Gunton.
Volunteers from the society, which was subsequently formed to look after a collection of loaned and donated vehicles, had the task of transforming a field at Carlton Colville into the museum as it is today.
The 2ft gauge East Suffolk Light Railway (established at the site in 1973) was also in operation on the day of the anniversary, along with trolleybuses, buses (linking the site with Beccles and Lowestoft) and a vintage taxi.
Western extension
Work is about to begin on a tram display building as part of the western extension of the EATM site, which has been largely funded by a grant from East Suffolk Council and donations from members.
The Fleetwood Heritage Leisure Trust has reached an agreement for the transfer of Brush car No. 290 and Motor Unit No. 678 to EATM, and is donating track recovered from Blundell Street depot in Blackpool for use in the extension work.