Blackpool Update

Further to our post on 16th August, we can now confirm that the trams which we will be sending to Blackpool for their ‘Blackpool 125’ celebrations in September will be Oporto 273 which has already arrived in Blackpool, together with Blackpool Pantograph Car 167 and Blackpool “Toastrack” 2 both of which will leave for Blackpool shortly.


We would offer the following update on the “Blackpool 125” Tram tours - Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 September 2010.

The tramcars taking part in the joint TMS / FTS tram tours on the weekend of Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 September will be as follows:

Saturday 11th will feature four Blackpool trams and will include B&F "Toastrack" 2 of 1898, B&F "Box" 40 of 1914, "Pantograph" 167 of 1928 and double-deck "Standard" 147 of 1924.

Sunday 12th will feature trams from the current running fleet from Crich and will include Oporto 273 (of 1928), Toastrack 2 (of 1898) and Pantograph 167 (of 1928).

Tickets are still available and can be ordered on line via www.freewebs.com/fyldetramwaysociety-blackpool/tmsftstours.htm
These tours should be one of the main highlights of the Blackpool 125 celebrations.

Classic Car Club

A Classic Car Club visited the Museum at the weekend.

Volunteering - Summer Tram Camp

Five volunteers spent the weekend cleaning the Wakebridge Tram Shelter and the Bradford Shelter revealing the work which needs to be done on both shelters to preserve them

Three volunteers at the Summer Tram camp. Having spent the weekend cleaning the shelters at Wakebridge its time for a well earned rest

1940s Weekend

A selection of photos from the 1940s Weekend which took place on 14th & 15th August

Oporto 273 Goes to Blackpool

273 was loaded and transported to Blackpool on Monday to take part in Blackpool Transport's 125 years of trams celebrations in September

Mobile Racking Installation

This time lapse film shows the mobile racking being installed in the library to house the Winstan Bond collection.

Crich Helps Blackpool Celebrate 125 Years of Trams

We are delighted to be able to support Blackpool Transport Services Ltd in their forthcoming celebration of 125 years of continuous tramway operation.

We are currently preparing to loan to Blackpool Transport, a number of tramcars that will operate along the world famous promenade tramway during various events taking place in September.

Our workshop team have been very busy over recent weeks preparing the tramcars for their visit to the seaside.  It was intended to send several double deck trams but when this was trialled recently, it became apparent that the greenery in the vicinity of the Museum makes it extremely difficult to send these cars without damage. Therefore we are planning to send several single deck trams, some of which will be a pleasant surprise for visitors to Blackpool.   We will keep you infomred as plans unfold, be prepared for surprises!

The 125 Years of Trams events take place in Blackpool throughout September, to find our more visit http://www.blackpooltramevents.co.uk./

We are holding our own celebration of Blackpool trams during our Blackpool Bank Holiday Extravaganza on 29th and 30th August.

Tell us a Story!

We are pleased to announce the addition of a story telling chair to the Woodland Walk. The chair has been craned into position over the last few days. Carved books and animals feature on the chair and there will be plenty of space to curl up and read a good book.

Although some work still needs to be done to the chair and the path we are hoping that our visitors will be able to use it soon...

Blackpool 125

Blackpool Transport Services Ltd staff continue their familiarisation with trams which will be in Blackpool for the 125th anniversary celebrations in September.

Battle of Britain Memorial Shelter

As part of our forthcoming 1940s Weekend a memorial shelter has been created by kind permission of the Battle of Britain Historical Society.  The shelter contains all 2,936 names of the aircrew who took part in the Battle of Britain between July 10th and October 31st 1940.

1940s Weekend photocall

A press photocall took place today for our forthcoming 1940s Weekend which takes place on 14th & 15th August.

Training Day at Blackpool

A team of key Crich personnel went to Blackpool yesterday to take part in a Personal Track Safety training course in preparation for the loan of Tramway Museum Society tramcars for the Blackpool 125 event in September.

The Crich team are pictured here alongside Blackpool Transport Services training staff at Bispham on Manchester 765.

50 Years Ago

Brian Jones, founding member of the Rolling Stones, was a volunteer at Crich in the very early years, travelling with fellow volunteers from his home town of Cheltenham on several occasions. The late John Appleby's 14 August 1960 picture shows him in the right foreground.

Brian was to die nine years later in the swimming pool of his Sussex mansion.

In the second, present-day picture, the red wagon is standing at approximately the same spot.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

TV personality and Auctioneer James Lewis chose Crich to feature in a new series of ‘Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is’ due to the aired in the Autumn. James had found some period enamel signs and a tram conductor badge at various auctions and antiques fairs which he had brought along for us to look at.

Emergency Vehicles Day

Here are some photos from Emergency Vehicles Day which took place on Sunday 1st August.