Heaton Park Tramway

20/07/2020

Incredible Edible Heaton Park

Middleton rd / Bowker Vale entrance to Heaton Park taken care of by our volunteers on Saturday. Love where you live! 💚

20/07/2020

The team are still working hard on our improvements inside Lakeside depot which when they have a minute to look up can capture some great images such as this one of Manchester 765, Blackpool 619 and Blackpool 752.

Some of our freshly laid concrete can also be seen which is just one of the improvements we are doing to make Lakeside depot tidier and more presentable.

If you'd be so kind as to help us please visit https://buff.ly/3jmsbak to find out all the ways how.

17/07/2020

We need your help!

We are a 100% volunteer run charity with most of the money made coming from our shop, membership and donations.

How can you help us?

Become a member by visiting https://buff.ly/32piNwH, you can become an active volunteer or just feel safe in the knowledge you have done your bit to support us just by paying your membership fee.

Buy from our shop at https://buff.ly/3h6XyDI

Make a donation online at https://buff.ly/2ZzJRHN or by using our text to donate function in the banner pic of this page.

Shop through Amazon Smile and select The Manchester Transport Museum Society as your chosen charity

Are you a local trader or business that could donate time, materials or equipment to us on a short or long term basis?

We'd love to hear from you either by Facebook message, email [email protected] or phone on 01617401919

Thank you!

16/07/2020

#throwbackthursday

With so much work going on around our Lakeside depot at the moment we thought for throwback Thursday we would take another look at our original Middleton Road depot still under conversion in 1978.

In this image the doors and the depot access road have been laid but laying of the stone setts is still underway

15/07/2020

#workshopwednesday

As we're back on site now we thought we would bring you some current images from our workshops.

Trams don't like being stood stored for long periods of time without moving and 619 decided to remind us of that fact, whilst being checked over ahead of moving the tram out of Lakeside the controller at one end decided to lock up.

Therefore our engineers have had to dismantle the controller for a thorough service in order to get it to behave allowing a rare chance for non engineers to see inside.

14/07/2020

Another of the tasks being carried out by our team whilst we are closed is the sorting and cataloguing of a number of models we have inherited over the years for members sadly no longer with us.

One such item is this small layout of Bury Corporation Tram shed built by the late Eric Hall which comes complete with 5 different Bury trams. After some renovation work we hope to use this as a small demonstration layout for attending exhibitions and shows to promote the tramway.

13/07/2020

This Wednesday, our team will be completing some groundwork outside Lakeside depot.
We are looking to Borrow/Hire a mini digger for the day.

Would any local companies be able to help us with this?
Or can anyone recommend any local companies that can provide a Mini digger.

13/07/2020

A view not often seen of our Lakeside depot.

Standing at the rear door of Lakeside depot at the start of the day this view wasn't possible but thanks to the extreme efforts of our volunteers the pile of stored equipment that was in the immediate foreground has been cleared and organised. Four further sleepers have been laid along with two lengths of rail & road one of Lakeside depot appears complete.

10/07/2020

Heaton Park Tramway's cover photo

06/07/2020

One of the tasks the team are progressing during our non operating period is the concreting of Lakeside depot floor.

For a long time we've wanted to make it safer to walk in the operating areas of the shed and also to erect some pallet racking and general storage racking to better organise storage in here and allow items from Middleton Road to be stored in here to make the workshop more practical.

If anyone can help out with organisations that may be able to provide free/cheap building materials or anyone who may have some racking available please send us a message or email [email protected]

04/07/2020

July update

We're pleased to say our volunteers have now been able to return to work at the tramway after 3 long months.

At the moment their are no plans to recommence public tramway operations as due to the tramway having been mothballed for 3 months we have much work to do to bring our infrastructure, vehicles and crews back to operating standards.

We will of course keep you up to date with all the work we are carrying out through this page as we progress towards reopening. .

03/07/2020

Text to Donate!

We are delighted to announce our new text donation system in partnership with DONR.

We currently have 2 dedicated campaigns for our Greater Manchester area trams & also our Blackpool Trams with one further campaign to follow.

Although the tramway had had no issue with day to day costs during the recent outbreak our access to many of the funds we use for our restorations and developments will be hit and your donations will be vital in helping us to develop and grow so please do support us.

Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message

02/07/2020

#Throwbackthursday

A tram slightly familiar to us but also looking quite unfamiliar.

Its Stockport 5 outside Hyde Town Hall in the late 1920s but unlike its present day open top condition the tram is seen here with a top cover and a balcony.

If you would like to purchase a miniature Stockport destination blind, visit https://buff.ly/3g9X13z

01/07/2020

#workshopwednesday

Another location used for the restoration of our and in this case other vehicles was Smithils in Bolton.

This particular project was Manchester 173 and it was in good company as many TMS vehicles were also restored in this location.

30/06/2020

Thank You!

To Pod-Trak, although that doesn't really seem like enough.

Yet again our friends at Pod-Trak Ltd have been to our aid with all damage done caused by the falling tree branch on Saturday now repaired

We are incredibly grateful for their assistance and look forward to thanking them properly at some point in the future

30/06/2020

This weekend has been a bit of a challenge for us.

During Saturday's bad weather a branch came loose form one of the trees on our hill track, as it fell it hit the overhead on its way to the ground.

The overhead stayed strong with no damage done, however force of the impact to it bent one of the bracket arms and damaged another.

25/06/2020

#throwbackthursday

This week we're outside Belle Vue Zoological gardens with Manchester California car 841 pictured.

Belle Vue of course was one of the most famous destinations on the 53 route these trams worked & still features on our own preserved Manchester California Car 765.

If you would like to purchase one of our replica miniature destination blinds containing the Belle Vue destination please visit https://buff.ly/2YrjKCl

24/06/2020

#workshopwednesday

With all the external workshops used by us over the years you could be forgiven for asking if we ever use our own.

We can assure you we do and just to prove it, here's Hull 96 in 2008 receiving attention to damaged timbers whilst its motors were away for overhaul, 96 later re-entered service as Leeds 6.

22/06/2020

#HPT40

173 wasn't the last Manchester Tram to be rescued for preservation by the society, in late 1981 the society were contacted about tram body that would be available for preservation.

This was Manchester horse tram L53 formerly used as a chip shop dining room and latterly a hairdressing salon but now surplus to requirements, unlike many over tram bodies though this tram was still sat on its truck.

The body could be made available to the society for free, the only catch being the building around it had to be dismantled and a new fence erected. Therefore on October 24th 1982 a working group arrived on site and by the end of the day all that remained was a large pile of tangled wreckage with further progress made the next day.

Then on Friday November 20th with the assistance of GMT and a very large crane the tram was removed and taken on its first journey in 80 years arriving at Heaton Park at 16.00 that afternoon.

19/06/2020

Our popular miniature destination blinds are back in stock!

This high quality replicas are produced to a high standard by Replica Blinds by PWC

We have Manchester 765, Stockport 5 and a range of Blackpool Blinds

Why not visit our shop and check out both these and our selection of books by clicking the link https://buff.ly/2XwHu6c

Keep an eye on our range over the next few weeks as well as we look to add more to our range

18/06/2020

#Throwbackthursday

This weeks image is taken in Heywood against the imposing site of St Lukes Church with a Manchester tram on the 17A route approaching along the A6046.

Although much has changed in this location today, the road layout and the church still make it very recognisable

17/06/2020

#Workshopwednesday

Although not technically a workshop used by the MTMS another location used for restoration of one of the trams now in our care was Steamport in Southport.

It was here that a lot of the restoration work on Stockport 5 was carried out by the group known as the friends of 5 before the trams move to Mode Wheel.

The eagle eyed amongst you may even notice another tram behind.

16/06/2020

#HPT40

Of course it wasn't the intention of the society to operate the tramway with just one Manchester tram & one loan tram, therefore when the body of another Manchester Tram was found in nearby Alkrington in 1976 the opportunity to save it for preservation was jumped at.

This of course is the tram we now know as Manchester 173

15/06/2020

Out now at a mailbox near you!

Our new society journal containing not just one but two pieces of exclusive information has started to be received by our members today.

How do I get one? I hear you ask well its easy, click the link below and sign up as a member.

https://buff.ly/2UKXn8F

15/06/2020

#HPT40

Although 765 is the tram most associated with Heaton Park it wasn't actually the first to arrive.

That honour went to Blackpool & Fleetwood Box 40 which arrived at the tramway on Thursday 3rd May 1979 coming to us direct from the National Tramway Museums Clay Cross Store.

Unlike 765 though Box 40 went straight into the workshop to start its overhaul to operational condition.

12/06/2020

Heaton Park Scenes (1950s)

Our friends at the North West Film Archive have been posting a film a day.

Todays footage is a nostalgic look back at Heaton Park in the 1950's.

Enjoy!

Footage appears courtesy of the North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Scenes in Heaton Park, Manchester in the 1950s featuring sisters Judith and Vanessa Moss. Extract taken from: NWFA Film No. 6851 [Birthday Girls, Park and Garden,…

11/06/2020

#throwbackthursday

This week we have moved out of the city centre and towards Blackley in North Manchester

This particular view showing Manchester Tram 975 one of Manchester's Enclosed Double decker's built in 1924 passing the Blackley office.

Although the trams are no longer with us, most of the buildings in this shot are making the location easily recognisible

10/06/2020

#workshopwednesday

Our trams have been stored, restored & overhauled in a variety of locations, which we've been featuring in the last few weeks.

One of these locations not yet featured is the former parcels dept of Manchester Corporation at Bennett street.

Here we see Leeds 6 now better known as Hull 96 in June 1985 receiving some attention before heading to the Mode wheel workshops in Salford.

Image courtesy of Keith Chadbourne

09/06/2020

Books – Heaton Park Tramway

SALE!!!!!!

That right our online shop over at https://buff.ly/3h2D3sV is having a 20% off sale.

So if you'd like any of the below books with 20% off and the satisfaction of supporting the tramway at the same time head over to our shop using the link above and enter the code BOOK20 on checkout.

Public Transport in Ashton-Under-Lyne
Manchester Pilcher Pullman Cars
Greater Manchester Trolleybuses
Manchester Tramways
Rochdale's Tramways
Tramways In Stockport
Colour of Lancashire

08/06/2020

The 765 Story Part 16

After two successful operating seasons and some minor attention over winter 765's time at Crich was over.

At 11.12 on Saturday 5th May 1979 the Ex RAF Elliot's Low Loader turned into the park from Middleton Road.

On this day history would be made, due to the presence of a large 70 volt traction battery and a long lead once 765 was resting on tracks Manchester tramways came to life again when for the first time in 30 years a Manchester tram ran on Manchester tracks again.

And with that our 765 series catches back up with the history of the tramway itself again so although 765's story is far from over we will merge it back into the story of the tramway.

05/06/2020

BBC LNW 05/06/81 [Item 9]

On the 6th June 1901 the Manchester Corporation tramways system opened for service.

80 years later in 1981 the BBC's Look North West Program visited the Heaton Park Tramway to report on it.

https://buff.ly/2XZqBBn

Video appears courtesy of our friends the North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University

Item from BBC Look North West 05/06/81. Paul Campbell, snf, reporting on the planned parade of old buses leaving Albert Square in Manchester on June 6th to celebrate…

04/06/2020

#throwbackthursday

For todays throwback Thursday we see another classic shot of Manchester City centre with Manchester car 440 in shot against the gloomy background of the now long gone Exchange Station with the Cathedral just out of shot on the right hand side of the picture.

Where shall we go and feature next week, let us know in the comments and we will delve into the archive to see what we can find.

03/06/2020

Just a reminder that our latest society magazine is now at the printers with some exciting not yet released info for our members.

If you want to become a member and receive a copy for yourself why not sign up today by clicking the link.

http://hptramway.co.uk/come-and-join-us/

Or if you want a physical form, just e-mail [email protected]

It's just £15 a year for adults and £7 for children and you get 3-4 publications a year, free tram travel (when we're open of course) and the satisfaction of knowing that you're helping us in our goals.

03/06/2020

#workshopwednesday

This weeks image isn't our workshop or indeed the premises at Mode Wheel and probably made you do a double take.

Yes that is our very own 1901 built Hull 96 at Metrolink's Queens road depot alongside T68 1003 built in 1992 and the Metrolink SPV.

Hull 96 briefly visited Queens Road in 1994 in order to have its wheels reprofiled on the lathe there.

Can anyone name another museum tram to have visited Queens Road for the same reason though?

Picture courtesy of Steve Hyde

02/06/2020

The 765 Story Part 15

After much hard work in the TMS workshops to fit brake rigging, missing brass hand rails, stanchions, swan necked light fittings, testing of electrical equipment, and completion of the lining and decorating of the ceiling panels the time had finally arrived.

On the 30th April 1977 765 became the first Manchester tram in 28 years to carry passengers and complete a truly incredible turnaround in the fortunes of the tram.

Pictured as present on that historic occasion were a mix of TMS & MTMS members, Cliff Taylor, Ian Yearsley, John Senior, Carolyn Senior, Mark Senior, Geoff Senior, Geoff Hyde, Steve Hyde, John Miller, David Tudor, Jim Lloyd, David Hadfield, Bert Matthews, Tony Bacon, Merlyn Bacon, David Tudor, Maurice Marshall, Dick Fairbairn, Phillip Groves, Keith Pearson and Una Hyde.

Not present in the picture but another key name in the restoration of 765 is Arthur Kirby one of very few of the original sponsors of the project still with us today.