THE TRAMS
(Page 3)
Hull 96
(photo S.G.Hyde)
Hull 96 has lead a chequered career since it was built in 1901 by Hurst Nelson. First constructed as an open top double deck car it was subsequently rebuilt with a top cover. It was later rebuilt as a single decker as an experiment in one man operation and gained platform doors. Later rebuilding saw it converted to an engineering car. Following World War II Leeds were short of trams and purchased a number of secondhand cars from Hull to augment their fleet. No. 96 arrived with these cars and became a tool van and rail grinder, in the process acquiring the fleet number 6. In this guise it survived until the abandonment of the trams in Leeds in 1959. Indeed it is reputed to have been the last car to run under its own power after services finished. A local enthusiast bought the car for preservation and it spent the next 30 years in storage before being bought by the MTMS and given an overhaul and repaint into Hull livery for service at Heaton Park whilst other restored cars were in Blackpool. Since 1988 it has become a stalwart and has seen service in both engineering and passenger service guises. It also visited the Metrolink depot at Queens Road in 1994 as an exhibit at an open day. Whilst there its wheels were re-profiled on the modern under floor wheel lathe.
(photo S.G.Hyde)
Hull 96 seen in Queens Road Metrolink Workshop in 1994 during its visit for the Metrolink Open Day and subsequent tyre re-profiling.
(Photo MTMS archive)
An interior shot of Hull 96 in service as the Permanent Way car at Heaton Park during the building of the Boathouse Extension in 1989.
Blackpool & Fleetwood 40 and Blackpool 225
(photo S.G.Hyde)
Blackpool and Fleetwood Box 40
(photo S.G.Hyde)
Blackpool Boat 225
Blackpool and Fleetwood 40 arrived with 765 in 1979 and was restored to operation by members of the MTMS and the Fylde Tramway Society. It returned to Blackpool in 1988 for the centenary celebrations of the Fleetwood Tramroad .
Blackpool 225 is the prototype Boat car and arrived at Heaton Park in 1985 in exchange for 765 which went to Blackpool for the Centenary celebrations. It remained in Manchester for more than 10 years and was a firm favourite with both passengers and crews. Since returning to Blackpool it has undergone major renovation.
MANCHESTER TRANSPORT MUSEUM SOCIETY