2011 News
Thursday 25th July - Stockport 5 to operate at Heaton Park
Stockport 5 will be transferring to Heaton Park this week and will operate here for a minimum of 3 years. A special event is being held to commemorate 110 years since Stockport Tramways opened. Details can be found here.
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Monday 11th July - Pete Waterman Officially Opens The New Extension
Following months of hard work, the extension was offically opened today by pop impresario and steam train enthusiast Pete Waterman.
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Tuesday 21st May - Track Completed On The New Extension
The track gang reached the end of the line today as work on the main line was completed. A full photograph record of the extension being built can be seen by clicking here.
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Tuesday 31st May - Heaton Park Tramway Thursday Evening Work Parties
Each Thursday Heaton Park Tramway will be having work parties for cleaning, polishing, tree cutting, gardening and other general tasks. These works parties will be every Thursday evening from 19.00-21.30 and all help of any kind will be greatly appreciated. For details, please ring John Whitehouse on 07840707653.
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Tuesday 10th May - Heaton Park Tramway receives a Red Wheel Plaque
The Transport Trust have honoured our tramway with a Red Wheel to mark its place as a transport heritage site. In 2009 the Transport Trust launched a nationwide programme to mark sites of historical interest with Red Wheel plaques. A major new initiative to commemorate Britain’s rich and globally important legacy in the development of transport, the Red Wheel programme will mark hundreds of sites of special historic interest with a distinctive Red Wheel plaque and will be administered by The Transport Trust, the hub of the transport preservation and restoration movement in Great Britain.
The plaque was unveiled in an offical ceremony.
After which, the Mayor took to the controls of 765.
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Wednesday 4th May - 765 returns to Heaton Park
Following a very successful loan period, Blackpool 31 returned to Beamish on Tuesday 3rd May.
After 31 was unloaded, 765 was quickly loaded up and returned to Manchester the same day.
765 was unloaded the following morning and later that day even ventured onto the extension.
Our current operating fleet - 765 and 7.
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Sunday 24th April - 7 returns to service
7 was unveiled in a special ceremony today.
7 then went to Lakeside where it ran on the new track for the first time.
7 then ran in service with 31 for the rest of the day.
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Tuesday 19th April - 7 nears completion
7 has now had it's controllers and lifeguards painted. The platform gates have also been refitted. A concerted push this week will see the tram approach completion.
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Sunday 17th April - 765 attends the Great North Steam Fair
765 operated on all 4 days of the Great North Steam Fair. Photos from the event can be seen here. 765 is expected to see further use between now and Easter.
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Monday 11th April - 765 goes to Beamish
765 set off for Beamish this morning. It is seen loading up at Blackpool with Balloon 717. (Photo J.Millington)
Arriving at Beamish, 765 was soon unloaded, ready for commissioning tomorrow. (Photo from the Beamish Transport Blog)
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Sunday 10th April - A busy day in the park
Today was a lovely sunny day in the park. 31 operated with a full top deck for most of the day. The tram was very popular with queues forming between trips.
Car 7 received the first coat of red paint today.
Work also continued on the extension.
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Sunday 27th March - 31 on 31
Today we celebrated 31 years of service with a very appropriately numbered tram!
31 was specially decorated for the event.
Car 7 also made an appearance. Painting is progressing steadily on 7. As can be seen from the photograph, we are planning to have headlamps on the front panels.
Spring is here!
The depot display has been refreshed for 2011, some of which is shown above.
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Wednesday 9th February - 7 update
7 has now been treated to a layer of undercoat ahead of it's full repaint.
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Sunday 23rd January - Further work on 7
A dry day allowed work on 7 to continue outside. Further sanding has taken place.
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Sunday 16th January - 619 becomes 7
Work has continued over the winter on giving 619 a new look for 2011. The side railings have been removed for attention. Panelling is now being sanded. 619 is to be renumbered 7 and return in a red livery - a nod to it's former guise as one-man-operated (OMO) 7.
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Monday 10th January - MOM display closes
We are sorry to announce that the Museum of Museums at the Trafford Centre has closed the heritage collections area for building works. MTMS trams 702 and 623 are to be moved to another secure area within the complex and will not be available for public viewing.
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Saturday 1st January - A New Year, A New Tram
Balloon cars 704 and 708 have been transferred between the Heaton Park Tramway and the Lancastrian Transport Trust. This was prompted by a donation from a member of the LTT as 704 is a particular favourite of the LTT member. The donation has allowed the LTT to contribute to Heaton Park’s acquisition and movement costs for both 704 and car 702.
Both trams have been out of service for many years, with 704 last operating in 2003 and 708 last carrying passengers in November 2004. Car 708 will now transfer to the Heaton Park collection whereas 704 is expected to stay in Blackpool.
The MTMS are delighted to be able to assist the LTT in the continued preservation of car 704, as it had originally been acquired as a source of spares. We trust that 704 will now have a much more secure future in its home town and the inital view of the condition of 708 suggests that it will allow the possibility of a second Balloon for long term operation at Heaton Park.
A detailed history of 708 and current photographs can be seen here.