Blackpool at Beamish

Pantograph 167 arriving at the museum entrance and about to reverse to begin operation on the clockwise circuit

On 1st & 2nd March Beamish museum put on a special weekend entitled "Blackpool at Beamish", where the whole weekend's service would be operated by former Blackpool trams. The undoubted highlight of the weekend would be the two trams on loan from other organisations, Pantograph 167 on loan from Crich, and Railcoach 280 (680) on loan from the Heaton Park Tramway. The other trams in operation throughout the day were Beamish stalwarts Marton Box 31 and Balloon 703 (aka Sunderland 101). Saturday was due to be the better of the two days, but the weather turned out to be rather worse than forecast, with heavily laden skies for much of the day, the sun making ever briefer appearances as the day wore on. Despite the dull weather the four trams were kept very busy with visitors, and as usual the friendly staff at Beamish made the day a most pleasurable experience.

Pantograph 167 and Railcoach 280 in a rare moment of sunshine at the Home Farm and Pit Village tram stop

Balloon 703 (Sunderland 101) loading at the museum entrance, with Railcoach 280 waiting at the anticlockwise stop

Pantograph 167 and Railcoach 280 pass each other at the Pockerley tram stop

Pantograph 167 loading at the Beamish Town tram stop, as Marton Box 31 passes on the anticlockwise circuit