John Nicholls

See archive section for older pictures of Blackpool 40.

Thursday

I usually work on Mondays and Thursdays so it is most unusual for me to be at Crich on a Thursday. It was a very blustery day so at least one single decker was advisory in case 'deckers had to be banned north of Wakebridge. Fortunately the wind eased and the rain stayed away. The trams in service were B & F 2, Leeds 345 and Leeds 399.
1. Alan James with B & F 2 passing the former Craft Cottage.
2. 399 northbound with Blackpool 167 waiting to cross over following a test run {I think Peter Bird (right) had seen the camera}.
3. 167, driven by Mike Crabtree passing through the depot gates.
4. MET 331 returning to the depot with Peter Bird at the controls.

Half Term pm

Continuing Kieran and Joshua's adventures at the Tramway Museum from the previous post.
5. We had someting to eat and drink in the pub - sausage rolls, crisps and an American soft drink. Grandad had a coffee because he was driving.
6. We went to the children's play area (although Kieran was 21 days too old nobody noticed). Sometimes grandad is a tram conductor so we enjoyed jumping on him.
7 & 8. Next we visited the outdoor playground and had a go on most of the things. Grandad made sure Crich Stand was on the pictures so we would remember where we were. He also threatened to send us home on Doyle's bus if we got mud on our shoes.
Finally we walked along the Woodland Walk, looked at the wood carvings and played in the maize before catching a tram number 345 from Leeds back to the Museum. After another quick visit to the indoor play area, we collected our masks, had one last tram ride, nipped in the Sweet Shop and went home at about 4:00 pm.
A good time was had by all.

Half Term am

It was a nice Autumn day so Kieran and Joshua took their grandfather to the Tramway Museum. They arrived at 11:00 am at about the same time as everyone else.
1. The queue at the entrance looked a bit daunting but it moved along quite quickly and we were soon given our pennies for the tram fare.
2. The tram was number 60 from South Africa and Josh had a front seat to Glory Mine but a back seat on the way back.
3. There was a Halloween mask making stand in the Exhibition Hall and we had just got started when a lady called Cara asked us to have our phtographs taken for the Derbyshire Times.
4. Tram 330 from Sheffield is going to be the special Halloween tram at the weekend but we won't be able to see it because we are going to Ipswich and grandad thinks he is going to London on a steam train? - perhaps he is getting senile.

Downstairs & Upstairs

Top - J'burg 60 and MET 331 provided the service today.
Middle - downstairs on 331 travelling southwards from Wakebridge.
Lower - upstairs on 331 looking northwards at Glory Mine.
I have now scanned some old pictures and intend to publish a few from time to time over the winter months starting on Sunday when Kath and the grand children have gone to Pride Park.

Blackpool Fog

Blackpool and Fleetwood 2 on the main line at about 10:15 am.
The fog lifted later in the morning - Blackpool 40 at about 1:00 pm. 

Sunday

I visited the Museum today on a Sunday which is unusual for me. The trams in service were Blackpool & Fleetwood 2, Paisley 68 and Johannesburg 60.
The top picture shows a team of volunteers at work enveloping copies of the Society's quarterly magazine - The Journal.
The lower picture shows Liverpool 869 and Glasgow 1297 waiting for their customers for the Ultimate Driving Experiance.
After this picture was taken and posted to the blog site, I learned that 869 was involved in an incident later in the afternoon. It split the points when crossing over at the Depot Entrance and sustained some damage.

Sheffield 74

It was rather foggy at Crich this morning but the sun tried to shine in the afternoon. Sheffield 74 was in service alongside Oporto 273 which developed a fault and was replaced by Glasgow 812.
Sheffield 74 at Glory at about 10:45 am.
An interior view during the afternoon when the fog had lifted.

More rain

London Transport 1622 and Glasgow 812 in the workshop.
The Red Lion in the rain.
Leeds 399 and Blackpool 167 were the service cars today. I hope the weather will be better on Friday when I am scheduled to be a tram conductor. 

Wiring

Mike Smith inspecting the wiring under the south end control panel of Halle 902. Apparently this controls the pilot motor which in turn controls the traction motors (if I've got that wrong no doubt someone will tell me).


 

The Day that The Rains came down

It was showery today with MET 331 and Oporto 273 in service.
273 getting wet.
The rain was so heavy that water was pouring out of both ends of the drain on the side of the Workshop.
Half an hour later the sun was shining at Glory Mine.
John Nicholls chatting to Lawrence Dutton at Town End.


 

There & here

It was a cloudy and cold day at Crich today. Leeds 399 and Johannesburg 60 were in service. It was also nice to see London Transport 1622 on test runs. It sounded good and I am looking forward to a ride.
The pictures complete my Birkenhead series with Liverpool 245 in Birkenhead on Sunday and 869 at Crich today.
Sorry that not everyone liked the bus pictures but at least they were a change from VRs and Leyland Nationals.