New Members' Day 4

Finally, Brian Longworth, Board Member responsible for membership, both welcomed the new members in the morning and summed up at tea time whilst I nipped off home to publish these pictures.

New Members' Day 3

1. Ruth Barber describing the role of Museum Guides.
2. Not being a gardening enthusiast, I learned quite a lot from Ian Musgrove's talk.
3. Richard Robson, left, Duty Engineer.
4. Accomodation for members is available at very reasonable prices in Field Cottage.

New Members' Day 2

1. Nick Sturgess (red shirt) and Charlie Watson (green uniform) talking about Special Events.
2. Chris Gent showing a scanned image of Crich Mineral Railway.
3 & 4. Peter Whiteley explaining how the trams are kept clean.

New Members' Day 1

Each year new members of the Tramway Museum Society are invited to an open day to show them the workings of the Museum and to encourage them to participate in the Society's activities. I attended today to take some photographs and write a short article for the Society's quarterly Journal. Despite having first joined the Society in 1959, I found it a very interesting day.
The Journal will be published four week's from today but in the meantime here are some pictures.
1. Glynn Wilton, Curator, with Japanese style white gloves describing some entries in a punishment book of 1906.
2. Over lunch, the role of volunteers in assisting the Catering Department was explained.
3. Martin Gurr, in white shirt and tie, describing the work of the Operations Department.
4. Ian Rigg explaining the controls of Glasgow 812.
5. Jack Gordon driving 812. (This picture was added after Jack's comment below)

Wetherspoons 2 - trentbarton 2

Wetherspoons and trentbarton have two things in common: pictures of trams and WiFi.
1. This is the interior of an Optare Solo in Heanor with a picture of a Notts & Derby tram in Heanor on the rear panel. Wetherspoon's Red Lion also has a tram picture.
2. Both offer free WiFi. The top picture was added in The Babbington Arms in Derby and this one shows this blog on a Red Arrow bus on the A52 somewhere between Derby and Nottingham.
Tomorrow is New Members Day at the Museum.

Today's trams and a bus

Another grey but fine day, with a three tram service.
1. Glasgow 22 passes a Scottish bus which may well have run in Glasgow. However, Wikipedia tells me that the Alexander Y type body was introduced in 1963 - just a year too late.
2. Leeds 399.
3. Blackpool & Fleetwood 2.

Cardiff 131

1. Work continues on applying undercoats for the paint work and rubbing them down for a smooth finish. Nowadays power tools are used but 40 years ago we did it by hand - wet flatting!
2 - 4. The trolley pole is being wrapped with fibre glass material and resin which adds to the structural strength. Cotton cloth and tar would have been used when 131 was built.

Riding on top of The Car

Now for something new! Video!!
Look carefully at the tram as it passes.
Can you see the passenger? Yes there is a pidgeon riding on the roof.
Thanks to Glynn Wilton for this clip.

Extravaganza 4

1. Sales stands.
2. Model buses. These are all Midland Red buses, which fascinated me. On the top row are the immediate pre and post war single deckers I used to see in Rugby in 1951-2. On the second row there is an S15 - the same type as I saw at Sandtoft a few weeks ago.
3. TMS President Richard Clarke talking to tram Conductor, Charlie Watson.
4. Just before I left, Blackpool 40 dewired on leaving Town End.

Extravaganza 3

1. Scale model traction engine, other vehicles full size.
2. Paisley 68 passing a couple of farm tractors.
3. My father had a Fordson tractor similar to this one but it was painted green. The larger Fordson Majors were painted blue.
4. Almex Model A and a Setright Speed.

Extravaganza 2

1. I travlled from Wakebridge to Glory Mine on Glasgow 22 which was paired with Jo'burg 60.
2. Blackpool & Fleetwood 2 arriving at Wakebridge.
3. I was pleased to see Liverpool 869 in service.
4. I rode from Wakebridge to Bandstand on 869.

Extravaganza 1

I squeezed a visit to the Museum this afternoon between other commitments arriving at about 1:00 pm and leaving just before 4:00 pm.
I saw the following trams in service: Blackpool 2 & 40, Glasgow 22, Jo'burg 60, Leeds 345, Liverpool 869, Paisley 68 and Sheffield 74. Berlin 3006 was on its way from the depot to Town End when I left so it is likely to have operated a service journey.
1. I went in through the public entrance.
2. Swing boats.
3. Machinery.
4. I walked to Wakbridge where Paisley 68 was waiting.

Crich Stand 1900

Here is a picture of Crich Stand in 1900. It was taken in Wetherspoons in Alfreton today.
At the request of the Board of Management of the Tramway Museum Society, I have made it clear that this a is a personal blog and in no way an 'Official Site'. In return I now ask that the aforesaid Board stop telling me what I can and cannot publish on my own personal Blog Site.
They well know that if I make a mistake or go over the top in my comments, I will make changes very quickly, provided I receive a polite request and a credible reason.
If you don't like this blog or my attitude to the challenges facing the National Tramway Museum don't read this blog.