Monday 7 October 2013

143 and 279 return home

The next stage of the merger of the BTS & LTT heritage tram fleets occurred today with Standard 143 and Railcoach 279 returning home to Rigby Road tram depot. 279 was collected by Scotts first, after being reunited with its trucks, with 143 following in the afternoon.
Hopefully, once the new charity is established, both these cars will receive workshop attention to return them both to active service in 2014 - this will be 143's 90th birthday year and the 80th anniversary of the English Electric Railcoach. It will also be 40 years since the last original style Railcoach could be seen in Blackpool, prior to rebuilding into OMO car 11.
279 showing the work in progress to rebuild the tram into its guise as a genuine English Electric Railcoach

143 exiting the LTT's Brinwell Road depot