Memory Lane:August Bank Holiday 1988


 * This Memory Lane comes from Christoph Huer at the TMSCrich Forum.

August Bank Holiday 1988

Twenty years ago, to be precise at the end of August 1988, I visited Crich for the first time. I was then 18 years old, still at school and spent a week with friends in Sheffield at the time to explore the tramway systems in the UK. There were only Blackpool, Newcastle, the Docklands Light Railway and Crich.

The first visit to Crich was midweek, if I remember correctly on the Thursday before August Bank Holiday. There someone told me that there would be far more trams in operation on the coming weekend and I returned on the Sunday, I think.

Just imagine what a different place Crich was then by listing the things which were not there is 1988.

The lay-by was just being constructed. Bandstand stop northbound was still right opposite the southbound stop and not on the reservation. There was no shelter either. The exhibition hall was not open. The was no Red Lion or Library extension or workshop gallery. Instead there was a green hut right next to the Tea Rooms on the north side. What was that?

Many of the trams in service then are still regular performers now. But imagine the additions! In 1988 MET 331 was a metal skeleton. 74s lower deck was not even discovered. 3006 was on the wrong side of the Berlin wall and 273 was in Portugal. 399, 869, 7, 1622 and 345 had not been restored. What a difference!

So here are the pictures:



5 was receiving workshop attention. In the background is 331.



A classic picture. 1282 having just arrived at Stephensons Place. Note the points leading to former depot A are still in situ and the lay-by is just receiving the setts.



Sheffield 510 leaving the bandstand stop southbound. Note the Paris bus on the top of the embankment right above the bandstand.



Ouch! The first ride on the open top of a tramcar in my entire life was cut short by the fact that 106 decided to drop and damage its life tray on Glory Mine south points. The passengers are being rescued by 1282. The fourth car (!) in operation on that day was 167.



This is the Bank Holiday weekend and the well known view across the fields when approaching from Whatstandwell. 1282 is only just visible, if you know where to look.



Now here is a surprise! Cars in service were 40, 45, 1282, 106, 812, 167, 602, Leeds 180, Rack 2, 60, 49 and 510 and ... the Steam Loco in steam!



A scene just beyond Bandstand stop. The car park is also used to display vintage buses. I can identify an RM and a Green Line RM but not the others.



One vintage bus was allowed to park in the new lay-by which appears to have been finished just in time for the weekend. No idea about its identity, though.



One of the few cars which were in service then but which have been off the road for a long time is Blackpool 49.



Blackpool 40 was still carring the "Think electric" slogans. Here we see the back of it while it leaves Wakebridge northbound.

--Submitted by  BG 7   on with permission of Christoph.

--Last change  BG 7   13:24, 9 April 2008 (UTC)