Coronation 663

In addition to 304 LTT owns a sister Coronation originally numbered 327 and later 663. 327 made its debut in December 1953 - the penultimate to arrive. It was one of the first to be repainted with reduced beading in January 1955. A body overhaul in February 1962 saw the roof top windows panelled over and the body clad in aluminium rather than steel. The car was fitted with overhauled trucks and then repainted into the simplified livery.

The VAMBAC electrical equipment was considered to be too complicated and expensive to maintain and so in 1964 one of the class was fitted with traditional series/parallel ‘Z-type’ controllers from a scrapped Railcoach. This was considered a success and further Coronation cars were modified.
327 received a repaint into half green and half cream took place in July 1966 and at the end of the season the car had its VAMBAC stripped out after the 1966 season had come to a close and re-entered service in January 1967 with ‘Z-type’ controllers from a scrapped Railcoach. In 1968, No. 327 was renumbered 663 as part of the general renumbering of the tram fleet to avoid duplication of numbers with the buses.

Thirteen Coronations were refitted with Z type controllers but reduced patronage on the tramway required a reduction in the tram fleet. Although the youngest trams in the fleet, the Coronations were considered to be the most expensive to operate and so withdrawal of the class began. Cars retaining VAMBAC were the first casualties. The Z type cars were gradually thinned down until by 1974 only 5 cars (655, 660-663) remained. 663 last ran in November 1974 and the rest were withdrawn at the end of the illuminations.

No. 660 was retained by Blackpool Transport whilst No. 663 was purchased for private preservation by enthusiast Graham Oliver. After residence at Lytham Motive Power Museum and later Steamport Transport Museum, Southport, No. 663 was acquired by the West Yorkshire Transport Museum intended for operation at a museum in Low Moor, Bradford.

Although the museum, known as Transperience, opened to the public in the 1990s, it soon closed and the collection was dispersed. No. 663 passed into private preservation once again. Temporary residence at St. Helens Transport Museum (rejoining sister car No. 304) was secured but the tram later moved closer to the owner’s home in Richmond. In February 2002, No. 663 was offered to the LTT collection free of charge after its owner decided to dispose of the car.

Storage of the tram at Richmond continued until April 2003 when 663 returned to Blackpool after an absence of 27 years - it departed in August 1976. It is also the first time since 1976 that there has been three surviving Coronation cars in the resort. No restoration plans are currently envisaged for 663 and it remains in store.