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| Coronation Car 304 | |
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Incorporating the revolutionary 'Vambac' (Variable Automatic Multinotch Braking and Acceleration Control) equipment and rubber sandwiched wheelsets they represented a considerable development of the Blackpool tram. The electrical equipment of this particular car was exhibited at the Festival of Britain in 1951. The bodywork on the trams was built by Charles Roberts, more commonly associated with railway wagons and coaches. During 1953 Blackpool decided to call the new trams 'Coronation' cars, though amongst the platform staff they were often referred to as 'spivs'. Unfortunately the cars were plagued with maintenance problems. The electrical equipment was too complicated and prone to failures and was replaced on a number of cars with controllers from trams scrapped during the 1960s. The bodies were deemed too heavy at 20 tons whilst the rubber sandwiched wheelsets needed additional maintenance and the four motor trucks consumed double the power of other trams in the fleet. Withdrawal of the class started in 1968 with the cars retaining Vambac being the first victims. Car No. 304 (actually renumbered No. 641 in 1968) was taken out of service in October 1970 and was the last Vambac car to operate, though the last Coronations soldiered on until 1975 and even today one car is retained by Blackpool Transport. No. 304 was stored at Blackpool until 1975 when it was moved to the National Tramway Museum store at Clay Cross. Later it moved to Burtonwood after being acquired by the Merseyside Tramcar Preservation Society for use on a possible heritage tramway in Bewsey, Warrington. No progress was made and in 1984 the MTPS decided to concentrate resources on their preserved Liverpool trams and No. 304 passed to the Lancastrian Transport Group.
It was moved to the St.Helens Transport Museum in 1986 and restoration work started in 1993. This involved underframe overhaul, new flooring and a complete rewiring, partly funded by the Fylde Tramway Society. Work stalled following access restrictions at the St. Helens site but in 2002 the tram was selected as a project to feature in Channel 4's
"Salvage
Squad" series. Since 2003 car 304 has operated enthusiast tours and at special events and has even strayed into normal passenger service on two occasions during 2005. During 2007 the car was used on several occasions in normal passenger service by Blackpool Transport following training of further drivers. |
| © Lancastrian Transport Trust - Registered Charity No. 1080404 | ||
