A 1920 Nottingham tram, which has been a house for the past 70 years, was craned out of its Lincolnshire site and transported 100 miles by road to its new home in Derbyshire on Saturday 31st March.
Representatives from the Crich Tramway Village discovered the old tram six years ago in Hagworthingham Lincolnshire after a tip-off from the local postman. When the site was sold the new owners contacted the Tramway Museum to see if the tram could be saved.
Glynn Wilton, curator at the National Tramway Museum said, “We are delighted to have found this old Nottingham tram. It will fill an important gap in our collection. We have examples of trams from Derby, Sheffield, Chesterfield and many other towns but not Nottingham. Although the upper deck has gone and it hasn’t moved for over 70 years, the under frame and lower body is in good condition. It has the potential to be returned to running order and join the other trams giving visitors rides through the Tramway Village.
“Our workshops are busy with other restoration projects, but eventually we would like to see the Nottingham tram fully restored. This will take about three years and cost over £300,000 so it will be dependent on finding sponsors.”
The tram was bought by an ex Nottingham tram conductress Mabel Brewin in 1935. She moved to Lincolnshire with her husband where she turned the lower deck of the tram into a home, adding a lean-too extension on the side. The passenger saloon contained a bed and a wardrobe. The far end driver’s platform had a dressing table and on the other platform was a washbasin. Where the passenger entrance would have been was a small lean-too containing a toilet. There was no mains electricity or gas, everything was powered by camping gas bottles.
The Tram House was sold in the 1970s to Ms Ellis who lived there until her death in 2003 aged 93.
The tram was successfully craned off its foundations and lowered onto a low loader for the 100 mile trip to the National Tramway Museum at Crich, where it will be stored until funds can be raised to complete its restoration.
The ‘Tram House’ tram was one of 25 built by English Electric for Nottingham Tramways, which came into service in 1920. Photographic evidence suggests that they mainly operated on the Bulwell to Trent Bridge, Basford to Colwick Road and Carlton Road services. The trams were decommissioned between 1934 and 1936 when tramway operations in Nottingham ceased.
