The sun has shone today, with real warmth from it too.  Hopefully this will last over the weekend for all of those visiting our Blackpool Trams themed operation.

Below: We have had some VIPs on site today, part of which required a display of our tramway, partnerships and proposed trolleybus operation.  To facilitate this, Blackpool 167 was posed at Foulbridge and Newcastle 501, our Sunbeam S7 trolleybus was brought out for display too, to give a very good impression of what this operation will look like should we be successful in our aims.  Here is a selection of photographs showing the pair basking in the afternoon sunshine.

Below: The sun also fell nicely on 10 and 280 at rest inside the depot.

Below: In other news, Rambler and the Steam Mule departed for Vince Allen’s workshop where both are to be re-tubed and Rambler to have a new chimney base fitted.  The canopy was removed for overhaul here at Beamish.

Below: We now have a narrow gauge inspection pit, though the rails have been swapped since this view was taken – the rear flange on the tram rail giving a very tight back-t0-back measurement.  Fortunately we had some spare 113lb rail so this has been substituted.

Below: R025’s magneto has been received back from its overhaul – eye wateringly expensive but obviously critical to the successful operation of the rolle.

A great deal of time and effort is now being put into preparations for the Great North Festival of Transport.  With both Dave and John Antell retiring and now one of our other regular hauliers, the logistics for these events have changed somewhat and become even more complicated – we knew we were lucky having Dave with us for up to five weeks at a time, now we really do miss the luxury of having a low-loader on call on site.  I have updated the previous post showing confirmed exhibits, and this will increase over the coming weeks as we process the large amount of paperwork that attends a 12 day festival with as many as 200 exhibitors in action over the period.