[Rich Westman]

This will be interesting, as I usually end up getting into very interesting conversations about this question when working at Crich. The question is...

What is your favourite tram?
And why?

Ok, that's two questions. But who cares? Let's keep this thread full of light-hearted discussion about who likes what, and, as they used to say to me when I was in school, there are no wrong answers! Different people like different trams for different reasons. I know one of my favourites is a bit controversial, so here we go...

My favourite overall is Paisley 68. I've only managed to conduct it a couple of times, as it was off the entire 2010 season and I only qualified in mid-2009. But, I immediately loved it. Some will disagree with this, but compared to 45 it's a lot easier to conduct! Apparently 106 is better, but I missed out on it when it was running last year
My favourite that is running at the moment (figuratively), is Leeds 180. Lovely, plenty of room, fairly smooth, but the bow collector is a bit of a pain.

That's my choices, over to you!

Rich

[Nick]

Intresting question this one Rich....cheers for asking it. I look forward to other people's responses.

Its impossible, and possibly wrong, to single out one particular vehicle and say 'this is my favourite' but there are a few that have such an intresting history they deserve a mention, I'm including the 'new' acquisition B'pool cars in this. If I like them I don't necessarily believe they should be running.

London 1 - Trendsetter, much can be said but the design went further than London to the extent that Liverpool 869 is actully a derivative!
Glasgow 1282 - the last tram to run on a traditional British street tramway (bar Blackpool), and its interior is stunning
Leeds 602 - Technological marvel, well ahead of its time
Sheffield 15 - No other reason really than I find horse cars incredibly intresting
Blackpool 648 - the final traditional tram type to be built in the UK combining contemporary bus technology with new electrics

Nick

[Christoph Heuer]

Hi,

What is your favourite tram?
And why?

it may sound silly to participate in that at my age but yes, I do have a clear favourite: 331. Why? Lovely to drive (you may sit down!) and plenty of space to move as a conductor plus the bonus of straight staircases. Can be a bit of a challenge when it's busy as you have to do the staffs, but because of the doors you can start collecting fares much earlier than on other cars. I like the clear lines of the car.

But, now that you started it, which tram will qualify as the least liked car at Crich? Off the top of my head I can not answer that but I'll think about it.

Regards

Christoph

[Nick]

331 would be so much nicer as Sunderland 100....the Sunderland livery I personally think is an absolutely stunningly attractive colour scheme! The interior is already configured for this with the exception that the driver has a seat and some destination boxes are missing (though the mountings are there!)

[Rich Westman]

First of all, Nick: stop trying to turn this into a debate! It's a bit of fun, and going to be very interesting once more responses come out. Also, does that mean none of the operational fleet of 2010 are in your favourites?
Christoph: it's not silly to have a favourite! 331 is very nice on a quiet day. I'm not the tallest of people so my little legs get a lot of exercise when 331 is busy! Only had it once in 2010 though, and it was the event day straight after Enthusiast's Day!
Oh, and Nick, when you think about changing 331's livery, just remember the British Steel livery...

[Nick]

British Steel was an awful livery....thankfully it didn't last too long before being removed. As much as I hate it it was beneficial in that it got the car paid for and it was in a very sorry state before that.

It would be great as Sunderland 100 though.

[andrewpendleton]

British Steel was an awful livery....thankfully it didn't last too long before being removed. .....

Oh I don't know.....

Think my favourite at the moment has to be Sheffield 74 - quite a lively car if driven properly. In a funny sort of way, the B18 controllers seem to be more positive than a lot of other controllers - despite the fact they're supposed to be more delicate. Enjoyed conducting Blackpool 166 before it was withdrawn, and hoping to be able to drive it this year.

[Nick]

Would be nicer if it was the Great Grimsby 'Charatram'!

[David Holt]

331 wasn't in such a sorry state. It had already been restored mechanically and electrically to prove its viability before the garden festivals were ever thought of, and its bodywork was sound. It's my favourite because it's the biggest tram at Crich, and is very important historically because it represents a pivotal point in UK tramcar evolution, coinciding with the peak of the MET's state-of-the-art technical developments and then leading directly to the Blackpool streamliners and other UK centre entrance cars, including 600 and 602. By comparison, the standard Felthams were a blind alley. There's also 331’s uncanny similarity to the tube cars of the period. Its lineswitch "plop" is nice to hear. It's in the right livery in my opinion. Sunderland ran it with worn-out bolster rollers which caused it wear its flanges rapidly and to derail easily at facing points. It could do with having its auto weak field equipment reinstated for occasional demonstration purposes (though switched out normally). Recreating the interesting auto door control equipment would be good as well, opening the doors as the car slowed to 2mph once they had been “primed” to open, thus helping to minimise stop dwell times. Both of these features are characteristic of the MET's total belief in trams just before London Transport took over and ended it all, leaving us where we are now. I like LCC 1 as well, the “Tramcar of 1932”, for somewhat similar reasons. Oh, and plus it’s a conduit car! I used to like 1115 when it was running because the ride quality was exactly like a proper E1’s. You could shut your eyes and be rolling along the Embankment. Wonderful.

[wimbeuk]

My favourite tram is MBRO 84 + Dundee 21, in other words: a working steam tram. Why: because it's unique, not only in the UK but internationally as well. There are very few examples of a working steam tram in an urban scene. Crich has the possibility to show it. In the electric fleet LUT 159 has always been one of my favourites. However, I also like 331, because it's one of the few examples of a modern British tram, modern at the time it was introduced. 602 was already outdated by the time it took to the streets and certainly not modern as has been suggested. In 1953 the concept of the central entrance car without passenger flow unfit for OMO operation was something of the past. Compair 602 with The Hague 1147 from the same period and you see what I mean. What few people know is that Amsterdam was so impressed by 331 that they nearly ordered a fleet of 50 of such trams for their routes 1 and 2. Unfortunately the depression in the thirties stoppped it. Perhaps this was lucky because after the war Amsterdam was forced to modernise the trams on routes 1 and 2 and became one of the earliest users of articulated trams. Eventually it was these trams that saved the system. Glasgow 1115 is also high on my list, because it's a typical British second generation bogie tram. However, in the present fleet my real favourites are the Blackpool standards. Incredibly simple and reliable trams, easy to maintain and appealing to many. They were excellent in doing the job they were build for. A very interesting tram, potentially valuable to the operational fleet (large capacity OMO) and often overlooked by the enthusiasts is New York 674. Bottom of my list is Leeds 600, a complete waist of money and space to preserve it, followed by Halle 902 and Glasgow 1100.