A Century In The Making – The Grand Unveiling of the Restored ‘Bluebird’ Tram at Crich Tramway Village”

There was quite a hush  as the doors to the conservation shed were slid open at an event for special guests and Tramway Museum Society (TMS) members on Friday 13th September 2024 at Crich Tramway Village.  Ten years of hard work was about to be revealed. It’s amazing how nostalgia sparks such interest in a fast modern world where technology causes us to rush about, and yet here is a form of transport with a maximum speed of 30 mph and creditable acceleration rate of 3.5 feet per second crammed full of people excited to share in its 100 year history. 

Twelve years ago a budget was predicted as the cost of restoring London County Council (LCC) No. 1 tramcar ‘Bluebird’. As she rolled out fully restored the budget had been exceeded by only 3%.  If only other projects around the country came in at that sort of price HS2 would have reached Carlisle by now! A testimony I feel, to true forecasting and those who work hard to keep tight reign on a budget knowing that exceeding it would result in an unfinished project.  No corners have been cut. Skill, graft and careful sourcing of materials plus a workforce dedicated to the cause resulted in the tramcar gracing the tracks ready for all to enjoy at Crich tramway museum. With opening speeches singing the praises of all concerned and a handing over of the key ceremony complete, it was time for all to enjoy a ride. The quality workmanship was immediately visible with the shiny new paintwork and plush upholstery. The ride afforded great views of the surrounding countryside from angles not always appreciated by car. When we hit the end of the tracks it was time to turn round and face the other way for the return journey. We turned, not the tram!  Up we jumped pulled the back of our seat back and sat down again. Simple, no expensive turntable and the driver gets to go to the other end. 

The sunny day made it all the more enjoyable as everyone wandered around in and out of the museum, jumping on another tram for a trip or having a drink and a spot of lunch at the Red Lion. Whilst having  lunch I managed to get a chat with 87 year old Eric Smith, a born traveller who goes to Brussels three times a year even though wheelchair bound and  who had travelled from Leeds for the day to enjoy the experience of riding on a tramcar that he was privileged to be conductor on  in the early 50’s. He was a lovely man who had thoroughly enjoyed his trip into nostalgia.  

It was a most enjoyable day and, for anyone who hasn’t made it yet, put it on your to do list. 

Now it’s over to the experts to tell you the story of this lovely old tram, here is its story… 

London County Council
No. 1 (aka Bluebird) Launch at Crich Tramway Village.

After ten years and a cost of around £500,000, London County Council (LCC) No. 1 tramcar ‘Bluebird’ was  launched. The restoration of the tram links firmly to the Tramway Museum’s core purposes to “share, inspire and educate through telling the story of tramways.” The tramcar was initially launched in London, on 5 May 1932 and was formally designated as LCC No. 1 entering service one month later, on 10 June 1932. The press reviews heralded “A tramcar revolution” and spoke of “Rolls-Royce” levels of passenger comfort.

One of the most distinctive features of the new tramcar was its striking royal blue and ivory livery, which accentuated its streamlined appearance and set it apart from the rest of the LCC fleet and which led to it acquiring the nickname ‘Bluebird’.

Within five years the tramcar itself had lost its distinctive livery and the days of all tramcars in London were limited following the London Passenger Transport Board’s (LPTB) adoption of a policy of tramway abandonment.

LCC No. 1 was sent to Leeds in June 1951, and entered service as Leeds 301 on 1 December of that year, operating from Chapeltown Depot. It had cost Leeds £500 to buy, with a further £300 being spent on overhaul costs.

According to Eric Smith, the son of Tom Smith who served on the Leeds Transport Committee, Victor Matterface personally negotiated the transfer of LCC No. 1 in lieu of the fire-damaged Feltham tramcars. Had Matterface not intervened and arranged for LCC No. 1 to enjoy a new lease of life in Leeds it may not have survived. Records from London Transport reveal that LCC No. 1 was placed along with 529 other redundant tramcars on a list sent to the scrap trade with a quoted scrap value of £61.

In 1957, 301 departed Leeds and returned to London. In 1959 it was moved from Charlton Works to Clapham and in 1963 moved to the large exhibits section of the Museum of British Transport at Clapham.

 In 1972 London Transport decided to donate the tramcar to the Tramway Museum Society, so in December 1972, LCC No. 1 was transferred to Crich.

London County Council Tramways Trust (LCCTT), a registered Charity whose objective as set out in the Trust Deed is “to educate the public in the history of tramways and the technical details, engineering and performance of such transport” asked the Tramway Museum Society to consider restoring the tramcar to its original condition, focusing on the tramcar’s period of operation from July 1932 – July 1933. They had started fundraising for the restoration, and eventually had raised the money, which the Tramway Museum Society had originally anticipated it would cost to complete.

On Saturday 14 June 2014, after 18 months of preparation, tramcar moves, programming, research, and allocation of resources, London County Council No. 1 made its much-anticipated move into the Conservation Workshop at the National Tramway Museum, and the physical restoration of the tramcar to operational condition officially commenced.

In March 1978, LCC No. 1 was repainted in London Transport livery before being placed on display in the Exhibition Hall at Crich Tramway Village.  While the repaint was conducted, other works were undertaken; various fittings were removed or altered to return the tramcar to a closer representation of its condition while in service in London. 

In May 2017, tests with the renewed pipework took place, and parts of No. 1’s system of pipes and valves had air going through them for the first time in over 60 years. These initial tests with parts of the pipework and valves were undertaken using the Conservation Workshop’s compressed air system. New cabling to the required insulation standards has been installed on all circuits to meet current electrical regulations. The main traction wiring connects the two controllers, the four motors, the four resistance banks and the four track brakes. The tramcar now has thick black wiring throughout.

After eight years of bodywork, mechanical engineering and electrical wiring, in April 2022 a significant milestone was achieved when LCC No. 1 moved under its own electrical power for the first time since 1957. 

Ian Ross, Chairman of the LCCTT, member of the TMS and volunteer in the Workshop at Crich Tramway Village said:  “This tram was first launched in 1932 and was designed to give passengers and tram crews a higher level of comfort, similar to the buses of the time. Bluebird was destined to be a solitary example of what might have been in London’s transport system. “During the project, the engineers at the Museum have dealt with many challenges with patience and ingenuity. The project has been ably assisted by the members of the London County Council Tramways Trust. The Trust has also funded the full cost of the restoration. 

“As a personal comment, I’m always impressed by the skills of the museum team and the result of their efforts.”

During the deconstruction process, items relating to the tramcar’s history and construction were uncovered, telling a more personal story of ‘Bluebird,’ and allowing us glimpses into the lives of the original builders as well as the passengers. The Workshop team and some external contractors have had to undertake a lot of research and in some cases, redraw designs to replicate original aspects of the tramcar, which has involved an immense amount of time, skill and patience.

Curator, at Crich Tramway Village, Kate Watts said:“ After ten years of hard work by our Conservation Workshop team, we’re thrilled to celebrate the return of this magnificent Art Deco tramcar. We hope that our visitors will enjoy riding on ‘Bluebird’ for many years to come.”

Bluebird Reborn is a book which has been produced by the National Tramway Museum and contributors, which charts the full history of the tramcar in detail and is available from the on-site Forge gift shop. 

Karen Rigg, Tramway Museum Society Chairman, said: “We are absolutely thrilled. Having watched the process from the beginning, when the tramcar became a pile of sundry components and parts to the point where we have this beautiful vehicle has been fascinating. Testament goes to all the members of the team in our conservation workshop whose skills have made this possible, and to the LCCTT for raising the funds to make it happen.”