Open Boat 605 is to travel north to Beamish on a two year loan agreement and sponsorship from British Trams Online. After several weeks of discussions, 605 will depart from Blackpool on Wednesday 29th February and will be prepared for operation as one of the exhibit's for the Great North Steam Fair (12-15 April). After this event, 605 will be repainted in original livery style, funded by British Trams online, ready for regular operation on the busy Beamish tramway during the summer months.605 was withdrawn from service in October 2009 and has been stored ever since at Rigby Road. The loan agreement will allow 605 to join sister LTT tram, Balloon 703 which is operating in the guise of Sunderland 101, and the LTT Trustees welcomed the opportunity to see 605 back in operation at no cost to the Trust. British Trams Online is thanked for contributing towards this exciting development and we feel sure that 605 will be another welcome addition to the Beamish tramway.
Paul Jarman, the Keeper of Transport at Beamish, says: “I am delighted that we have been able to further develop our relationship with the Lancastrian Transport Trust and that they are entrusting us with another of their priceless tramcars. The aim will be to commission it into service for Easter and run it for the holiday period, culminating in our four day ‘Great North Steam Fair’. With a new outlook on future developments, 605 will fit right in and hopefully become as popular with visitors and staff as Blackpool 703/Sunderland 101 has become.”
