Garmendale Engineering Limited, based in Ilkeston, Nottinghamshire, is offering a unique opportunity to see the work they have completed on a vintage tram for Crich Tramway Village at an Open Day on Saturday 18th June 2016 from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm.
London County Council tramcar no.1 (LCC1) has taken giant strides forward since Crich Tramway Village sent it to Garmendale Engineering Ltd. for restoration work on the steel body frame on 12th May 2016.
The history of the tram dates back to initial agreement for construction in 1929 by London County Council Highways Committee. Known as ‘Bluebird’ due to its original blue and ivory livery, the tram was launched in May 1932 and entered public service in June of that year.
Ownership of the tram passed from the L.C.C. to London Transport in 1933, and in 1937 it was repainted to standard London Transport red and cream livery.
It suffered war damage in 1939, after being used as an air-raid shelter and underwent various overhauls and changes of ownership, including operating in Leeds between 1951 and 1957, until finally being gifted to the Tramway Museum Society by London Transport in 1972.
Of specific interest is the design and construction of LCC1, specifically the use of a single piece plywood roof, which has been bent to shape by hydraulics and steam. The design is an early use of the principle of monocoque construction to reduce weight.
The lower saloon roof is not built to traditional design with curved roof sticks and carlines, but with straight steel structures so that the passenger load is restrained, rather than causing bulging of the tramcar sides. It is believed that LCC1 is the oldest surviving vehicle displaying these features.
In 1978, ‘Bluebird’ was given a cosmetic re-paint into London Transport colours and the destination boxes were restored with false blinds. It was used as a display tram until 2014 when it entered Crich Tramway Workshop to commence restoration.
The tram was stripped back to its original steel frame by the Crich Tramway Village Workshop team, but the size and construction method of the body necessitated the need to sub- contract some of the work in order to restore it, as well as find someone who could make new lower deck side panels from a single sheet of steel and have the capability to perform hot riveting to replicate the original method of securing the steel framework.
Rolling Stock Engineer at Crich Tramway Village, Peter Bird, said:
“We have a number of Derbyshire engineering firms sub- contracted to carry out work on different elements of the project, and it is great to be able to find and work with yet another local company who understands our requirements and has the skills to undertake traditional engineering methods.
“Being only a short distance down the road from Crich means we’re on hand if we need to go to discuss various elements of the project, as well as being able to use and support local businesses which maintain traditional engineering skills.
“It has been a challenging couple of years, recording the tramcar in detail and taking it to pieces, but this latest step in the project will set us on the path to reconstructing the tramcar and restoring it back to its original operational condition as London County Council no.1 aka ‘Bluebird”.
News of the movement from Crich to Ilkeston can be seen on Crich Tramway Village’s blog:
http://www.tramway.co.uk/2016/05/12/lcc-1-from-crich-to-ilkeston-in-a-day/ and initial progress at: http://www.tramway.co.uk/2016/05/23/lcc1-progress-up-date/
There will still be further work to do once the tram is returned to Crich by the end of this month, including work on the roof and platform bearers and seat re-upholstery. Restoration completion is planned for 2018.
Laura Waters, Curator at Crich Tramway Village said:
“We’ve spent nearly two years deconstructing LCC 1 and finding out how it was constructed, what modifications were made to it in Leeds, what hidden gems were dropped down the space in between panels, and slowly taking the tramcar back to its skeletal frame.
“The last six months have truly seen some massive steps forward in the project, with the tramcars trucks and motors being worked on, the roof lifted from the steel frame body, and of course the body frame being worked on by Garmendale.
“The open day will be a fantastic opportunity for people to see the work that Garmendale have completed on the tramcar, and we are looking forward to sharing the fascinating history of this beautiful vehicle. We hope many people will take the opportunity to find out more about this sometimes hidden side of the restoration work that we carry out on our tramcars”.
Tasks for the engineers at Garmendale Engineering included having to purpose build a tent to allow shot blasting the stripped body. Because of the 80 year old paint on the tram, a very gentle shot blast method (by hand) was required. Fortunately the team at Garmendale Engineering are all trained and experienced in this work and the result will be a high standard finish.
The step by step progress is chartered on Garmendale’s social media pages: https://www.facebook.com/garmendale/.
Managing Director at Garmendale Engineering Ltd., David Shelmerdine said:
“We were delighted to be appointed to work on the LCC1 Tram from Crich Tramway Village. It’s been a real labour of love for the team and we are very pleased with the work we have completed. Some of the specialist engineering skills we have within the team seem to be becoming more and more rare in the UK and beyond, but at Garmendale, we are proud to be keeping them alive and thriving.
The open day should be a great chance to demonstrate some of these and I’m sure it’ll be great fun for all.”
This is a chance for the public to see the work carried out by Garmendale Engineering Ltd at their premises at Manners Industrial Estate, Ilkeston at the Open Day. There will also be a demonstration of hot riveting and the chance to see Garmendale’s own steam traction engine.
Tickets for the event are limited and cost £3.00 per person, including a bacon sandwich and tea / coffee. Proceeds will go to Crich Tramway Village, which is registered as a national educational charity (no. 313615). Tickets are subject to availability, and can be booked at: http://bit.ly/LCC1-Tram
For further information or queries telephone: Crich Tramway Village on 01773 854321 or Garmendale Engineering Ltd. on 0115 932 7082.
