JUNE’S annual Tram Event at Solent Sky will include the marking of major birthdays for two of the tram cars located at the Southampton museum.
Having been completed by Hurst Nelson in 1903, open-top doubledecked Southampton Corporation No. 38 (sister car to No. 45, preserved at Crich Tramway Village) has reached the grand old age of 120, while 2023 is the centenary year for No. 11, built by the Corporation at Portswood. Originally open-topped, all five of its type received a roof which still allowed clearance under the city’s Bargate arch.
The focus of the Southampton Tram Project (STP) is the restoration of both vehicles, with efforts currently concentrated on No. 11, which has had its roof recanvassed and refurbished by the group over the last year.
“We had to cover the wooden tongue and groove part with the sailcloth that we had, which was two pieces, stitched together,” explained project team member Martin Petch. “Because of the dome roof, the material had to be wider due to the extra length.”