Metropolitan (London) 331: A Conductors Perspective

This particular tram has a very interesting history. It runs at the moment in its "as-built" condition, as it appeared in London in 1930. It was built as an experimental tramcar, with a centre entrance to produce rapid loading and unloading of passengers. This, along with two more experimental tramcars, were evaluated and a brand new fleet of 100 Feltham tramcars was built, but with traditional back-platform doors instead of the centre entrance. 331 was relegated to the North London Whetstone-Cricklewood route (even though I twiddled the destination blinds throughout the day and made it go to Tottenham Court Road...) because it could not be fitted with the conduit apparatus required for most of the London routes. So, in August 1936, 331 was sold to Sunderland Corporation Tramways and numbered 100 (hence Beamish's new Balloon car being numbered as Sunderland 101).
Finally rested in 1952 with the closure of the Sunderland tramway. Saved by the Light Railway Transport League, it came to Crich and was shunned as a too-difficult restoration. It was a daunting task, but when the Gateshead Garden festival came along, they wanted local tramcars, so British Steel sponsored the restoration of the tram, and it went and ran in blue and silver British Steel livery. When it returned to Crich, it was very quickly repainted to Metropolitan 331 livery as the British Steel livery was not very popular...
It isn't a hugely popular tram with crews, as it is very hard work for the conductor as he has to deal with the single line staffs. The only reason I could get the short piece of footage I did was because it was the end of the day and both staffs were on, and needed to stay on, the tram so could be left alone. Notice the seats, especially if you travel regularly on the London Underground...

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Autos & Vehicles

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• London
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• Crich
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• Sunderland
• 100
• British
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• Centre
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• Feltham
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