Standard 143 Update
Following a 6 month cessation of all heritage activities at Rigby Road depot brought about by a complete closure of the heritage works and the furlough of its staff, the engineering team began a phased return from circa September onwards. On our return, a priority target for us was to resolve the issue of the intermittently faulty traction motor on car 143. Prior to lockdown the motor had been sent to CPM Engineering in Manchester, a specialist contractor in rotating electrical machines and they determined that a full rebuild and restoration would be required costing £13,600. Everything then stalled as the country went into lockdown.
As Blackpool Transport had previously undertaken a £23,000 overhaul of the bogies, including a full overhaul and repair of the other motor by CPM as our contribution towards this project some years earlier, we felt we were honour bound to make good the newly failed second motor as part of our ongoing contribution towards the operational re-instatement of this lovely vehicle. CPM were duly contracted to undertake the work and we are awaiting the return of the motor. Once this has been fitted the tram will undergo a period of testing before release into traffic. As yet we can put no timescale on these events.