Heaton Park Tramway

About the museum

Heaton Park Tramway was created by the Manchester Transport Museum Society, a charity set up in the early 1960s to preserve documents and objects about public transport in the Manchester region. Its first big project was the restoration of Manchester single-deck California car 765, which was rescued from the moors above Huddersfield and restored at the tramway museum at Crich and in Manchester.

The society wanted to operate the tram in its home city and reopened a former tramway siding in Heaton Park that had been laid in 1903 to bring Sunday School parties to the park, and that lay hidden under tarmac. By 1979 the old shelter had become a depot, a new siding had been laid and 765 had returned to Manchester. The society and Manchester City Council set up a jointly owned company to run the tramway, and it opened officially at Easter 1980.

The line was extended three times and is now about 0.52 miles long, reaching the boathouse terminus at Lakeside in 2011, when a second depot was built for the growing fleet. The tramway is run entirely by volunteers and operates on the only remaining section of Manchester’s original tramways. The fleet includes Manchester, Blackpool, Hull, Stockport and other trams, and a 1901 Manchester tramcar, number 173, is being restored. Because the electrical substation that powers the line needed an overhaul, the trams have been out of service, with a council funding award intended to allow restart.

Highlights

• Only surviving stretch of Manchester’s original tramways
• Vintage trams from Manchester, Blackpool, Hull and Stockport
• Restoration of 1901 Manchester tramcar 173
• Tram museum displays on Manchester tramway history
• Gift shop with tram models and transport books
• Tram driver experiences when the line runs

Permanent exhibition

• Manchester tramway history displays – Displays on the story of Manchester’s tramways and a collection of vintage trams, with the restoration of 1901 tramcar 173 in progress.

Founded

1979

Operated by

Manchester Transport Museum Society / Manchester Tramway Company

Admission & discounts

The trams are out of service; the museum opens only on advertised open days.

Accessibility

The trams are out of service; the museum opens only on advertised open days.

Kids & families

The trams are out of service; the museum opens only on advertised open days.

Getting there & parking

Heaton Park is next to junction 19 of the M60. The depot is at Middleton Road in the park.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

A gift shop with tram models, gifts and rare transport books opens on open days.

Events & venue rental

The trams are out of service; the museum opens only on advertised open days.

Plan your visit