Glasgow Standard Tram

Preserving Glasgow Tram No.488

It's history and restoration progress in the UK

Horse tram services started 19 August 1872
Electric traction from 13 October 1898 until 4 September 1962
Tramway abandonment's started in 1926, with major route closures from 1956 onwards
Trolleybuses introduced 3 April 1949 - Abandoned 27 May 1967


Tour Guide

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Scammell Highwayman XXW907

Scammell Highwayman XXW 907 also made it into preservation

Seen here at the
Great Dorset Steam Fair
on Friday 2nd September 2005




MV Meuse was still trading in 2004 as a general cargo ship but named Pernat and registered in Croatia

Observation and Comment

Eric Fitzpayne, the GCT GM, was very sympathetic to early preservation attempts and gave every assistance possible. As far as can be ascertained locally, the approach from AMTUIR appears to have been direct to GCT and as a result when 488 was withdrawn on 7th April 1960, it was put through Coplawhill Car Works and given a through reconditioning and repainting at no cost to AMTUIR.

It is known that odd bits that were worn were replaced and the result was that when the car emerged it was without doubt the smartest vehicle in the remaining fleet and in the best condition, considering its age at that time as is evident from picture JLS1 shown on this page.

Beyond August 1961, the tram should have been mothballed for a year to form part of the procession of trams on system closure day. Instead it was broken down into three parts to fit into a small general cargo ship [that still ply's to this day] for transportation to France.

Even the haulage of the two principle sections seems to be have been less than sensitive with the destination blind hanging out and the removed front dash components effective thrown into the lower salon. Must have been heartbreaking for paint shop employees to learn about that.

The loading onto the ship was more akin to taking away a scraped vehicle rather than treating the 'old lady' with respect. Well it did make it to the Paris Museum and was indeed reassembled for static display.

Was this historically interesting tram ever appreciated in its new surroundings?  Probably not because it never was displayed to advantage and was less than ten years on public view before being stored in various French locations, eventually being split into two once again for what may have been its slow demise into obscurity. Peter Mitchell, you are a star making it possible to one day ride on this tram again.

Outward Bound - 20th November 1961

Pictures by the late J. L. Stevenson reproduced by the kind permission of Hamish Stevenson

488 at Coplawhill Works
Picture JLS1
Coplawhill Works

488 lower deck in transit
Picture JLS2
Lower deck in transit

488 upper deck in transit
Picture JLS3
Upper deck in transit

488 upper deck in transit
Picture JLS4
Upper deck in transit

488 upper deck \rrives at docks
Picture JLS5
Upper deck arrives at docks

488 Dockside
Picture JLS6
Dockside

488 Lower deck airborne
Picture JLS7
Lower deck airborne

488 Lower deck airborne
Picture JLS8
Lower deck airborne

488 Lower deck airborne
Picture JLS9
Lower deck airborne

488 Lower deck airborne
Picture JLS10
Lower deck airborne

488 Upper deck airborne
Picture JLS11
Upper deck airborne

488 Upper deck airborne
Picture JLS12
Upper deck airborne

488 Upper deck loaded on Meuse
Picture JLS13
Upper deck loaded on Meuse

488 almost on deck for the voyage to France
Picture JLS99
488 almost on deck for the voyage to Franc

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