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as can be ascertained locally, the approach from AMTUIR appears to have been direct to GCT and as a result when 488 was withdrawn on 7th April 1960, it was put through Coplawhill Car Works and given a through reconditioning and repainting at no cost to AMTUIR.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.