Explore the Remarkable Story of the Modern British Tramcar
The award-winning National Tramway Museum at Crich is delighted to welcome renowned transport historian and commentator David Leeder as guest speaker for this year’s Annual Geoffrey Claydon Memorial Lecture on Friday 11th September.
The Modern British Tramcar Journey – From Revival to Revolution’ will explore the remarkable story of the modern British tramcar, from the revival of tramways in the late 20th century to the challenges and opportunities facing light rail today.
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David Leeder is a highly respected public speaker and commentator on transport history, with a career spanning passenger transport management and planning since the late 20th century. His extensive experience includes serving as CEO of the largest UK bus network outside London, Chair of the company responsible for building the Midland Metro, and an advisor to government. He was also personally involved in the development of the Midland Metro.
His talk will look back at the first flowering of ‘reborn’ tramway systems in Britain after an absence of around 50 years, including the Tyne and Wear Metro in the 1970s, the Docklands Light Railway in the 1980s and the Midland Metro.
But what can we learn from the journey so far? David will explore some intriguing questions about the development and performance of Britain’s modern tramways, including: Why are UK trams so expensive? Why is tram and light rail patronage such a mixed picture? Have trams and light rail been installed on the right routes?
With decades of first-hand experience in transport planning and management, David’s lecture promises an insightful and thought-provoking look at how Britain’s modern tramways came about, what has worked – and what could be done differently in the future.
The lecture will take place in the National Tramway Museum’s newly refurbished Poulson Room, located above the museum’s Red Lion pub. The pub will be open during the evening, serving drinks and snacks.
Doors open at 6.30pm, with tickets available in advance for £5. Tickets can be booked at bit.ly/ModernTramcarJourney
The Annual Geoffrey Claydon Memorial Lecture celebrates the memory of Geoffrey Claydon, whose contribution to the National Tramway Museum and wider tramway community continues to be remembered.
More here: https://tramway.co.uk/whats-on/modern-british-tramcar-journey/
