Photo: Southport Pier Tram
WATCH: Southport Pier taken away in the hours of darkness
The Southport Pier Tram was removed by contractors in the hours of darkness to avoid protests for Southport residents.
Work started 8pm and finishes shortly after 12:30am this morning, Wednesday 23 March 2016.
Heavy lifting gear was used to remove the tram that has been idle for over a year. An Sefton Council official has said that the tram will be stored in Leyland before it is Sold.
The Tram was first lifted onto the Pier on the 25th July 2005 .
With a £330,000 price tag the vehicle was brand new and was specially made by UK-Loco manufacturer www.uk-loco.com .
In July 2013 the Tram was blamed for structural defects in the Pier and it was stopped running.
During a routine inspection in 2014 contractors identified large vertical cracks in some of the cast iron columns supporting Southport Pier. Capita recommended that we consider the closure of the Pier until a full survey is completed.
Based upon photographs of the cracks that have been examined by my Engineers, we have concluded that the Tram should cease operation immediately until the survey can ascertain the extent of the problem. The Pier will remain open to pedestrians.
Engineers were brought in to fix the problem but in May last year the Tram was withdrawn from service.
Resident Jim Ford, stopped and spoke to OTSNews and offered his thoughts to Sefton Council removing our Tram.
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