Crich Tramway Village – A Unique Tram Village in Crich

The Crich Tramway Village has the World’s Most Comprehensive Tram Collection:

English Tram - Travel Signposts

Crich (pronounced Cry-ch) is a small Derbyshire village with a population of 2,242.  Crich may well have been just another small English village except that it has one of the most comprehensive collections of trams and tramway history in the world. The Crich Tramway Village is a re-created historic village which is the setting for the National Tramway Museum in Derbyshire.

Crich Tramway Village

Trams were popular in England in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, until the arrival of the motor bus and then cars.  The 1950s saw the beginning of the dismantling of the tramway system and by 1962 only the Blackpool tramway remained. The Crich Tramway Village is a re-creation around a period street, along with restored buildings that have been gathered from all over the country. Crich Village also includes a pub, cafe, a vintage sweetshop and the tram depots. Many signs, ornaments, street names and the like add to the authenticity of the period village.

National Tramway Museum

The National Tramway Museum is located within Crich Tramway Village. The Museum houses one of the most comprehensive collections of trams and tramway history in the world. From the 1899 Douglas Head Marine Drive 1, the oldest trolley-equipped tram at Crich and which ran on the Isle of Man, to the 1899 Chesterfield 8, the last horse trams built for normal passenger service, visitors will be amazed by the Museum’s fleet. And the best part is that visitors are able to ride on the collection of vintage Crich trams. Every few minutes the trams take passengers along the period street, past the historic buildings, and for a ride one mile out into the countryside and back.

Apart from the world-renowned vintage tram fleet, the Tramway Postcard Library has a postcard collection of 11,405 images and the Tramway Photo Library has 19,738 photo images. The Museum runs a range of educational sessions and events for school groups and families. Visitors can enjoy the fascinating exhibitions charting the development of the tram from the early horse-drawn vehicles, through steam powered trams to more modern electric vehicles.

Whether you’re a tram enthusiast, someone keen on transport history or looking for a unique place to visit, there are lots to see and enjoy at the Crich Tramway village.   There are several hotels close to Crich for those who wish to spend a weekend near the Tramway village.

Crich Tramway Village is open 10.30 – 16:00 at weekends until 21 March, then daily 10:00 – 17:30 until the end of October.

Address:
Crich Tramway Village
nr Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 5DP

Map of Crich, Matlock:

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