Preserving the Past, Driving the Future: how Heritage Trams Boost Tourism in the UK
English Tourism Week is an annual celebration of the tourism industry, showcasing its importance to local communities and economies. The theme for this year’s campaign is ‘Supporting People and Places to Drive Growth’, highlighting the important role tourism plays in boosting economic prosperity across England.
The awareness week is part of VisitEngland’s mission to endorse the tourism sector through political engagement, ensuring that tourism remains a key focus for government, ministers, MPs and the media.
Within this landscape, UKTram would like to highlight heritage tramways as an important tourism asset, drawing thousands of visitors each year and contributing to local businesses, historic preservation and more sustainable transport.
How heritage tramways drive tourism
Across the country, heritage tramways offer a unique blend of nostalgia, education and scenic travel. These charming vehicles connect people with the past while enhancing the tourism appeal of towns and cities.The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in the UK defines heritage railways as “lines of local interest, museum railways or tourist railways that preserve, re-create or simulate railways of the past; or demonstrate or operate historical or special types of motive power or rolling stock.” This definition underlines the dual role of heritage tramways, not only as functioning transport systems but also as cultural and educational experiences.
The offer of tourist routes served by historic rolling stock falls within urban and heritage tourism, though the two concepts overlap. Urban tourism includes all forms of tourism taking place in cities but can also encompass visits to historical infrastructure and cultural sites within an urban environment.
At the same time, heritage tourism focuses on experiencing a location's cultural legacy and historical value. Heritage tramways sit at the intersection of these two sectors, offering an authentic transport experience while promoting the architectural, social and technological heritage of the regions they serve.
The evolution of public transport
Tramways have played a defining role in the evolution of public transport, yet beyond their practical use, heritage tramways have emerged as a significant asset to the UK’s tourism industry.
Across the country, these tramways serve as living museums, with many operating with original or faithfully restored vehicles, ensuring that both locals and tourists can experience the magic of tram travel as it once was and appreciate the evolving timeline of public transport.
These tramways do not merely exist as a tribute to history but continue to play an active role in the tourism economy, drawing thousands of visitors annually and supporting a range of local businesses.
Tramways and heritage railways from across the UK carry over 13 million passengers yearly, over 560 miles of railway line and contribute £400 million in economic impact. 22,000 volunteers and over 4,000 paid employees keep the UK's heritage railways on track, highlighting railways' significant role through the industrial revolution. (Source: tram.co.uk)
A unique and eco-friendly tourism experience
Heritage tramways are so much more than charming attractions. Their lure is threefold: they offer a unique transport experience and preserve and showcase local history.
Visitors to the UK’s heritage tramways often find themselves stepping back in time, experiencing transport as it was in decades past. These tramways enhance the appeal of destinations by providing an engaging and interactive way to explore their surroundings. Many heritage tramways include museums, guided tours and special events, making them an integral part of the local cultural and historical landscape.
From a practical standpoint, these tramways also offer an eco-friendly way to travel, fitting into the broader vision of sustainable tourism. By providing an alternative to car travel, heritage tramways help reduce congestion and lower carbon footprints, allowing visitors to enjoy a relaxed and scenic journey.
Heritage Tramways across the UK
The UK has twelve heritage tramways, each with a unique story and role in the tourism sector.
Beamish Museum Tramway
Located within the renowned open-air museum in County Durham, Beamish Tramway transports visitors through different time periods, giving them a taste of life in the early 20th century. The museum’s immersive approach to history makes the tramway an integral part of the experience, enhancing the site’s authenticity and visitor appeal.
Black Country Living Museum The Black Country Living Museum is an open-air museum that brings the region’s industrial past to life. The idea for the museum emerged in the late 1960s, during a time of rapid change that saw the closure of the last working coal mine in the area. By 1980, a tramway system was installed to transport visitors around the site, running approximately half a mile to the canal arm. While the trams are not currently running due to redevelopment work at the museum, visitors can still view these historic vehicles as part of the museum’s transport collection.
Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours
Blackpool’s tramway is one of the most famous in the world, having transported passengers along the Fylde Coast since 1885. While Blackpool’s heritage trams are not currently operating, visitors can still explore and appreciate these iconic vehicles through Blackpool Tram Works, the first phase of the town’s heritage tram preservation plan. With the Tramtown development still in its funding and delivery stages, the focus is on ensuring public access to as much of the heritage collection as possible. This interim period allows visitors to experience the uniqueness of Blackpool’s historic trams. It offers a meaningful preview of future heritage operations as work continues to secure funding for their full return to service.
Crich Tramway Village
Set in the picturesque Derbyshire countryside, Crich Tramway Village is home to the National Tramway Museum. The site boasts a recreated period street where visitors can ride historic trams, visit exhibition spaces, and explore an extensive collection of vehicles. The museum offers an immersive experience that showcases the history and development of tramways in the UK and beyond.
East Anglia Transport Museum
Located in Suffolk, this museum features a working tramway as part of its extensive transport collection. Visitors can ride vintage trams alongside trolleybuses and early motor vehicles, making it a must-visit for transport enthusiasts.
Heaton Park Tramway
This tramway is a hidden gem among the UK’s heritage transport attractions in Manchester's Heaton Park. Operated by volunteers, it provides visitors with a chance to ride on restored trams in a beautiful parkland setting, contributing to both historical education and recreational tourism.
Great Orme Tramway
This historic cable-hauled tramway in Llandudno has been operating since 1902, offering breath-taking views as it climbs the Great Orme. It remains one of the town’s most beloved attractions, drawing tourists who want to experience both history and the dramatic landscapes of North Wales.
Manx Electric Railway
The Manx Electric Railway is the longest narrow-gauge vintage railway in the British Isles. Over seventeen miles of line border the coastline between Douglas and Ramsey with all of the original operational trams - the newest dating back as far as 1906. The trams pass through countryside, glens and villages. It is a truly wonderful journey covering a total distance of around 17 miles.
Seaton Tramway
Running through the stunning Axe Valley in Devon, the Seaton Tramway is the world's only 2’9” gauge Tramway. It offers a memorable journey across three miles of wetlands and countryside. The line has become a significant draw for visitors to the area, combining heritage transport with the opportunity to spot local wildlife and appreciate the region's recognised AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.) Vintage trams operate along the beautiful 3-mile route.
Snaefell Mountain Railway
The unique Snaefell Mountain Railway was built in 1895 and is located on the Eastern coast of the Isle of Man. It runs from the town of Laxey to the summit of Snaefell at 2,034 ft (620m) above sea level with its unique dual bow collector arrangement for power collection. The unique Victorian enterprise, around five miles long, is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles.
Summerlee Museum Tramway
Scotland’s only heritage tramway in North Lanarkshire is part of the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life. The tramway offers a glimpse into Scotland’s industrial past, transporting visitors around the museum grounds and connecting them with its wider history.
Volk’s Electric Railway
Brighton's Volk's Electric Railway is the oldest electric railway operating in the world and is a key attraction along the city’s seafront. Its unique history and scenic coastal route make it a favourite among tourists and transport enthusiasts. Link to previous blog
Wirral Transport Museum & Heritage Tramway
The Wirral Transport Museum & Heritage Tramway celebrates Birkenhead’s historic role as the first town in Europe to introduce a street tramway. While trams ceased operation in 1937, they were revived in 1995, offering visitors the chance to ride restored heritage trams from Birkenhead, Liverpool, Wallasey and Lisbon. The museum houses classic buses, motorcycles, vintage cars and a model railway. Currently, the museum and tramway are temporarily closed, as Big Heritage works to secure its future, ensuring this important piece of transport history continues to inspire future generations.
The latest from the HTC
The Heritage Tram Committee (HTC) has been actively supporting and sustaining heritage tramways across the UK, ensuring they remain an integral part of the tourism sector.
Recent progress includes completing the Horse Tram Guidance document, which is now being submitted to the Heritage Railway Association to assist operators in preserving this unique mode of transport.
Meanwhile, discussions continue around legal status and safeguarding measures for young volunteers, with UKTram’s Managing Director, James Hammett, spearheading efforts to revive a long-awaited bill to remove barriers for youth engagement in heritage transport.
Training and safety remain a priority, with the committee seeking funding to support OLE technician training and planning peer audits at Heaton Park Tramway and Beamish Museum to ensure compliance with the latest Safety Management System (SMS) standards.
The committee has also facilitated knowledge-sharing sessions on wheel rail interface, safety management and museum sustainability, alongside a private tour of the London Transport Museum.
Through these initiatives, the HTC continues to endorse heritage tramways, ensuring they remain safe, operational and an enduring part of Britain’s transport legacy.
The future of heritage tramways in tourism
Heritage tramways preserve the craftsmanship and character of historic transport systems, giving passengers a glimpse into the past while enjoying a leisurely journey through some of the UK’s most picturesque landscapes.
While heritage tramways continue to charm and delight, they face challenges such as funding constraints, rising maintenance costs and the need to attract new generations of visitors. Their importance to the tourism industry remains undeniable. Heritage railways and tramways across the country are important tourism destinations, educating and telling the story of Britain’s rail while providing local jobs and volunteer community engagement.
The commitment of volunteers, local councils, and transport heritage groups is essential in maintaining these tramways for future generations. With continued support, heritage tramways will remain a vital part of the UK’s cultural and tourism landscape, providing joy, education and economic benefits for years to come.
For those looking to explore history in motion, a visit to one of the UK’s heritage tramways is an unforgettable experience.