A replica 1898 Southend pier tram is now on display in the city centre at the top of pier hill by Royal Terrace.
The replica toastrack tram was the centrepiece of a show garden the council submitted to the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Festival last year and proved a real hit with visitors.
Named after Sir David Amess for the flower festival in agreement with Lady Amess, the tram was built by gardener and youth offending officer at the council, Tony Wagstaff, using repurposed materials, and was sponsored by Aspirations Southend, a local charity that helps young people to succeed and achieve their goals.
The tram replaces the beach huts that Tony also made on this site which formed part of a previous show. The tram will be used to highlight the city’s heritage including the pier museum where the original tram can be seen and to promote use of the cliff lift.
Former Southend mayor, Sally Carr, who set up her successful charity, Aspirations Southend, in 2014, said: “I am delighted to see the tram that Aspirations sponsored to exhibit at the Hampton Court Flower Show, is once again on display in Southend for all to see.
“Aspirations is a small Charity that helps young people achieve their dreams and I encourage as many as possible to get in touch with us to find out how we can help them reach their goals.”
Cllr Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for environment, culture and tourism, added: “Thanks again to Sally and her charity for sponsoring the tram last year. It’s lovely to see it on display once again especially after the wonderful craftsmanship and effort that went into the design and build of it.
“Our parks and gardens team will plant flowers around the tram and make it look beautiful in time for Spring and I know residents and visitors will love it when it’s in full bloom. Don’t forget you can also see the full-size real thing at the pier museum - just take the steps down or use the cliff lift to get there."
The Museum will bring back fond memories for some and will be a brand new experience for younger generations. As well as the original 1890s toastrack tram, the museum also houses three original 1940s train carriages, a working signal box, pictorial displays, some original working penny slot machines, and much more.
To find out more about the museum including opening times, visit the website.
Photos are available on our Flickr page.