Final piece of Wisbech to Upwell Tramway project unveiled

The Wisbech to Upwell Tramway memento project, started by Outwell resident Bill Smith and his team of volunteers, is set to unveil its final tribute on November 9.

This marks 58 years since the closure of the tramway in 1966, a casualty of the "Beeching Axe" restructuring of the national railway system.

The unveiling of the final memento will take place at 11am on Elm Road, opposite the fire station, at the point where the tram crossed on its way to the old Wisbech East Station.

Last tribute to Wisbech to Upwell Tramway to be unveiled (Image: Geoff Hasting)

Mr Smith said: “I have been extremely grateful for the support and encouragement I have had from so many people.

“I feel that by ensuring the Wisbech to Upwell Tram story is preserved, it will enhance the area and, collectively, our generation has done something worthwhile for future generations.

"We do not have to imagine what the tramway was like, we can see it.”

The project was mainly funded by private benefactors, with additional contributions from the Parish Councils of Upwell, Outwell and Emneth, Wisbech Town Council, the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, Wisbech Museum, several local businesses, and the Well Creek Trust.

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Throughout its delivery, the tram memento project was supported by The Well Creek Trust and guided by their constitution.

The six mementoes are said to perfectly illustrate the tram's history both graphically and accurately.

The mayor of Wisbech, Cllr Sidney Imafidon, will be present to carry out the unveiling of the final memento.

The year of the tram’s closure, 1966, also saw two other dramatic local changes: the demolition of Outwell's vast 16th-century Beaupre Hall, and the filling in of the 18th-century Wisbech Canal.

These changes, along with the tramway's closure, continue to intrigue new residents of the area.