Crich Tramway Village: National Tramway Museum and Edwardian Street Re-creation

Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire hosts the National Tramway Museum, an Edwardian streetscape with period shops, restored historic trams on a one-mile running line, exhibits and visitor rides

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022 Last updated: April 10, 2026

Crich Tramway Village is an open-air transport museum located in Crich, Derbyshire, England. It houses the National Tramway Museum and recreates a small early-20th-century streetscape. The site is styled to reflect an Edwardian village, with a row of period shops that includes a traditional sweet shop, a café and a gift shop.

Buildings and layout

Several historic structures have been moved to the museum and rebuilt on-site, giving visitors a sense of a streetscape where trams once ran. Among the relocated buildings are the Red Lion pub from Stoke-on-Trent, the Derby Assembly Rooms and the former Burnley Tramways offices. Tram sheds and display areas form the operational centre for the collection.

Track, collection and street fittings

Working tram lines extend for approximately 1 mile (about 1.6 km) from the village, and many restored vehicles operate on this section for public rides. The museum also preserves a large assortment of historic street furniture — such as signs, lamp standards and seats — gathered from around the United Kingdom.

Trams and conservation

Most of the tramcars in the collection previously served on British municipal systems before the widespread closures of the mid-20th century; a number of examples come from overseas.
Many vehicles were rescued after urban tram services ended and have been painstakingly restored to running condition by museum workshops and volunteers.
Visitors can typically ride on restored tramcars, view static displays in the sheds, and learn about tramway technology and local transport history.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is Crich Tramway Village?

A: Crich Tramway Village is an open-air museum of trams and tramways located in Crich, Derbyshire, England. It is the home of the National Tramway Museum.

Q: What can visitors find at the museum?

A: Visitors can find a street with shops such as a sweet shop, café and gift shop, as well as other buildings like the Red Lion Pub from Stoke-on-Trent, Derby Assembly Rooms, Burnley Tramways Offices and tram sheds and displays. There are also tram lines that go out for about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the village and a collection of old street furniture from around the United Kingdom.

Q: Where did most of the trams come from?

A: Most of the trams at Crich were used in cities across the United Kingdom before 1960s. Some are also from other countries.

Q: How were these trams saved?

A: Many of these trams were saved after their respective city's tram services stopped running by being restored to their original condition.

Q: What type of environment has been created at this museum?

A: The museum has been set up to resemble an Edwardian village atmosphere with its shops and buildings which include a pub, assembly rooms and offices.

Q: Are there any activities available for visitors?

A: Yes, visitors can explore all aspects of this open-air museum including taking rides on some of its vintage trams or viewing its collection of old street furniture from around Britain and beyond.