Crich Tramway Village temporarily closed for safety

The safety issue means the vintage trams cannot be moved from the depots and visitors cannot enter these areas

A national museum which celebrates Britain's vintage trams has been temporarily shut for safety reasons.

An inspection of the National Tramway Museum in Derbyshire on Tuesday found problems with the depot fan and the museum's main street.

This means the vehicles cannot be moved in or out of the depots and visitors cannot enter these areas.

Mike Galer, manger of the site, said the closure was "deeply regrettable and frustrating for all concerned".

Operators said the decision was deeply frustrating

The management team of the site, which operates as Crich Tramway Village, said they were liaising with contractors about a timescale for the structural maintenance.

The safety concerns, found by the Office of Rail and Road inspectors, also mean the exhibition hall, indoor play area, depot and the site's Red Lion pub are inaccessible.

The tramway village said its maintenance regime "suffered badly during the pandemic"

Dr Galer said: "It is fair to say that our maintenance regime suffered badly during the pandemic and has further not been helped by the contractors we have asked to carry out the work having their own difficulties.

"We take safety very seriously at the museum and have taken the decision that the museum will now be closed to all visitors temporarily, which is deeply regrettable and frustrating for all concerned."