Heaton Park Heritage tramway closed after cable theft
- Published
The tram line operates through Heaton Park in north Manchester
A century-old heritage tramway has been closed "indefinitely" after overhead cables were sabotaged.
Manchester's volunteer-run Heaton Park Tramway said wires had been stolen on Tuesday, meaning no electricity could be carried to the depot to power the trams.
Geoff Senior, head of operations at the tramway, described the theft as "devastating".
Greater Manchester Police confirmed an investigation had been launched.
Mr Senior said he had been "blown away" by kind words from well-wishers, money donated and offers of help to repair the tramway.
More than £3,500 has been raised in under 24 hours via a crowd-funding appeal, including donations from as far away as Australia.
The tram line's history dates back to 1903
"If every cloud has a silver lining, the strength of the support has been fantastic," he said.
The tramline is jointly run by charity Manchester Transport Museum Society and Manchester City Council.
The line is part of Manchester's original tram network and began operating in Heaton Park in 1903, after the park was bought by Manchester Corporation.
The park's tram tracks were restored in the 1980s as a heritage route.