Today is GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement and day of giving. Every GivingTuesday from 2018 to present, Seashore Trolley Museum has selected one important active fundraising or restoration project to rally our members and supporters to champion. Today we ask you to support Manchester & Nashua No. 38 and make a donation to help us complete this trolley’s much needed restoration work in 2024.
Manchester No. 38 is one of Seashore’s most historically significant transit artifacts. No. 38 was the last trolley to operate under its own power in Manchester, New Hampshire before becoming the first interurban saved in the global trolley preservation movement, led by our organization. No. 38 was the second car to arrive at Seashore, arriving one year after the first trolley ever preserved in the world, Biddeford & Saco No. 31, led the way.
Your contribution will help us complete the following projects on Manchester No. 38 in 2024:
1. Repainting No. 38’s canvas roof
2. Refinishing five upper and four lower window sashes
3. Rebuilding No. 38’s stairwells
4. Touching up the car’s plush green upholstery
5. Touching up the paint on the car’s bumpers and floor
Completion of the restoration work listed above will go a long way in getting this trolley back in operating condition for the museum’s upcoming special events, including the trolley parade during our 85th Anniversary celebration weekend in July 2024.
Please help us raise $10,000 today by making a donation towards these repairs so that Manchester & Nashua No. 38 may rejoin our special operating fleet.
Any amount is appreciated! To support No. 38, please designate your gift to Fund 748.
The Current Condition of Manchester No. 38
Repainting the Roof
This will be one of the first projects we tackle. We believe the canvas is still in workable condition and a fresh coat of paint is all that is needed. Completing this work will not just enhance the car’s appearance. New paint will also help No. 38 defend itself against the Maine elements when the car operates on our heritage railway for members and guests to enjoy.
Refinishing Window Sashes
Five upper sashes and four lower sashes need refinishing work and our volunteers and staff are up for the challenge! This will be our fourth window refinishing project over the past two seasons.
Rebuilding Stairwells & Bumper Refinishing
Manchester 38’s stairwells are either spongy or detaching from the vehicle and they need to be rebuilt. A fresh coat of paint will also be applied to the car’s front and rear bumpers.
The Manchester & Nashua Street Railway began operation in 1907 and acquired No. 38 (originally No. 4) for service between the line’s namesake cities. The car also saw service on the Manchester & Derry Street Railway and the Manchester Street Railway operated the car on its line to Goffstown, NH. The cars on these lines were considered interurban cars as they ran between cities and were fitted with the proper running gear to provide for that type of service. These handsome cars had a beautiful, ornate interior with comfortable plush seating typical of interurban type cars of that era.
In 1910, No. 4 was renumbered to No. 32. In 1924, the car was converted to one-man operation along with getting other modifications. The Manchester Street Railway acquired title to the car in 1932. The Manchester Street Railway’s original No. 38 was wrecked in 1935, and the railway, trying to deflect bad publicity, renumbered car 32 to 38 and claimed the damaged original No. 38 had been repaired. The car operated as No. 38 until the company ended trolley service in 1940. No. 38 was the last car to run in Manchester under its own power.
In 1940, Manchester & Nashua No. 38 become the second electric transit artifact and the first interurban saved in the worldwide electric transit preservation movement by Seashore Trolley Museum. Restoration efforts began in 1962. From this time, No. 38 was converted back to its original two-man configuration, the car’s trucks were extensively rebuilt and the car has undergone a significant cosmetic restoration.
Manchester No. 38 is currently on display for guests to enjoy during our operating season in Riverside Carhouse and is featured during our Christmas Prelude events each December.
To support No. 38, designate your gift to Fund 748.
Donation Incentives
To show our gratitude for your support of our GivingTuesday campaign, we are offering the following donor incentives to those who give today through next Tuesday, December 5, 2023 towards our Manchester 38 restoration project:
Give $25 or more and be entered for a chance to win a $50 Museum Store gift card OR 4 free tickets to attend our second weekend of 2023 Christmas Prelude Trolley Rides!
Give $50 or more and be entered for a chance to win all incentives listed above this one, AND the opportunity to operate the model trains on the Maine Central Model Railroad for 60 minutes in 2024!
Give $100 or more and be entered for a chance to win all incentives listed above this one, AND you will also be entered for a chance to win a free Be A Motorman experience during our 2024 season! Learn how to operate one of our regular fleet trolleys with a skilled instructor during a one-hour class. Also included: Admission for immediate family members, who can ride with you as you operate the trolley! Winners of this incentive must be 18+.
Give $250 or more and be entered for a chance to win all incentives listed above this one, AND you and up to four guests of your choice AUTOMATICALLY WIN a behind-the-scenes, docent-guided tour of Central and Fairview Carhouses, our transit artifact storage carhouses off limits to the general public. This prize also includes the price of museum admission for you and your four guests if you are not already members.
To support No. 38, please designate your gift to Fund 748.
