At the end of the war, London Transport emerged – like the city it served – damaged but undefeated. There had been in terms of destroyed and damaged trams and much of the infrastructure had also been affected. It was not only the physical damage that the German assault had caused but the war had also resulted in the tramway’s life being extended longer than the LPTB had anticipated and there was also a significant backlog of maintenance. Despite the pre-war conversion programme, the London network was still significant, comprising some 102 route miles – 75 per cent conduit – with a fleet of some 900 trams. It was – after Glasgow – still the second largest tramway system in the country.
It’s 1945 and ex-Leyton UDC No 176 heads outbound across Westminster Bridge with a route 31 service whilst a ‘Feltham’ heads south onto the Embankment with a service towards Purley via Croydon. Ian L. Wright/Online Transport Archive
Although there was not as yet any formal conversion programme, the scrapping of surplus trams recommenced in November 1945; by the end of the year, more than 41 ex-LCC ‘E/1’ class cars plus one of the ex-Croydon cars – No 376 – had been disposed off. At this stage, trams were being scrapped at Hampstead depot. The process continued the following year when some 90 ‘E/1s’ were scrapped. In late 1946 a fire at premises adjacent to Hampstead depot resulted in a number of withdrawn trams being damaged. Although the LPTB had intended to sell some of the bodies as bungalows, the fire rendered them suitable only for scrap.
On 17 April 1946, route 42 was extended about quarter of a mile to the Coombe Road crossover; this extension used existing track and was designed to relieve congestion outside the Davis Theatre. Two months later, on 26 June, the all-night services were given route numbers. The most complex of these was route 1, which operated effectively a double figure of eight based on the Elephant & Castle from the Embankment. Other services were 3 (Battersea to Blackfriars), 5 (Downham to Savoy Street via Old Kent Road), 7 (New Cross Gate to Savoy Street, 26 (Clapham Junction to London Bridge) and 35 (Bloomsbury to Highgate).
With the return of peace, thoughts once again turned to the long-term future of public transport in London. The first post-war report issued in 1946 stated ‘The urgent necessity of replacing trams in South London with a more modern and attractive form of transport’; on 15 November 1946 the LPTB announced that this ‘modern and attractive transport’ was to be the diesel bus. However, the conversion was not anticipated to be imminent – largely as the greater priority was in the replacement of life-expired buses, the strengthening of existing services and the introduction of new bus routes – and so Lord Latham announced on 12 January 1948 a programme of some £1 million into the refurbishment of the tramway system. This work included a programme of overhauling the fleet, including, where necessary, the strengthening of bodies as well as the planned relaying of some fifteen miles of track. Amongst improvements to the fleet noted at the time was the appearance of ‘E/1’ No 1397 with flush-sided lowerdeck panelling and the use of skid-head trolleyheads on ex-Croydon Nos 378, 382 and 387. This was said to improve operation and reduce dewirements. Early 1948 also saw a tram featured in the shooting of the film London Belongs to Me starring Richard Attenborough
A wonderful period piece – note the two ‘Diddler’ trolleybuses in the background – sees ‘E/1’ class No 1581 standing at the terminus of route 4 in Wimbledon. This service – to Embankment via Blackfriars – was to be one of those converted to bus operation during Stage 2 of ‘Operation Tramaway’. Geoffrey Ashwell/ Online Transport Archive
On 11 May 1946 a pedestrian warily crosses the road at Vauxhall Cross as ‘E/1’ No 1312 stands behind him on route 24 towards Savoy Street whilst a Victoria-bound ‘Feltham’ is also visible. Geoffrey Ashwell/Online Transport Archive
The next major change for the system was organisational; following the Labour majority in the 1945 election, the nationalisation of major public transport operators was government policy. This was given effect by the Royal Assent 6 August 1947 to the Transport Act. One of the bodies to be nationalised was the LPTB. The new London Transport Executive, a subsidiary of the British Commission, officially took over on 1 January 1948. During 1947, the number of tramcars to be scrapped was reduced to 42; of these all bar two were again ‘E/1s’. The two exceptions were ex-West Ham No 325 and the first ‘Feltham’ to be scrapped post-war (No 2122 in May 1947). The pace of scrapping was further reduced in 1948 when only four trams – all ‘E/1s’ – were dispatched. Following the cessation of scrapping at Hampstead in early 1947, these cars were largely disposed of at Clapham High Street depot.
In a view taken from Thornton Heath depot, one of the ex-Croydon Corporation ‘E/1’- type cars, No 386, heads back to Croydon with a route 42 service. The 42, from Thornton Heath to Croydon, was the preserve of the ex-Croydon cars and was to survive through until Stage 3 of ‘Operation Tramaway’ in April 1951. Geoffrey Ashwell/Online Transport Archive
By the late 1940s the immediate struggles of the post-war recovery were largely behind the LTE and planning for the final conversion of the tramway system could commence. One issue was the disposal of large numbers of trams once withdrawn; in order to progress this, a lease was taken on land on Penhall Road, close to Charlton Works. Work to make the site suitable for scrapping was undertaken and, in July 1950, the first car – ‘E/1’ No 1322 – was disposed off there to test the local reaction.
A scene that could almost be re-enacted today save for the lack of a tram, given the survival of the Southampton Road exit of the Kingsway Subway, sees ‘E/3’ No 1991 heading northwards with route 33 service to Manor House. Geoffrey Ashwell/ Online Transport Archive
One of the major issues facing the planners was the necessity of converting existing depots to accommodate the replacement buses and during 1949, a number of trams were reallocated to permit this work to be undertaken. The first transfer occurred in June to permit work on the conversion of Clapham and Wandsworth; this was followed in November when Telford Avenue lost some trams to Norwood and to Brixton Hill and at the end of December when Purley received trams from Thornton Heath; the last tram to depart from Thornton Heath on 31 December 1949 was – appropriately – ex-Croydon Corporation No 382. Earlier in the year, in July, a temporary bridge complete with tram track was installed over Deptford Creek whilst the original bridge was replaced.
The first reduction in the tram network occurred by accident. On 23 March 1950 Battersea Bridge was hit by the collier John Hopkinson. The bridge was severely damaged and resulted in the curtailment of route 34 from Beaufort Street in Chelsea to the south side of Battersea Bridge. On 3 May 1950 services on route 54 were augmented during the morning and evening peaks between Downham and Catford whilst Sunday services on routes 2 and four were augmented from Sunday 7 May 1950. Two months later, on 5 July 1950, came the announcement that had been feared for some time; Lord Latham, chairman of the LTE, announced that the trams were to be converted to bus operation over an almost three-year period in a programme budgeted to cost some £10 million. The programme – codenamed ‘Operation Tramaway’ – anticipated the conversion in nine stages and included the conversion of seven existing depots, the closure of two others and the construction of two wholly new bus garages along with the purchase of some 1,000 new buses. At this date, the fleet stood at some 830 trams of which 713 were available for service. At 1 January 1951, just after Stage 1 of ‘Operation Tramaway’, the peak hour requirement was some 650 trams; this would be halved by the end of the year.
Wintry conditions are all too evident on the Embankment on 21 February 1948 as one of the ex-Croydon Corporation cars, No 380, stands awaiting departure with a service on route 16 to Croydon and Purley. Geoffrey Ashwell/Online Transport Archive
Although there was no bulk withdrawal of trams until the onset of the final closure programme, a number of trams were withdrawn and scrapped in the period from November 1945 through to December 1949. Prior to the opening of the Tramatorium at Penhall Road, withdrawn trams were generally scrapped at operational depots and this view, taken inside Brixton Hill depot during 1948, sees a number of redundant ‘E/1s’ being disposed of. Geoffrey Ashwell/Online Transport Archive
Although tram conversion was now the avowed policy of the LTE, there was one major event – the 1951 Festival of Britain – that had to be accommodated. This was to see the final significant trackwork undertaken by the LTE as new work was required to see tram routes modified to accommodate the revised traffic arrangements – such as the one way system around County Hall – designed to accommodate the. The newly completed track was brought into use in two stages – on 11 June 1950 (when the first car to use new track at 9.40am was ‘HR/2’ No 1877) and 22 October 1950. But by this date, the first phase of ‘Operation Tramaway’ had been undertaken. During August and September, some 29 ‘Felthams’ were transferred to Penhall Road prior to their being transferred Leeds.
Viewed looking towards the west, work is in progress here on 21 May 1949 in installing the temporary bridge at Deptford Creek. J. Joyce Collection/ Online Transport Archive
Two months later, ‘E/1r’ No 936 is pictured on route 68 to Waterloo at Deptford Creek; this was the first day on which the temporary bridge was used by trams heading in the up direction. J. Joyce Collection/Online Transport Archive
The first post-war closure was caused by an accident. On 23 March 1950, a collier hit Battersea Bridge, resulting in the curtailment of route 34 from Beaufort Street, Chelsea, to the south of the bridge. This view, taken in the aftermath of the accident, shows pedestrian use of the bridge whilst the damage was assessed. Whilst, in theory, the tram service was only suspended, tram operation of route 34 north of the river was never reinstated. Geoffrey Ashwell/Online Transport Archive
The single most significant trackwork project undertaken by the LTE occurred following the passing of the Public Works (Festival of Britain) Act in 1949. The Festival of Britain required the rerouting of trams on the South Bank and this view, taken on 26 August 1950, sees the new track being laid for the junction of Lambeth Palace Road with Stangate. Julian Thompson/ Online Transport Archive
For a period during July 1950 – from the morning of the 14th to the early morning of the 16th – a short section of the Embankment, between Charing Cross Underground station and Horse Guards Avenue was closed to permit the construction of a temporary bridge across the River Thames for pedestrian access to the Festival. This inevitably resulted in dislocation to the tramway services. Most services from Blackfriars terminated and reversed at Savoy Street, although a small number still served Charing Cross and then returned to Savoy Street ‘wrong line’. Services through the Kingsway Subway were also affected; southbound services reversed at the Embankment were forced to twice whilst northbound cars entered the subway again ‘wrong line’ and used the crossover at the southern to gain the northbound line. South of the river, cars on routes 31, 33 and 35 were diverted before regaining their proper routes. West of the blockage, a service between Horse Guards Avenue and Westminster was provided by two of the ex-Walthamstow cars – Nos 2056 and 2060. The blockage was repeated between 19 and 21 August 1950 when the Westminster shuttle was provided by two ‘Felthams, including No 2093.
Work in progress on the reconstruction of the County Hall roundabout, south side, on 5 August 1950 sees the new track being laid in Lambeth Palace Road. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The opening day of the southern half of the County Hall diversion was 22 October 1950 and, on that date, ex-Leyton ‘E/3’ No 170 emerges with an inbound route 16 service towards Embankment over the new curve. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On the first occasion that the Embankment was blocked for the construction of a Bailey bridge across the Thames, two of the ex-Walthamstow cars were employed on a shuttle between Horse Guards Avenue and Westminster. One of the duo was 2056, seen here on 16 July 1950. The two cars operated on separate lines and each ran ‘wrong line’ in one direction. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
No 2093 was one of two ‘Felthams’ employed during the August blockage of the Embankment; is seen here at Charing Cross – with appropriate notices – on 20 August 1950. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
On 12 June 1950, ‘HR/2’ No 1819 is seen on Adlington Street with a route 4 service to Wimbledon via Tooting. In the background is one of London Transport’s utility Guy Arab Is, G42 (GLF692). This bus was new in January 1943 but was destined not to outlive London’s trams by long; it was withdrawn in 1953 and sold to Western Scottish. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
One of the fifty ex-Leyton Corporation ‘E/3’- type cars, No 199, heads along Lambeth Palace Road with a service on the peak hours only route 22 from Savoy Street to Streatham and Tooting on 11 November 1950. By this date, the service had less than two months to operate; it was converted to bus operation in January 1951. John Meredith/ Online Transport Archive
The first stage in ‘Operation Tramaway’ occurred on 30 September/1 October 1950 and involved a number of routes in south-west London – 12, 26, 28, 31, 34 and night service 3 along with trolleybus route 612 – were converted. In order to cover the section of route 26 from Savoy Street to London Bridge, tram service No 72 was extended. The last car to depart from Wandsworth on route 31 was No 195 whilst the last car to Wandsworth on route 12 was No 1959; this car was delayed by eight minutes on departure by official LTE photographers but was able to recoup the lost time by Vauxhall and achieve an early arrival at Battersea due to some spirited driving. Of the trams, affected, thirty-five ‘E/3s’ were transferred for further service from Wandsworth to either New Cross or Telford Avenue, whilst thirty-fve ‘E/1s’ were scrapped at Penhall Road during October, to be followed by a further twenty-six the following month and by ten more in December. The dubious honour of the first tram to be scrapped following Stage 1 was ‘E/1’ No 1656, which last operated on the 28 during Saturday 30 September and was dismantled two days later. The Penhall Road yard anticipated scrapping the trams at a rate of one per day. Of the ‘Felthams’ that had been transferred to Penhall Road, six had migrated north to Leeds by the end of the month.
The first post-war abandonment in London was by accident when, on 23 March 1950, Battersea Bridge was hit by a collier. This resulted in the curtailment of route 34 from Beaufort Street, in Chelsea, to a new terminus south of the river. Here, with barriers preventing traffic crossing the damaged bridge, ‘E/1’ class No 1397 awaits departure from the temporary terminus with a service to Blackfriars. F. E. J. Ward/Online Transport Archive
Although route 34 was predominantly conduit operated over its circuitous route from Blackfriars to Battersea Bridge, short section along Coldharbour Lane was provided with overhead. Pictured at the Gresham Road change pit, a Blackfriars-bound car has just shed its plough whilst the conductor carefully places the trolleypole for the journey along Coldharbour Lane. F.E.J. Ward/Online Transport Archive
Having departed from the terminus at Borough, ex-Leyton UDC No 199 turns right from Southwark Street into Blackfriars Road with a route 26 service towards Clapham Junction on 2 September 1950. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Standing at the York Road terminus of route 31 with northbound departure towards Agricultural Hall on 5 September 1950 is ‘E/3’ class No 1964. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
No 204 picks up passengers on the south side of Vauxhall station with an outbound service to Wandsworth on 17 September 1950. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On 20 September 1950 – just over a week before the conversion of the service – ‘E/1’ No 1766 heads past Lambeth Palace with a route 12 service towards Wandsworth. Ian L. Wright/Online Transport Archive
On 22 September 1950, ex-Leyton UDC No 200 is seen at Bloomsbury on a route 31 service. The 31 – from Wandsworth to Islington Green – was one of three services that operated through the Kingsway Subway post-war but was the only one of the trio to be converted to bus operation in Stage 1. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Numerically the last of the ex-Leyton UDC batch of ‘E/3’ cars – No 210 – stands at the Clapham Junction terminus of route 26 on 25 September 1950 as one of the 1922 batch of ‘E/1s’ – ex-LCC No 1824 – approaches on route 28. Routes 26 and linked Clapham Junction with Borough and Victoria respectively. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Heading towards Blackfriars at Clapham Common on 25 September 1950 with a route 34 service is ‘E/1’ No 598. Although the route had less than a week to survive, No 598 was more fortunate in the short term. It was to survive until 1952, not finally being scrapped at Penhall Road until August of that year. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Another of the ex-Leyton UDC ‘E/3’ cars – No 189 – passes Elephant & Castle Underground station on 27 September with a route 34 service towards Blackfriars. Julian Thompson/ Online Transport Archive
It’s 1 October 1950 – the second day of Stage 1 – and significant numbers of trams are now at Penhall Road awaiting their ultimate fate. Visible in this view are three ‘E/1s’ – Nos 1770, 1170 and 1645 – along with works car No 05. Nos 1170 and 1645 would not see the end of the month, although No 1770 was to last a bit longer, not being scrapped until December 1950. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The next stage of the programme – over the night of 6/7 January 1951 – was more extensive than the first. No fewer than nine routes were affected; these were routes 2, 4, 8, 10 and 20 along with hour services 6, 22 and 24 and all night service 1. Amongst the sections abandoned was that from Tooting to Wimbledon – used by routes 2 and 4 – that represented the final section of the erstwhile LUT system in operation. The last tram to depart Tooting was ‘E/1’ No 1829, which was sponsored by the Balham & District Chamber Commerce. This departed just after midnight. Although the section along Albert Embankment was also at this time, it was retained case it was required for diversionary services during the Festival of Britain. This stage saw Clapham depot lose its final tram allocation. Telford Avenue’s surviving ex-MET ‘Felthams’ were amongst trams transferred to Penhall Road prior to movement to Leeds. Stage 2 saw 101 trams replaced by 117 buses; these conversions left some 82 route and 162½ track miles still operational. All the remaining ‘E/1’ class cars from the 1777-1851 batch, which had been based at Clapham since delivery in 1922, were transferred to New Cross. A total of thirty-one ‘E/1s’ were scrapped at Penhall Road during January 1951, followed by 21 in February and 25 in March.
Route 6 was a peak hours only service linking Southwark Bridge with Tooting via Clapham. On 11 November, ‘E/1’ No 1837 stands awaiting departure from Tooting Broadway with an inbound service as an outbound route 22 car heads to its destination. Route 22 was another peak hours only service that was converted during Stage 2. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
As a passenger looks on, the plough is inserted under a tram (‘E/1’ No 1783) heading towards Wimbledon at the Langley Road, Tooting, change pit on 11 November 1950. Although the bulk of routes 2 and 4 were conduitoperated, the short section from here to Wimbledon was provided with overhead. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Recorded at Streatham Green on 14 October 1950 is ex-Leyton No 209 on a route 20 service from Victoria via Brixton, Streatham and Tooting back to Victoria. Amongst the sections of line completely abandoned in Stage 2 were the links from Streatham to Tooting and from Tooting Broadway to Stockwell, over which routes 10, 20, 22 and 24 operated. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On 11 November 1950, ‘E/1’ No 1832 picks up passengers on Colliers Wood High Street. Services from the Embankment to Wimbledon via Westminster (route 2) and via Blackfriars (route 4) were destined to be converted over the weekend of 6/7 January 1951. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Recorded at the junction of Balham High Road and Balham Park Road with the railway bridge adjacent to Balham station in the background, ‘E/1’ No 1795 heads inbound with a route 4 car from Wimbledon on 11 November 1950. Julian Thompson/ Online Transport Archive
Seen at The Plough, Clapham, viewed looking north, on 11 November 1950, ‘E/1’ No 1822 is heading towards Balham with a special, having just passed Clapham depot. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Heading past St Anselm’s church, Upper Tooting, at the junction with Trinity Road, ex-Leyton UDC ‘E/3’ No 163 heads outbound on 12 November 1950 with a route 8 service towards Tooting and Streatham. Stage 2 of the conversion programme resulted in the abandonment of the track from the Oval via Balham and Tooting to Wimbledon and Streatham. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Passing over the track in New Council Street outside County Hall – which had been installed earlier in the year in connection with the diversions associated with the Festival of Britain – ‘E/1’ No 1782 heads outbound on a route 2 service towards Wimbledon on 18 November 1950. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Viewed looking north on Merton Road, Wimbledon, ‘E/1’ No 1809 turns from The Broadway inbound with a service towards the Embankment via Blackfriars. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Outside South Wimbledon station, on 18 November 1950, ‘E/1’ No 1836 has turned from Merton High Street into Merton Road with a route 2 service towards Wimbledon. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Route 22 from Savoy Street to Streatham and Tooting was a peak hours only service. Here, on 18 November 1950, ex-Leyton UDC No 171 is recorded with an outbound service as passengers board from the passenger shelter at Westminster. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On 19 November 1950, two ‘E/1s’ Nos 1838 and 1841, are prepared for their next departures to the Embankment via routes 4 and 2 respectively from the terminus in Wimbledon. No 1841 is the more recent arrival and the conductor is about to swing the trolleypole ready for the return trip. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Taking place on 7/8 April 1951, Stage 3 was to see only three routes converted – the 16, 18 and 42 – but was to witness the final conversion of the erstwhile Croydon Corporation network. Routes 16 and 18 required at peak hours the operation of some eighty trams and had represented the final services operated by the ‘Felthams’; all of the surviving cars of this type were withdrawn and moved to Penhall Road prior to their transfer to Leeds. One unusual event of the two days was the use of ex-MET ‘Feltham’ No 2079 – specially retrieved from Penhall Road for the purpose – on an enthusiasts’ tour on 7 April. Amongst the sections visited during the tour was the section along Albert Embankment that had been retained for diversionary use following Stage 2. Another casualty of this stage was No 1; this had been used for another tour on the 7th, but was thereafter transferred to Penhall Road prior to movement to Leeds (in place of the two destroyed ‘Felthams’ Nos 2144/62). Three depots were to cease accommodating trams following this stage. Brixton Hill, which had taken on some of Telford Avenue’s duties whilst the latter was modified for bus operation, was destined to close completely as was Purley, which had regained an allocation when Thornton Heath was closed for modification. The final tram to depart from Purley depot was No 378 – appropriately an ex-Croydon Corporation car – which had to assist No 391, which had damaged its plough shoe en route, to New Cross depot for further service. The final trams from Telford Avenue – now solely a bus garage – were also withdrawn or transferred. Also withdrawn as a result of Stage 3 was ‘ME/3’ No 1444, which was finally to be scrapped at Penhall Road during April 1951. Apart from the arrival of remaining ‘Felthams’ along with Nos 1 and 1444, April 1951 witnessed the scrapping of twenty-three ‘E/1s’ along with West Ham Corporation No 326. Stage 3 saw ninety-two trams replaced by 106 buses. A further thirty ‘E/1s’ followed in May and an additional thirteen – plus two ex-West Ham cars (Nos 327 and 330) – in June. This conversion was, however, not to witness the final tramcar operation on the section between Elephant and Kennington Oval via Kennington Park. On 5 June 1951, as a result of Norwegian royal visit, Westminster Bridge was closed; this resulted in the diversion of route 33 services over the abandoned section for two hours. The diversion was advertised as starting from 2.30pm by posters positioned on the route.
Routes 16 and 18 were the last stronghold of the ‘Feltham’ class and, following the conversion of these routes, the surviving examples of the type – all ex-LUT – were sent to Penhall Road prior to their transfer to Leeds. Pictured here on the Embankment with ‘HR/2’ No 142 on route 62, is No 2127 heading outbound with a service on route 16 towards Purley. No 2127 had originally been LUT No 358 and was destined to become Leeds No 568. It operated in Leeds between April 1956 and August 1959. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Although the long-term future of the trams was non-existent, track maintenance was still an essential facet of operation through to the system’s closure. On 18 February 1951 – less than two months prior to the conversion of the route (albeit the line along Kennington Road survived until the final closure) – ex-Leyton UDC No 164 heads southbound at Fitzalan Street with a service towards Purley. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
As a car on route 18 heads outbound towards Purley, ex-Croydon Corporation ‘E/1’ No 397 stands at the Combe Road terminus of route 42 awaiting departure with a service to Thornton Heath. Route 42 was one of three services to be converted to bus operation on 7 April 1951. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On 4 March 1951, ‘E/3’, No 1930 heads past the terminal stub at the junction of Blackfriars Road and Stamford Street with an inbound service on route 18 towards the Embankment. The reversing stub was latterly used solely by trams on route 74 – Blackfriars to Grove Park – which was to be converted to bus operation on 5 January 1952. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On the same day – 4 March 1951 – a tram on route 18 makes its way outbound past the western end of Lower Marsh along Westminster Bridge Road en route to Croydon and Purley. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On 24 March 1951, ‘E/1’ No 1907 is pictured leaving the short section of interlaced track on Brigstock Road, near Thornton Heath station, with an inbound car towards Croydon on route 42. Julian Thompson/ Online Transport Archive
As a solitary cyclist looks on, ‘Feltham’ No 2135 stands at the terminus in Purley awaiting departure with a service on route 16 back towards the Embankment. Purley represented the southernmost point reached by London’s trams. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Ex-LUT No 2129 is seen at County Hall with a route 16 service on 1 April 1951. The tram was withdrawn when the service was converted to bus operation the following weekend. Julian Thompson/ Online Transport Archive
It is 7 April 1951 – and the last day of the service – as ‘E/3’ No 1908 passes the Swan & Sugar Loaf public house, Croydon, with an outbound service towards Purley. Stage 3 of the conversion programme resulted in the final abandonment of tram services in Croydon and removal of all trams from the Lambeth via Streatham to Purley corridor. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The smallest of the stages in the conversion programme occurred on 10/11 July 1951 and saw the conversion of two routes – the 68 and 70 – and the curtailment of a third – the 72 – from Savoy Street to London Bridge. The original plan had also been to convert routes 33 and 35 – the surviving routes through the Kingsway subway – as part of this stage but the delays in the construction of Stockwell garage meant that the conversion of routes 68 and 70 were brought forward. This change of plan meant that there was no requirement to reinstate track on the new Creek Bridge at Deptford, where a temporary structure had been in use since 1949. Stage 4 was also unusual in that it occurred mid-week – the last trams operated on the Tuesday whilst the replacement buses commenced operation on the Wednesday – as other stages took place over weekends. The last car to depart from Borough (Hop Exchange; the terminus was known by various names) to New Cross Gate on route 72 was No 208 at 11.17pm, whilst No 587 – on a private hire to the Electric Traction Group – was the last car to depart from Tooley Street. By the end of this stage, the tram network had shrunk to 65½ route miles and a further thirty-three trams were withdrawn as a consequence of the conversions. No trams were disposed of at Penhall Road during July 1951, but August was to witness the demise of eighteen ‘E/1s’ as well as ex-West Ham No 331 to be followed in September by the first ‘HR/2’ – No 155 – and a further fourteen ‘E/1s’. One of the ‘E/1s’ scrapped in September was No 599; this tram had achieved prominence as it had been used in the filming of Pool of London, a film directed by Basil Dearden that had received a cinema release in February 1951. Stage 4 witnessed thirty-three trams replaced by thirty-eight buses and saw the network shrink to 65½ route miles and 129 track miles.
Heading inbound on route 68 towards Waterloo station on New Kent Road is ‘E/1’ No 562. One of the 1930-built batch of cars, No 562 was to survive virtually a further year before meeting its fate at Penhall Road in April 1952. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Pictured at the Waterloo terminus of route 68, is ‘E/1’ No 589 on 17 June 1951. The section of track from St George’s Circus to Waterloo station was only used by the 68 and so was abandoned as a result of Stage 4. No 589 was one of the ‘E/1’ class be scrapped between Stages 4 and 5 of ‘Operation Tramaway’, being dismantled in September 1951. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
One of the 1930 batch of ‘E/1s’ – No 554 – makes its way past the Bricklayers Arms pub en route to Waterloo on 17 June 1951. The section of track to Bricklayers Arms from St George’s Circus was to survive Stage 4 but the track over which No 554 had just operated was abandoned. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Another of the 1930-built ‘E/1s’ – No 591 – is pictured at the Greenwich Church terminus of route 70 prior to heading back towards Tooley Street on 17 June 1951. All of the track over which the 70 operated was to be abandoned as a result of Stage 4. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Recorded on 24 June 1951 at the Greenwich Church terminus of routes 68 and 70 is ‘E/1’ No 916, awaiting departure with a service towards Waterloo. The three blanked off lights above the destination blind are a reminder of the period when the trams used route indicator colours. Julian Thomson/ Online Transport Archive
On 24 June 1951, ‘E/1’ No 840 turns right from Tower Bridge Road into Tooley Street with a service on route 68 towards Greenwich with the familiar sight of Tower Bridge in the distance. The section of track from Bricklayers Arms along Tower Bridge Road, as well as the entire section from London Bridge along Tooley Street and on to Greenwich was abandoned as a result of Stage 4. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
No 591 is pictured again, this time on 8 July 1951 with an inbound service on route 70 towards Tooley Street. The tram is seen crossing the temporary bridge at Deptford. It was the fact that an early conversion of routes 68 and 70 obviated the need to install track on the rebuilt Creek Bridge allied to the delayed completion of the new Stockwell bus garage, that resulted in the conversion of these routes being brought forward from Stage 7 to Stage 4 of ‘Operation Tramaway’. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The terminus at London Bridge for the 70 was on Tooley Street on 8 July 1951 – two days before the last trams operated over the route – ‘E/1’ No 556 awaits departure from the terminus with a service towards Greenwich Church. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
For a brief period – from Stage 2 on 30 September 1950 to Stage 4 on 10 July 1951 – route 72 was extended from Savoy Street through to the Hop Exchange, Borough, terminus close to London Bridge. On 9 July 1951, a tram awaits departure from this terminus with a service on route 72 through to New Cross Gate. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The final stage to take place during 1951 occurred over the weekend of 6/7 October and saw the withdrawal of some ninety-nine trams following the conversion of, or alteration to, eight routes. These were 36EX (special peak hour journeys from Catford to Woolwich via Greenwich), 56, 58, 60 (peak hours only), 62 (weekdays only; Lewisham to Elephant & Castle on Saturday afternoons), 66 (weekdays only) and 84 (weekdays only) as well as the all night route 7. Amongst the sections of route to be completely abandoned at this stage were the four-track section up Dog Kennel Hill and the branch from Goose Green to Peckham Rye. The line up Dog Kennel Hill had been quadrupled by the LCC in 1912 as a safety measure; to prevent collision caused by cars running away, consecutive cars used alternate tracks. When the route had first opened, in 1906, the Board of Trade had insisted that only one tram should be on any one track at a time. This severely restricted the level of service and led to the quadrupling. The last tram from the Blackwall Tunnel terminus of route 58 was No 145, whilst the last to ascend Dog Kennel Hill was No 1893, which reached Camberwell at about 2am. No 1893 was preceded by No 120 which was run as a private charter by a local Dulwich resident. Although twelve of the 101-59 batch of ‘HR/2s’ were transferred to New Cross depot for operation of route 35, the majority of the batch, which were not fitted with trolleypoles, were withdrawn and sent to Penhall Road as all remaining services – bar route 35 – included some section of overhead operation; the surviving ‘HR/2s’ from the 1853-99 batch, which were fitted with trolleypoles, were transferred to New Cross as well. A small number of withdrawn ‘HR/2s’ were reprieved temporarily due to a shortage of trams; these were finally withdrawn in January 1952. October saw thirty-three ‘E/1s’ scrapped at Penhall Road, long with one ‘E/3’ (No 1957) and three ex-Croydon cars (Nos 384/87/97). The following month saw a further nineteen ‘E/1s’ disposed of along with one ‘E/3’ (No 1975) and one ‘HR/2’ (No 1895) and, in December, by fourteen ‘E/1s’ and by thirty ‘HR/2s’ (Nos 105- 11/13-17/19/20/26-28/ 36/37/41-44/47/49-53/56/58).
On 17 July 1951, ‘HR/2’ No 1860 stands at the terminus on Southwark Bridge with a service on route 60 towards Dulwich Library. The tram’s route took it via Elephant & Castle and Camberwell Green before the ascent of Dog Kennel Hill before reaching its destination. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Heading outbound on 17 July 1951 towards Dulwich Library at the junction of Borough Road and Borough High Street on route 60, is ‘HR/2’ No 1855. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Pictured at the Peckham Rye terminus of routes 56 and 58 on 29 July 1951, is ‘HR/2’ No 1893. The section of track from Goose Green to Peckham Rye was to be abandoned as a result of Stage 5. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On 9 September 1951, ‘HR/2’ No 105 turns right from Camberwell New Road towards Denmark Hill with a route 58 car from Victoria to Blackwall Tunnel. The section of line from Camberwell Green to Forest Hill along with the branch from Goose Green to Peckham Rye were all abandoned as a result of Stage 5. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Pictured emerging from Stangate, County Hall on 8 September 1951, is ‘HR/2’ No 159 with a route 56 service to Peckham Rye. The 56 operated clockwise from Elephant & Castle via Westminster, Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars back to Elephant & Castle whilst route 84 operated counterclockwise. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The same day sees another ‘HR/2’ – No 132 – on Blackfriars Road at The Cut with a route 84 service heading towards the Embankment. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Passing the entrance to Waterloo station, with the signalbox commissioned on 18 October 1936 above, on Westminster Bridge Road on 9 September 1951, is ‘HR/2’ No 135 with an inbound service on route 56 towards Victoria Embankment. The signalbox was to be closed on 30 October 1990 to permit the construction of the new Eurostar terminus. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
‘HR/2’ No 116 passes Lordship Lane station with a service on route 58 towards Blackwall Tunnel. The railway branch to Crystal Palace High Level was not to outlast the trams by long; it lost its passenger services on 20 September 1954. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The four-track section up Dog Kennel Hill was one of the most instantly recognisable on London’s tram network. On 23 September 1951, ‘HR/2’ No 1894 ascends the gradient with a route 56 car to Peckham Rye. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The final year of London’s tramway system dawned with a fleet of 320 trams operating some thirteen routes from four depots: Abbey Wood (routes 36, 38, 44, 46/46EX), Holloway (routes 33 and 35), New Cross (some 200 trams for routes 35, 40, 46/46EX, 52, 54, 72/72EX and 74) and Norwood (routes 33, 48 and 78). This situation was not, however, to persist into the New Year for long as the next stage occurred over the weekend of 5/6 January 1952. Buses replaced trams on six services; routes 48, 52, 54, 74 and 78 (weekdays only) as well as all night service 5. The last tram on route 52 from Southwark Bridge, departing at 2pm on the 5th, was No 2043; the last tram to depart Victoria was No 1920 on route 54. The last car on route 48 was No 1996 with sister car No 1998 being the last car on route 78 to West Norwood. Withdrawals following Stage 6 included all bar two of the ex-Walthamstow ‘E/1s’; the two exceptions – Nos 2055 and 2056 – were retained for transporting staff to and from Charlton. Also withdrawn were the remaining ex-Croydon Corporation cars and a large number of the surviving ‘E/1’ class. Amongst those withdrawn at this stage was No 1025; this car was, however, selected for preservation alongside ex-West Ham No 290. Following refurbishment at Charlton, No 1025 was transported by road for storage at Reigate, to where No 290 was also moved. No fewer than forty-two ‘E/1s’ were scrapped at Penhall Road during January 1952 along with seven of the ex-Walthamstow cars (Nos 2053/54/57- 61). February saw a further twentysix ‘E/1s’ dismantled along with nine ex-Croydon cars (Nos 375/77/78/80- 83/85/88) and nine ex-Walthamstow ‘E/3s’ (Nos 2042/43/45-50/52). The next month witnessed the scrapping of two ‘E/1s’ – Nos 574 and 1658 – along with a further eleven ex-Croydon cars (Nos 379/86/89/90-95/98/99); these were the last ex-Croydon cars to survive. Following Stage 6, a number of trams were reallocated around the surviving depots. New Cross gained twenty-three ‘E/3s’ from Norwood, whilst losing eight trams to Abbey Wood (including No 2). Stage 6 saw 109 trams replaced by 105 buses and the network reduced to 46½ route miles and 92½ track miles..
Pictured on 23 July 1951 reversing over the Catford Broadway crossover at Rushey Green on a Catford short working of route 54 – as shown on the indicator – is ‘E/3’ No 1915. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
Ex-Walthamstow ‘E/3’ No 2053 heads outbound at Vauxhall, at the junction with Harleyford Road, on 22 September 1951 with a route 54 service towards Grove Park. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
On 22 September 1951, ‘E/1’ No 1250 is pictured reversing over the Bridgefoot crossover on the south side of Vauxhall Bridge. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
Saturday 27 October 1951 sees ex-Leyton UDC ‘E/3’ No 207 heading north on Great Dover Street with an inbound route 52 car towards Southwark Bridge. Julian Thompson/ Online Transport Archive
It’s Armistice Day 1951 – the last 11 November that London’s trams will see – as ex-Walthamstow ‘E/3’ No 2054 takes a route 74 car outbound as it turns out of Stanstead Road towards Catford with the railway line through Catford station in the background. Julian Thompson
Pictured on 11 November 1951, ex-Walthamstow ‘E/1’ No 2053 heads along Peckham High Street with a service on route 54. All bar two of the surviving ex-Walthamstow ‘E/1’ cars were withdrawn following Stage 6. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On 30 December 1951 ex-Walthamstow No 2052 stands at its terminal point on the Embankment at Blackfriars, close to John Carpenter Street, awaiting departure with a service from Blackfriars to Grove Park. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Ex-Leyton UDC No 196 heads towards Victoria along South Lambeth Road with a route 78 car from West Norwood on 29 December 1951. No 196 was amongst the last of the batch to survive, not being disposed of at Penhall Road until September 1952. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Pictured at the Coldharbour Lane change pit on 20 October 1951 is ex-Leyton No 190. The tram is on the Saturday afternoon short working of route 48 to St George’s Church. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
Two trams on route 54 pass at Lewisham clock tower on 30 December 1951. The section south of Lewisham to Grove Park, where services 52, 54 and 74 terminated, was to be abandoned completely following Stage 6. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The last tram on route 52 to depart Southwark Bridge – at about 2pm – on Saturday 5 January 1952 was ex-Walthamstow No 2043. With chalked farewell messages, the tram is seen here awaiting departure. In theory, the tram was scheduled to arrive at Grove Park at 2.54pm but delays meant that its actual arrival was closer to 4pm. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Following Stage 6, the London tram network had shrunk to some fortysix route miles, of which some 75 per cent was equipped with conduit. The penultimate stage in the conversion programme was the delayed withdrawal of the two daytime services that served the Kingsway subway – the 33 from West Norwood to Manor House and the 35 from Forest Hill to Highgate Archway – along with the all night service 35 from Bloomsbury to Highgate Archway which took place over the weekend of 5/6 April 1952. The original plan had been that these routes were to have been converted at Stage 4, but delays in the construction of the new Stockwell bus garage made this impractical. Although the garage was not yet complete, it was sufficiently advanced to receive its initial allocation of replacement buses. During the final day of operation the LRT organised its final tour of the subway routes using Nos 195 and 199. The last northbound service tram on route 35 was No 185, whilst No 173 operated the last southbound service to Westminster. The last tram from Norwood – sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce – was No 210. Following the conversion, the remaining trams at Holloway depot were moved southwards; the last to pass through the subway on this journey was No 184, bringing to an end to almost fifty years of operation under the streets of London. Following this stage less than twenty-nine route miles remained operational.
Standing at the Forest Hill terminus of route 35 on 10 February 1952 is ex-Leyton ‘E/3’ No 185. The 35 was one of two routes – the other being the 33 – eliminated in Stage VII of ‘Operation Tramaway’ less than two months later. Julian Thompson/ Online Transport Archive
In all, some fifty-two trams – including many of the ex-Leyton UDC ‘E/3s’ and the last surviving non-trolleypole fitted ‘HR/2s’ (the latter as all the surviving routes included some section of overhead operation) – were withdrawn although seventy-four trams were actually dispatched to Penhall Road following the conversion as LT reduced the number of spare cars retained. April 1952 saw the scrapping of a number of works cars – Nos 02, 018, 021, 035 and 037 – along with a variety of passenger types. These were ex-West Ham No 81, ex-Leyton 164/82/91/95, ex-Walthamstow No 2056 (one of the two survivors that had been used to provide staff transport to and from Charlton; the other – No 2055 – was to be scrapped in July 1952 – the last ex-Walthamstow car to survive) and ex-West Ham Nos 296, 301/06/08/10 as well as ‘E/1s’ Nos 562/63/70/71/96, ‘E/3s’ No 160 and 1959 and ‘HR/2s’ Nos 118/22/35, 1888/90/94. The next month resulted in the scrapping of the following: ex-Leyton Nos 161/63/67/78/97-99, 202,03/05-07/09/10, ex-West Ham No 333, ‘E/s’ Nos 564/67/68/79/81, ‘E/3s’ Nos 1924/97 and ‘HR/2s’ Nos 121/32/38, 1878/80/82/84/85/87/89/91. June saw a further five works cars – Nos 03, 016, 026, 028 and 036 – scrapped along with ex-Leyton Nos 162/70-72/74/77/88-90/92-94, 201/04/08 and ex-West Ham Nos 300 and 338 as well as ‘E/1s’ Nos 557/75/80/88 and 601, ‘E/3s’ Nos 1919/44/49/58/60/63/68/86/90/92 and ‘HR/2s’ Nos 1860/66/68/70/74/76/93. Between Stages 7 and 8, some nineteen further passenger trams were withdrawn as were a number of the surviving works cars. Some of the withdrawals occurred in the final week of operation, leading to overcrowding as LT promoted the final week as the last opportunity to have a nostalgic ride on London’s trams.
Recorded at the junction of Vassal Road on Brixton Road on 9 February 1952 is ex-Leyton ‘E/3’ No 194 with a service on route 33 to West Norwood. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
‘E/3’ No 1956 heads into central London at Rosendale Road, outside Brockwell Park, with a route 33 service on 16 March 1952. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Seen at the junction of Trelawn Road and Dulwich Road on 16 March 1952, ‘E/3’ No 1997 heads southbound with a route 33 service towards West Norwood. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Heading northbound at The Chandos, Brockley Rise, on 15 March 1952 is ‘E/3’ No 1925 with a service on route 35 towards Manor House. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
One of the ‘E/3’ class – No 2001 – is pictured at Bloomsbury with a northbound route 33 service on 5 April 1952. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
With a southbound trolleybus on route 581 heading towards Bloomsbury alongside, Hurst Nelson-built ‘HR/2’ No 118 heads northbound with a route 35 service towards Highgate at the Farringdon Road and Rosebery Avenue junction on 5 April 1952. Julian Thompson
With Sadlers Wells Theatre in the background, ‘E/3’ No 1952 heads southbound with a route 35 service towards New Cross and Forest Hill on 5 April 1952. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
One of the ex-Leyton ‘E/3s’ – No 179 – emerges from the southern entrance to the Kingsway Subway into the Embankment with a southbound route 35 service on 5 April 1952. In late January 1953, No 179 was to achieve late fame as it was destined to be last tram to be scrapped at the Tramatorium. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Pictured at the Angel, Islington, on 5 April 1952 is an ‘HR/2’ on route 35 service to New Cross Gate whilst a trolleybus heads north with a route 608 service towards Barnet. North of the subway, trams found themselves in a territory that was predominantly trolleybus operated and for the journeys to the north London termini, ran under trolleybus overhead; the trams, however, drew power from the conduit. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
The conversions undertaken in April resulted in six routes remaining; originally it had been planned that these routes were to be converted in two stages. Stage 8 was to cover routes 40, 44, 46 and 72 in July and Stage 9 was to see the final demise of routes 36 and 38. However, in February 1952, the LTE decided to combine the final two stages with the result that Stage 8 – held over the weekend of 5/6 July 1952 – was to see the final elimination of trams from London’s streets. During the final week of operation, all trams – with the exception of surviving ex-West Ham cars – carried posters on the side panels announcing the last week of operation. In addition, special commemorative tickets were issued.
On 10 May 1952, one of the ex-West Ham cars built by Brush during 1929 and 1930, No 297, is pictured close to Cleopatra’s Needle on Victoria Embankment with a service on route 36 heading to Abbey Wood. The 36 operated counter-clockwise from Elephant & Castle via Blackfriars and Embankment back to Elephant & Castle, whilst the 38 operated clockwise over the same route. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Another of the ex-West Ham cars, No 311, heads outbound past the station at Elephant & Castle towards Abbey Wood with a service on route 36 on 11 May 1952. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On 17 May 1952, ‘HR/2’ No 1855 heads inbound towards Savoy Street at the junction of Southampton Way with Peckham Road with a route 72 car from Woolwich. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Pictured on route 72 at Well Hall Circus on 17 June 1952 is ‘E/3’ No 1913. Surviving to the end of the system, No 1913 was one of twenty-two of the batch to be scrapped at Penhall Road in November 1952. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Five days later – on 22 June – ex-Leyton UDC ‘E/3’ No 176 and ex-LCC ‘E/3’ No 1945 pass at Mcleod Road, Knee Hill, on route 38. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
On the same day, a car is seen, having reached the terminus, at Beresford Square, Woolwich, entering Woolwich New Road with a route 46 car heading towards Southwark Bridge. The track curving round to the right provided the link through to Plumstead Road and on towards Abbey Wood and was not normally used by service cars but provided access from Beresford Square to Abbey Wood depot. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Again recorded on 22 June, this time at the Wickham Lane passing loop on Plumstead High Street are ‘E/1’ No 565 heading inbound on route 36 towards Embankment whilst ex-East Ham ‘E/1’ No 91 heads outbound towards Abbey Wood. Given that route 46 terminated at Woolwich, the ex-East Ham car is presumably on a working back towards Abbey Wood depot. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
To mark Last Tram Week, London Transport issued a series of special tickets. Author’s Collection
The reverse of the special Last Tram Week tickets reminded passengers that tram operation in the Metropolis stretched back for more than 90 years. Author’s Collection
THE LAST DAY
In order to operate the last day service, there were some 160 serviceable trams available. The majority of these were ‘E/3s’ (a total of ninety-four) along with seventeen ‘HR/2s’ and forty-nine ‘E/1s’ all based at either Abbey Wood or New Cross depots. During the final day of tramway operation – Saturday 5 July 1952 – large numbers took the opportunity of having farewell trips on the trams and a significant number of special tours were organised by enthusiast and non-enthusiast groups. As the day wore on, however, the final obsequies approached and trams were taken on their final journey to Penhall Road as they came out of service. During the evening, No 1952 carried dignitaries from Charlton to New Cross where the party boarded No 1951 – the official last tram – for the final journey from Woolwich to New Cross depot; this departed at 12.10am on Sunday 6 July and reached the depot – through the crowds – at 1.15am. It was at New Cross that the chairman of the LTE, Lord Latham, made his farewell speech – recorded for posterity in the classic film on the end of London’s trams The Elephant will never Forget, which was produced by Edgar Anstey on behalf of British Transport Films and directed by John Krish – which he concluded with the statement ‘Goodbye old tram’. This wasn’t, however, the final tram movement – despite The Elephant’s classic line ‘And the next tram had gone’ – as No 187, which had been operating on route 46 and was the last car to use the change pit at Lee Green, arrived back at New Cross depot at 1.35am. To avoid any embarrassment, the tram did not enter the depot but headed straight off to Penhall Road, where it arrived – along with No 1858 (subsequently preserved) – just after 2am. The last 44 from Eltham was No 559, whilst No 337 was the last tram to depart from Southwark Bridge on route 46 and No 309 the last to depart from the Embankment. The final tram to use the Woolwich change pit was No 592 as it made its final journey – delayed due to fault – from Abbey Wood to Penhall Road. The final tram movements saw nine trams – including Nos 1951 and 1952 – arrive from New Cross depot; the last of these to enter Penhall Road – at about 3.30am – was No 1931. For the first time in some 90 years, the streets of London were devoid of trams.
It’s the last day of operation – 5 July 1952 – and ‘HR/2’ No 1857 makes its way inbound on route 40 towards Savoy Street. Neil Davenport/Online Transport Archive
Two service cars – headed by ‘E/1’ No 592 – display their ‘Last Week’ posters whilst operating on route 46 on 5 July 1946. Note the chalked message on the dash of the second tram; this was a feature of a number of trams that operated during the final obsequies of the system. Neil Davenport/Online Transport Archive
A group of youngsters – one of whom seems more interested in the photographer – take the opportunity of riding at the front of a tram for possibly the last time as they experience the final day of London’s system. It’s interesting to note that the notice affixed to the bulkhead details how to alight from the tram at Aldwych and Holborn stations; this had been redundant following the conversion of the Kingsway Subway routes three months earlier. Neil Davenport/Online Transport Archive
For almost half a century, the change pit had been a feature of transport operation in London; this was the last day of operation and, from the following day, the trams and equipment would be redundant as the diesel bus reigned supreme. Neil Davenport/Online Transport Archive
No fewer than six trams are visible in this view taken at Middle Park Avenue on 5 July 1952. In the centre is ‘HR/2’ No 1914 on a route 72 working. Neil Davenport/Online Transport Archive
Ex-West Ham No 341 stands at the Southwark Bridge terminus of route 46 awaiting departure with a service towards Beresford Square on 5 July 1952. Neil Davenport/Online Transport Archive
The LRTL organised a farewell tour of the system on 5 July; costing 5s, the demand from potential passengers was immense but – unfortunately – LT could allocate only two cars – Nos 1908 and 1931 – to the tour and so many were left disappointed. Here – showing a spurious destination (Victoria – no long accessible by tram since October 1951) – No 1908 makes its way across Beresford Square, Woolwich, during the tour. R.W.A. Jones/Online Transport Archive
As trams were taken out of service, they made their way to the ‘Tramatorium’ at Penhall Road where they were stored pending final disposal. The last tram to reach the scrapyard was ‘E/3’ No 1931, which arrived at about 3.30am on Sunday 6 July. R.W.A. Jones/Online Transport Archive
As the tramway system’s life drew inexorably towards its end, there were a significant number of tours. The honour of operating the last privately hired tram tour belonged to the Infantile Paralysis Fellowship; the group’s tour car is here pictured outside New Cross depot on 5 July 1952 at the conclusion of their trip. Geoffrey Ashwell/Online Transport Archive
THE AFTERMATH
With all the remaining trams now concentrated at Penhall Road, the process of scrapping the trams continued. At the start of July 1952, almost 170 trams were still on site and, over the next seven months, these were all gradually dismantled. The last Walthamstow ‘E/3’ – No 2055 – succumbed in July 1952, the last ex-West Ham car – No 342 – in December 1952 and No 2 – the last of the one-off cars – in November 1952. The process came to a conclusion on 29 January 1953, when ex-Leyton ‘E/3’ No 179 had the dubious distinction of being the last London tram scrapped. It would not be the end of the Tramatorium, however, as less than a decade later the site would be reused as London bade farewell to the trolleybus.
From the start of the conversion programme in 1950, as routes were abandoned so overhead was removed and track either recovered – a more complex process than elsewhere in the country due to the use of the conduit – or the road resurfaced. The most significant physical structure of the tram network – the Kingsway Subway – was to survive largely intact as alternative uses were sought for it. Prior to the Coronation, it provided temporary accommodation to some 120 buses in case they were required for service to supplement those in operation. In 1958, change was foreshadowed as permission was granted to convert the southern section into an underpass to relive traffic congestion; this was opened on 21 January 1964. The northern section remains largely intact – as does the ramp up to Southampton Row with its conduit track still in place – having been used for a variety of purposes, including storage. Now Grade II listed, the structure offers a ghostly reminder of the London tram system for those able to inspect the remains.
The fate of the vast bulk of the postwar tram fleet in London – destruction at the Tramatorium. Surrounded by a sea of destruction, a forlorn tram, still showing its route 38 stencil, awaits its own fate in the background. Phil Tatt/Online Transport Archive
One that got away: ex-LCC snowbroom No 022 was one of a handful of trams to escape the destruction. Selected by the LTE for preservation, the tram was stored for some years, including a period based at the Museum of British Transport at Clapham, prior to being presented to the LCC Tramways Trust. Restoration as ‘B’ type open-top car No 106 commenced in 1971. With work completed in 1983, the tram was transferred to the National Tramway Museum. Phil Tatt/ Online Transport Archive
DEPOTS
Inevitably there were a significant number of depots that accommodated the trams of London, many of which closed before the war as part of the trolleybus conversion programme; those that existed after the Second World War are described here.
Following the creation of the LPTB in 1933, the majority of heavy tramcar maintenance and overhaul work was concentrated at the LCC’s main workshops at Charlton (the Central Repair Depot). Work started on the construction of the building in 1907 and it was opened on 6 March 1909. After 1933, the majority of other inherited works were rationalised although Fulwell, Hanwell and West Ham continued to undertake some overhaul work until closure to trams in the 1930s. Slightly to the north of the works along Woolwich Road was Penhall Road, the so called ‘Tramatorium’, where the vast majority of London trams withdrawn postwar met their fate.
One of the two operational depots that were to survive through to final closure in July 1952, Abbey Wood was opened by the LCC on 23 July 1910. Brixton Hill was opened by the LCC on 6 March 1924. From 1949, until the completion of Penhall Road, the depot was used for the scrapping of withdrawn trams.
Brixton Hill was to survive as a tram depot until Stage 3 of the conversion programme in April 1951.
Originally opened by the Pimlico, Peckham & Greenwich Street Tramways Co, Camberwell depot initially comprised two sheds, which opened on 25 September 1871 (east) and 15 April 1873 (west). The complex passed to the London Tramways Co in 1873 and to the LCC on 1 January 1899. The buildings were rebuilt and enlarged during 1904/05 and again in 1913. Suffering significant wartime damage between 1939 and 1945, the building was repaired. It closed to trams on 7 October 1951 as a result of Stage 5 of the conversion programme, being renamed Walworth as a bus garage to differentiate it from the existing Camberwell bus garage.
Clapham High Street depot was located on the south side of the road and was originally a horse tram depot belonging to the London Tramways Co. Opened on 28 July 1888, it passed to the LCC on 1 January 1899. Rebuilt and extended in the early twentieth century, the depot was repaired following damage in the Second World War, before closing as a tram depot on 7 January 1951 following Stage 2 of the conversion programme. Between 1947, when work ceased at Hampstead, until 1949, Clapham was used for the scrapping of withdrawn trams.
Built as an operational depot by the Pimlico, Peckham & Greenwich Street Tramways Co and opened on 13 December 1870, Greenwich depot became Deptford Yard PW depot and was enlarged following acquisition on 1 January 1899. As a PW depot, the yard survived until the final closure of the system. There was a second PW yard that survived after the Second World War. This was located south of Battersea Bridge and closed in October 1950.
The depot at Cressy Road, Hampstead, was opened by the London Street Tramways Co in about 1890 and passed to the LCC on 13 October 1897. Closed as an operational depot on 9 July 1938, Hampstead was used for the storage and scrapping of withdrawn trams. The depot, however, remained connected to Holloway as withdrawn trams were still sent to Hampstead for scrapping until January 1947, when the contract with George Cohen for scrapping trams ended.
Located between Pemberton Road and Monnery Road, Holloway depot was originally opened by the LCC in two stages, the east side on 28 November 1907 and the west side on 30 November 1909. Renamed Highgate depot in 1950, the depot closed to trams on 6 April 1952 following the conversion of the Kingsway routes.
New Cross was the only other depot that was to survive through to the system’s final closure in July 1952; this had originally been opened by the LCC on 15 May 1905.
Norwood depot, situated in Tulse Hill, was originally opened by the LCC on 10 October 1909. Having effectively ceased to be an operational depot, Norwood was used for the storage of trams damaged during and after the war before being used, in 1948, as a subsidiary works to Charlton. It reopened as a running depot on 5 October 1949 in order to allow trams to be removed from Thornton Heath whilst the latter was rebuilt. It was to survive until the penultimate stage of the conversion programme on 6 April 1952.
Purley depot, located on Brighton Road, dated back to 26 September 1901 when it was opened by Croydon Corporation. Losing its allocation for routes 16 and 18 in June 1945, it ceased to be an operational depot but continued in use as a store for damaged or withdrawn trams and, from 1 September 1948, was used alongside Charlton from tram repair work. It was also to be the location for the scrapping of a number of trams from 1949 prior to the construction of the sidings at Penhall Road. Following the closure of Thornton Heath depot in January 1951, Purley regained an allocation of service trams for routes 16 and 18. It was finally closed to trams on 7 April 1951.
Telford Avenue, Streatham, was opened by the London Tramways Co on, probably, 7 December 1892 and passed to the LLC on 1 January 1899. Initially it was used to house cable trams but was later to accommodate electric trams and was extended with a second shed to the south during 1911/12. Renamed Brixton in 1950, the depot closed to trams on 8 April 1951 following Stage 3.
Thornton Heath depot was originally opened for horse trams by the Croydon Tramways Co on 9 October 1879; it eventually passed to Croydon Corporation on 2 January 1900. Converted to electric trams and subsequently extended, trams ceased to use the facility on 31 December 1949.
Wandsworth depot, sited off Jews Row, was originally opened by the South London Tramways Co on 6 May 1883. Passing to the LCC on 22 November 1902, the depot was to close to trams with the first stage of the conversion programme on 30 September/1 October 1950.
A considerable amount of work was undertaken by London Transport to provide accommodation for the replacement buses; some of entailed the construction of wholly new depots whilst elsewhere existing depots were modernised. This sad view, taken in July 1951, sees work in progress in demolishing part of attractive Telford Avenue depot. Geoffrey Ashwell/ Online Transport Archive
CLOSURES
25 March 1950
34 — Battersea Bridge to Beaufort Street, Chelsea (the result of a collier hitting Battersea Bridge)
Stage 1 — 30 September/1 October 1950
12 — Wandsworth to Borough (also trolleybus route 612)
26 — Clapham Junction to Borough 28 — Clapham Junction to Victoria 31 — Wandsworth to Islington Green 34 — Battersea Bridge to Blackfriars
3 — (all night) Battersea to Blackfriars 26 — (all night) Clapham Junction to Borough
Stage 1 also saw route 72 extended from Savoy Street over Blackfriars Bridge to cover part of route 26 not covered by replacement buses.
Stage 2 — 6/7 January 1951
2 — Wimbledon to Embankment (via Westminster)
4 — Wimbledon to Embankment (via Blackfriars)
6 — Southwark Bridge to Clapham and Tooting (peak hours only)
8 — Victoria to Victoria via Clapham, Tooting and Streatham
10 — Southwark Bridge to Streatham and Tooting
20 — Victoria to Victoria via Streatham, Tooting and Clapham
22 — Savoy Street to Streatham and Tooting (peak hours only)
1 — (all night) Tooting-Streatham-Embankment-Clapham-Tooting
Stage 3 — 7/8 April 1951
16 — Purley to Embankment (via Westminster)
18 — Purley to Embankment (via Blackfriars)
42 — Thornton Heath to Croydon
Stage 4 — 10/11 July 1951
68 — Waterloo station to Greenwich Church
70 — London Bridge to Greenwich Church 72 — between Borough and Savoy Street
Stage 5 — 6/7 October 1951
36EX — Woolwich to Greenwich and Catford (special peak-hour journeys)
56 — Peckham Rye to Embankment (via Westminster)
58 — Blackwall Tunnel to Victoria 60 — Dulwich Library to Southwark
Bridge (weekday peak hours only)
62 — Forest Hill to Savoy Street (via Westminster; weekdays only — Saturdays Lewisham to Elephant)
66 — Forest Hill to Victoria (weekdays only)
84 — Peckham Rye to Embankment (via Blackfriars; weekdays only)
7 — (all night) Savoy Street to New Cross Gate
Stage 6 — 5/6 January 1952
48 — West Norwood to Southwark Bridge
52 — Grove Park to Southwark Bridge (weekday peak hours only)
54 — Grove Park to Victoria
74 — Grove Park to Blackfriars 78 — West Norwood to Victoria
(weekdays only)
5 — (all night) Savoy Street to Downham
Stage 7 — 5/6 April 1952 (Kingsway Subway routes)
33 — West Norwood to Manor House 35 — Forest Hill to Highgate Archway 35 — (all night) Bloomsbury to
Highgate Archway
Stage 8 —5/6 July 1952
36 — Abbey Wood to Embankment (via Blackfriars)
38 — Abbey Wood to Embankment (via Westminster)
40 — Woolwich (Plumstead weekday peaks) to Savoy Street
44 — Woolwich to Eltham (weekdays only)
46 — Woolwich to Southwark Bridge
72 — Woolwich to Savoy Street
FLEET
1
Nicknamed ‘Bluebird’ when new in 1932 due to its non-standard blue livery, No 1 was constructed at Charlton Works for the LCC as an experimental car to the design of G.F. Sinclair. The tram was a radical departure from earlier LCC cars in terms of construction and included features such as separated cabs for the driver and air-operated doors. The tram was fitted with the EMB Heavyweight equal-wheel bogies that had originally been intended for use under ‘HR/2’ No 160. Retaining its original fleet number when the LPTB took over, No 1 was to emerge in red prior to its transfer to Telford Avenue depot in March 1938. As non-standard, No 1 spent the first three years of the war in store, but re-entered service during 1942 as wartime losses and damage caused a shortage of trams. In April 1951, No 1 was transferred to Leeds – as No 301 – in place of two ‘Felthams’ destroyed by fire. Withdrawn in September 1957, the tram was preserved and, at the time of writing, is in the middle of a major restoration project at the National Tramway Museum.
The unique No 1, the LCC’s experimental car, is pictured using the Charlton Place crossover on Upper Street, Islington, during the LRTL tour of 7 April 1951. The tram was to be withdrawn the same month but was to see further service in the West Riding of Yorkshire before entering preservation. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
2
One the last ‘new’ first generation trams to enter service in London, No 2 was constructed around ‘E/1’ class No 1370 in 1933. The original car had been severely damaged in June 1933 and taken to Charlton works for attention, where it received a replacement body, similar to that fitted to the ‘ME/3’ type. Fitted with Heenan & Froude bogies, No 2 was to survive until the final abandonment of the system in 1952.
It’s May 1951 and No 2 is pictured in Queen’s Road, Peckham, on route 54. Built in 1933 and based on accident-damaged ‘E/1’ No 1370, No 2 was to survive in service until July 1952, being eventually scrapped in November that year. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
81-100
Similar in design to the LCC ‘E/1’ class, Nos 81-100 were Class EH and had been built originally for East Ham Corporation by Brush in 1927/28. They were supplied with Brush maximum-traction bogies. In 1938, Nos 81, 83, 91, 92 and 100 were fitted with lower-deck windscreens and transferred to Abbey Wood following the conversion of route 63 on 5 November 1939. Following the withdrawal of the remaining east London routes, the remainder of the class were stored at Hampstead. They were, however, progressively fitted with lowerdeck windscreens and returned to service as a result of wartime losses elsewhere. All survived until the final withdrawal in July 1952 with the exception of No 81, which had been withdrawn in April the same year.
No 82, one of twenty ex-East Ham trams built by Brush during 1927 and 1928, is seen at Elephant & Castle whilst reversing over the Kent Road crossover on 26 September 1950. No 82 was to meet its fate in Penhall Road during August 1952. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
101-11/13-22/26-28/32-47/49-59
Nos 101-59 represented the second batch of ‘HR/2’ cars to be completed, following on from Nos 1854-903, and were built by Hurst Nelson on EMB equal-wheel bogies in 1931 for the LCC. The bogies were fitted with radial-arm axleboxes, rather than the sprung type used on the earlier batch, and were fitted with metal-framed lower-deck windscreens from new. Destined to operate over the conduit-fitted hilly routes to Dulwich from Camberwell depot and from Archway to Highgate. These cars were not fitted with trolleypoles. A number — Nos 112/23-25/29-31/48 — were destroyed during the war with No 127 also damaged; this was subsequently repaired using an upper deck salvaged from an ‘E/1’. All the post-war survivors were still in service on 1 January 1950; the last of the type were withdrawn following Stage 7 of the conversion programme in April 1952 as all the remaining routes included some overhead sections. The last three survivors were Nos 118/21/22, which were restricted to the conduit-only route 35. All were scrapped following withdrawal.
On 3 May 1950, work is in hand on the construction of a new roundabout – note service vehicle No 664B supplying welding gear for work on the new track and the plough at the rear of it – as ‘HR/2’, No 156 is pictured on route 84 on Westminster Bridge Road. John Meredith/ Online Transport Archive
160
When ordered from Hurst Nelson, it was intended that No 160 would form the last of the ‘HR/2’ class; in the event, however, its EMB heavyweight bogies were used under No 1 with the result that No 160 was fitted with ‘E/3’-type maximum traction bogies. In line with the rest of Nos 101-59, however, it was not fitted with a trolleypole — the only ‘E/3’ to lack such equipment — and so was limited to the conduit-only routes. No 160 was scrapped at Penhall Road in April 1952.
The unique Class E/3 No 160 – the only one of the type not to be fitted with trolleypoles – is pictured at Harleyford Street, Kennington Oval with an inbound service towards Victoria on route 66 on 29 July 1949. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
161-210
In 1931, in order to replace older trams, the LCC acquired 50 ‘E/3’-type cars – Nos 161-210 – on behalf of Leyton Corporation. Whilst ownership of the Leyton system had remained with the corporation, its network had been operated by the LCC since 1921. As with the LCC’s own ‘E/3s’, Nos 161-210 were built by the English Electric Co Ltd with maximum traction bogies supplied by EMB. Unlike the LCC cars, however, the Leyton batch were fitted with enclosed vestibules from new. A number of the batch were transferred to operate route 29 – a joint LCC/MET service – in 1932 and all were eventually to migrate south of the river and almost half were still operational on 5 July 1952 – the last day of London’s trams.
Two of the ex-Leyton ‘E/3’-type cars – Nos 185 and 179 – are pictured at the Lambeth North crossover on Kennington Road on 11 May 1950. No 179 was eventually to achieve a sad footnote in history; it was destined to become the last London tram to be scrapped at Penhall Road, not finally being dismantled until 29 January 1953. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
290
The sole survivor of a batch of six open balcony cars delivered to West Ham Corporation in 1910 — West Ham Nos 101-06 — No 290 was built by UEC on a Peckham R7 radial four-wheel truck. West Ham Corporation modified the bodywork and made the truck rigid. Renumbered Nos 289-94 following the creation of the LPTB, Nos 289/92-4 were withdrawn for scrap in 1937 with Nos 290/91 succumbing the following year. Although No 291 was scrapped, No 290 was retained and preserved; it now forms part of the London Transport Museum collection and has been restored as West Ham No 102.
Pictured at Abbey Wood is No 295; this had originally been West Ham No 68 and was the last new tram delivered to the corporation. It was to survive until the system’s demise but was to be scrapped at Penhall Road during August 1952. C. Carter/Online Transport Archive
No 290 was one of six trams supplied to West Ham Corporation in 1910. The tram was modified in 1913 by the replacement of its lower-deck transverse seating, before undergoing a significant rebuild in 1921/22. Losing its plough carrier in 1928, the car was rehabilitated with upholstered seats in 1929/30. Withdrawn in March 1938 following the conversion of the last local route – the 99A – the tram was preserved. Transferred to New Cross depot, the tram is seen here being renovated and repainted. No 290 remains part of the London Transport Museum collection. Barry Cross Collection/Online Transport Archive
295
Originally West Ham Corporation No 68, No 295 was a fully enclosed tram and was the last car constructed in the corporation’s Greengate Street works. It was completed in 1931 and was also the last new tram delivered to the corporation. Following the conversion of routes 65 and 67 on 8 June 1940, it was transferred to Abbey Wood. It survived in service until final withdrawal in July 1952.
296-302/04-12
This batch of seventeen cars was originally delivered to West Ham Corporation, as Nos 69-85, between 1929 and 1930. Built by Hurst Nelson on the same company’s bogies, the trams were transferred to Abbey Wood and New Cross following the conversion of the final routes in east London. No 303 was a victim of enemy action in 1940; the remaining sixteen cars survived until July 1952. All were scrapped on withdrawal.
With work in progress converting the depot from tram to bus operation on 26 April 1952, ex-West Ham No 298 is pictured departing from Abbey Wood depot. sixteen of this batch of trams were to survive through until the final demise of the system. No 298 was finally scrapped at Penhall Road in November 1952. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
No 327, alongside other ex-West Ham cars, is seen here outside Charlton Works in the late 1940s. No 327 was one of a batch of six trams supplied to West Ham Corporation by Hurst Nelson in 1925. The three survivors were scrapped at Penhall Road, No 327 succumbing in June 1951. Geoffrey Ashwell/ Online Transport Archive
325-330
Originally West Ham Corporation Nos 119-24, these six cars were built by Hurst Nelson in 1925 with open lower-deck platforms, fitted with Hurst Nelson West Ham standard bogies. In service in east London until the conversion of route 65 on 8 June 1940, the cars were then stored in Hampstead depot. No 325 was scrapped at Hampstead shortly after the war ended; the remaining cars were transferred south of the river but none were used in passenger service; Nos 326/27/30 were used as staff cars based at Charlton works, having been fitted with windscreens. Two — Nos 328/29 — were scrapped in 1949 whilst Nos 326/27/30 followed two years later.
331-44
These fourteen cars were again originally supplied to West Ham Corporation — as Nos 125-38 — and delivered in 1925 (Nos 331-33), 1927 (Nos 334-343) and 1928 (No 344). Built by Brush, with the exception of Nos 331-33/44 that were built at the corporation’s Greengate Street works, all were fitted with Hurst Nelson West Ham standard bogies. In service until the final east London conversions, Nos 331-43 were then stored at Hampstead and No 344 at Holloway depots. Vehicle losses during the Blitz resulted in Nos 331-33/44 being transferred to Abbey Wood. Nos 331-33 were overhauled at Charlton before reaching Abbey Wood and fitted with lower-deck vestibule windscreens at the same time. In 1946, Nos 334-43 were also overhauled and fitted with lower deck vestibules at Charlton before re-entering service at Abbey Wood. No 331 was withdrawn in 1951 with Nos 333/38 in April/May 1952; the remainder were all withdrawn at final closure in July 1952.
Ex-West Ham No 338 operates an inbound service towards the Embankment on route 38 at the junction of Westminster Bridge Road and St George’s Road on 29 March 1950. Note the new style ‘STOP’ sign to the left of the cyclist. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
375-95/97-99
New as Croydon Nos 31-55 in 1927/28, these cars were identical to the LCC ‘E/1’ class. Built by Hurst Nelson and fitted with Hurst Nelson maximum traction bogies, four of the type — Nos 376/79/80/98 — underwent the rehabilitation process in 1936 and all had been fitted with lowerdeck vestibule windscreens by the end 1939. No 396 was destroyed as the result of enemy action in 1940, whilst No 376 was withdrawn and scrapped as a result of a fire in 1945. Following the conversion of the Croydon routes in April 1951, the cars were transferred to New Cross depot from where they were withdrawn in October 1951 (Nos 384/87/98) and January 1952 (remainder).
One of the ex-Croydon Corporation cars – No 398 – is seen outside Telford Avenue on Streatham Hill with a southbound service on route 18 towards Croydon and Purley on 18 February 1950
552-82/84-96/98-601
The final fifty of the ‘E/1’ class – Nos 552-601 – entered service in 1930 with bodies supplied by English Electric fitted to M&G maximum traction bogies. These trams were constructed using the electrical equipment salvaged from the withdrawn ‘F’ and ‘G’ class single-deck cars, which had been rendered redundant following the decision to rebuild the Kingsway Subway for the operation of double-deck trams. Two of this batch – Nos 583 and 597 – were destroyed by enemy action during the Second World War but the remainder survived through until withdrawal during the final conversion programme.
On 17 June 1950, ‘E/1’ No 589 is pictured at Greenwich Church with a route 68 working to New Cross depot. The final fifty ‘E/1s’ – known as ‘Reconstructed Subway Cars’ – were distinguishable from the earlier members of the class as a result of the wide pillar between the central windows on the lower deck and the large route number stencil boxes above the front windows on the upper deck. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
752-1426/77-676/727-851 (WITH GAPS)
Numbering over 1,000 cars, the ‘E/1’ class was the largest single type of tramcar constructed for any British tramway. The first were delivered in 1907 and the last in 1930 (Nos 552-601). There were three suppliers of bodies – Brush (Nos 1477-1676/777-851), Hurst Nelson (Nos 752-1001/052-426/727-776) and the LCC itself (Nos 1002-51) – and three suppliers of maximum traction bogies – Heenan & Froude (Nos 1227-676), Hurst Nelson (Nos 1002-226/727-851) and Mountain & Gibson (Nos 752-1001) – and had fully enclosed upper decks but open lower deck vestibules when delivered. All of the class passed to the LPTB in July 1933. No 1370 was rebuilt following an accident and emerged as No 2; Nos 982, 1103, 1260 and 1373 were also rebuilt in a style similar to No 2 following accident damage but retained their original fleet numbers. A programme of refurbishment commenced in August 1935; initially it was planned that 250 ‘E/1s’ were to be modernised; these cars became known as the ‘Rehabs’. In the event, only 146, plus four ‘HR/2s’ and four ex-Croydon cars, were treated, with work ceasing in February 1937. The conversion programme resulted in almost half of the class being withdrawn by mid-1940 and a further thirty-four – Nos 826*, 962*, 972*, 1023/028/241/351*/371/73/94/403/490/ 515/523/421*/424/626/536/543/575/578/ 580/586/591/600/649/736/788/789/807/ 808/821/825/842 (those marked * were ‘Rehabs’) – were destroyed during the war. All those in service post-1940 had been fitted with enclosed lower-deck vestibules. The last of the type were to survive through until final closure with one car – No 1025 – being preserved. It now forms part of the London Transport Museum collection. The lower deck of a second example – No 1622 – was eventually rescued for preservation; fully restored as a ‘Rehab’ car with a replacement top deck, No 1622 now forms part of the NTM collection. It entered service at Crich for the first time in July 1997.
Pictured in front of the Trocadero Cinema, on the New Kent Road, Southwark, is ‘E/1’ No 1672 en route from Blackfriars to Grove Park on route 74. This service was converted to bus operation during Stage 6 of ‘Operation Tramaway’, in January 1952. No 1672 was to be scrapped at Penhall Road the following month. J. Joyce/ Online Transport Archive
During the period from January 1935 through to February 1937, a total of 146 ‘E/1’ class cars went through a refurbishment programme – as did four ‘HR/2s’ and four ex-Croydon cars. The work included the fitting of flush side panels externally and improved seating internally. The last ‘E/1’ to be treated – in February 1937 – was No 1771 and the car is seen here in ‘Rehab’ condition passing County Hall. Although a late ‘Rehab’ car, No 1771 was destined to be a relatively early victim of the conversion programme and was to be scrapped at Penhall Road in December 1950. One factor in the early demise of many of the ‘Rehab’ cars was that they were fitted with only one trolleypole rather than the two carried the non-refurbished cars; the latter were more suited for bidirectional operation. Julian Thompson/Online Transport Archive
Once it became apparent that conversion of the remaining trams was not an immediate priority, London Transport instituted a policy of tramcar repair and strengthening. A number of ‘E/1’ class cars – such as No 1781 seen here on 22 September 19151 using the Harleyford Road crossover at Vauxhall on route 66 – were strengthened; these cars were identifiable by the tie bars across the lower deck rocker panels. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
On 28 January 1950 ‘ME/3’ No 1444 on route 54 and ‘HR/2’ No 201 on route 58 pass at the Rushey Green/ Catford Broadway Junction. No 1444 – a rebuild of an earlier Class M tram – was one of two of its type to survive post-war; it was to be scrapped in April 1951. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
1370 AND 1444
Towards the end of its life, the LCC undertook the conversion of three Class M cars – Nos 1441/444/446 – the trio being redesignated ‘ME/3’. The work involved the lengthening of the bodies and the replacement of their existing trucks with ‘E/1’-style maximum traction bogies. Nos 1441 and 1444 re-entered service in 1932 but No 1446 – renumbered 1370 – did not appear until 1935. No 1444 was scrapped in 1944 as a result of wartime damage, whilst the other two survived until being scrapped in April 1951 (No 1444) and January 1952 (No 1370).
1854-64/66-80/82/84/85/87/88/90-97
In 1930, following the construction of the only ‘HR/1’ car, No 1853, English Electric built fifty ‘HR/2’ cars for the LCC — Nos 1854-1903. These were fitted with EMB heavy-duty equal-wheel bogies and with trolleypoles as well as ploughs for the conduit sections. Four of the types — Nos 1884/85/87/90 — formed part of the LPTB’s tram rehabilitation programme of the late 1930s and three — Nos 1881/83/86 — were sold to Leeds Corporation in 1939, becoming Nos 277-79 in the West Riding. A number were destroyed during the Second World War — 1865/89/98-903 — whilst No 1893 was damaged. All the post-war survivors were still in service, based at Camberwell, on 1 January 1950; the last of the type succumbed by the system’s final closure. No 1858 was preserved privately after withdrawal; following a period on display at Chessington Zoo, it was transferred to the museum at Carlton Colville, where it remains.
A total of thirty-nine of the fifty ‘HR/2’ trams built in 1930 by the LCC survived into the post-war era and all of these were still in service when ‘Operation Tramaway’ commenced. No 1894 – seen here on a route 58 service – was eventually to be scrapped in April 1952. Phil Tatt/Online Transport Archive
1904-66/68-71/74/75/77/79-81/84/86-2003
Alongside the construction of the ‘HR/2’ trams, the LCC acquired a batch of 100 trams – Nos 1904-2003 – in 1931 that were designated ‘E/3’. The bodies were constructed by Hurst Nelson and were virtually identical to those supplied for the ‘HR/2’ class but were fitted with EMB equal wheel bogies. They were designed to act as replacements for the earlier Class A and D cars and also to provide doubledeck trams suitable for operation through the enlarged Kingsway Subway. No 1931, painted in a special all-white livery, was used to inaugurate the new services through the tunnel in 1931. Although completed without enclosed lowerdeck vestibules, Charlton Works added metal framed screens the following year. All 100 passed to the LPTB in 1933 but seven – 1967/72/73/76/78/83/85 – were destroyed by enemy action during the war when a bomb destroyed Camberwell depot on 8 September 1940 and an eighth – No 1982 – was destroyed in December 1940. The surviving ninetytwo cars continued in service until withdrawals commenced as a result of the conversion programme in late 1951. The last of the batch were scrapped in September 1952; none survived into preservation.
On 19 March 1950, ‘E/3’ No 1962 stands at the terminus of route 12 in Wandsworth with a service to Borough and London Bridge. This service was one of those – along with trolleybus route 612 – that were converted to bus operation in Stage 1 of ‘Operation Tramaway’ on 30 September 1950. No 1962 was one of a 100 – Nos 1904-2003 – of the type constructed by the LCC on EMB maximum traction bogies during 1930 and 1931. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
2042/43/45-50/52/53
In 1926, Walthamstow Corporation ordered twelve bogie cars from Hurst Nelson similar in style to the LCC ‘E/1’class. Numbered Nos 53-64, they were delivered in 1927 primarily for use on route 57 from Chingford to Liverpool Street. In 1932, Nos 63 and 64 were renumbered 51 and 52 respectively. In 1933, renumbered 2042-53 by the LPTB, the cars were fitted with lower-deck windscreens and transferred to Holloway depot for use on routes 13, 17, 27 and 29 before being mainly concentrated on route 53. Following the conversion of this route, the 12 cars were transferred to Bow depot. They remained at Bow until 5 November 1939 and the conversion of routes 61 and 63 to trolleybus operation. Transferred to south London depots, Nos 2044 and 2051 were both destroyed as the result of enemy action during the war, whilst the remainder survived until 1952 before withdrawal and scrapping.
Ten of the twelve bogie cars acquired by Walthamstow Corporation in 1926 from Hurst Nelson survived post-war. One of these – No 2049 – is recorded on route 8 entering the single track section along Mitcham Lane at Ambleside Avenue with a route 8 service on 30 April 1950. All were to be scrapped at Penhall Road during January and February 1952. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
2054-61
Again similar to the LCC’s ‘E/1’ class, these eight trams were originally delivered to Walthamstow Corporation, as Nos 39-46, in 1932. Built by Brush, they were fitted with Brush-built maximum traction bogies. Fully enclosed from new, the eight cars were transferred from Walthamstow to Holloway and thence to Bow for operation on routes 61 and 63 until those routes were converted to trolleybus operation on 5 November 1939. They were then transferred to depots in south London and were withdrawn in 1952. All were scrapped.
The last new trams delivered to Walthamstow Corporation were, like those acquired in 1926, outwardly similar to the LCC’s ‘E/1’ class. Nos 2054-61 were built by Brush in 1932 and all survived through until being scrapped in 1952; the last to be dealt with at Penhall Road was No 2055 in July of that year. On 19 March 1950, No 2060 is seen at the Ramsden Road crossover on Balham High Road route a route 8 service. Route 8 was one of those converted to bus operation in early January 1951. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
2066-108/10-12/14-65
Following the construction of the experimental ‘Feltham’ cars, a production batch of 100 was manufactured by UCC in 1930/31, with forty-six going to LUT (as Nos 351-96) and the remainder to MET (as Nos 319/21-29/332-75). All were fitted with EMB maximum traction bogies; the only difference between the two batches was that those delivered to LUT were fitted with GEC motors and equipment whilst the MET cars were fitted with BTH motors and OK 33B controllers. The only exception was No 2196, which was fitted with English Electric equal-wheel bogies, Dick Kerr motors and English Electric controllers (these were replaced in 1937).
On the creation of the LPTB in 1933, the ex-MET cars were renumbered in sequence Nos 2066-119 whilst the ex-LUT cars became Nos 2120-65. The MET cars were fitted with ploughs from new; those supplied to LUT had ploughs fitted shortly before they were transferred from Hanwell to Telford Avenue on 15 November 1936. The MET cars followed the LUT batch to Telford Avenue following the conversion of the final ex-MET ‘Feltham’ operated routes to trolleybus operation on 6 March 1938 (routes 21 and 39A) and 8 May 1938 (route 29). A number of ‘Felthams’ were also housed in Brixton Hill depot, adjacent to Telford Avenue.
Although a number of ‘Felthams’ were damaged during the war, only two — Nos 2109/13 — were destroyed, but a further six — Nos 2067/91/122/30/63/65 — were withdrawn as a result of accident damage between 1947 and 1949; all of these were scrapped at Purley depot by the end of 1949. No 2099 was transferred to Leeds in September 1949; its success in Yorkshire resulted in the corporation agreeing to purchase the surviving ‘Felthams’. The remaining eighty-nine cars were sold to Leeds, where the bulk entered service with many surviving until the end of that system in November 1959. However, two cars — Nos 2144/62 — were destroyed by fire on 18 November 1950, before they be transported northwards, and their remains were scrapped at Penhall Road. This led to the LTE fulfilling the contract by supplying No 1 in lieu of the two destroyed ‘Felthams’. Of the trams sent to Leeds, No 2099 was preserved and now forms part of the London Transport Museum collection and No 2085 was sold to the Seashore museum in Massachusetts, where it remains. A third car, No 2138, was preserved for a period on the Middleton Railway, near Leeds, but was scrapped following vandalism in the 1960s.could be transported northwards, and their remains were scrapped at Penhall Road. This led to the LTE fulfilling the contract by supplying No 1 in lieu of the two destroyed ‘Felthams’. Of the trams sent to Leeds, No 2099 was preserved and now forms part of the London Transport Museum collection and No 2085 was sold to the Seashore museum in Massachusetts, where it remains. A third car, No 2138, was preserved for a period on the Middleton Railway, near Leeds, but was scrapped following vandalism in the 1960s.
A total of 100 ‘Feltham’ cars – fifty-four from the MET and forty-six from the LUT – passed to LPTB ownership in July 1933. Two of the type were destroyed during World War 2 and, following the transfer of No 2099 to Leeds, the bulk of the remaining cars were sold to that operator following withdrawal. No 2144 – one of the ex-LUT cars – is seen at the Streatham Common crossover on Streatham High Road with a route 18 service on 18 March 1950. No 2144 was one of two destroyed by fire in November 1950 and scrapped at Penhall Road. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive
2167
Built as MET No 330, No 2167 was the second of the experimental cars that entered service in October 1929. With bodywork built by UCC on Brush maximum-traction bogies, the tram was originally designed for PAYE operation. This did not, however, last long. With the conversion of the ex-MET/LUT routes prior to the outbreak of war, No 2167 along with the production ‘Feltham’ cars was transferred to Telford Avenue. Little used during the war, No 2167 was more active post-war until withdrawal in late 1949. The car was scrapped at Purley depot by the end of December that year.
Produced as an experimental car in 1929 for the MET, No 2167 – pictured here on Streatham High Road near its junction with junction at Norfolk House Road on 24 April 1948 with a route 10 service – was to be withdrawn in late 1949. John Meredith/Online Transport Archive