Customer Reviews

The London tramcar, 1861-1952 (Locomotion papers ; no. 7 0305-5493)

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This is a very readable and informative booklet, the second edition, of No. 7 in the Oakwood Press' Locomotion Papers, from 1992. The original 48-page edition was published in 1951. This is a much-expanded edition, especially in terms of the illustrations.

From the Author's Note to the 1951 edition -
"This is a history of the London tramcar, not of the London tramway. The latter subject, a large and highly intricate one, is only drawn in outline to bring in to focus the history of the vehicles themselves... Also, by its nature, it was local; to a visitor from Edmonton an Ilford tram looked exciting and strange; a Croydon Corporation car on the Embankment helped to make that variety that is the spice of life. To those so interested, London's tramways before 1933 formed a microcosm offering fascinating possibilities for exploration, in which Horns Cross and Hounslow were truly poles apart."

The Chapters are -
P005: The Pioneers
P009: A Fresh Start
P015: New Motive Power
P025: Electricity at Last
P039: The London County Council Tramways
P069: The `Company' Lines
P093: The Municipal Lines South of the River
P101: The Municipal Lines North of the River
P117 Under London Transport
P124: Appendix 1 - LPTB Stock Numbers: Conversion from former numbers, 1933
P125: Appendix 2 - Preserved Trams
P127: Metropolitan Electric Tramways: Dates of Opening
P128: Bibliography and Acknowledgements

This is an excellent introductory volume to the subject, and highly recommended for anyone interested in the early history of London's tramcars. It is profusely illustrated with many excellent photographs, as well as maps, plans and drawings.

Further reading by this author:
THE STEAM LORRY
The London Motor-Bus 1896 - 1949. Locomotion Papers: No. 5