Dundee, Broughty Ferry and District Tramways



Owner Dundee, Broughty Ferry and District Tramways Company
Opened 27th December 1905 (electric)
Operator DBF&DTCo
Joint service (Dundee City Tramways) - mutual through running between Dundee High Street and Monifieth
Taken over (ownership) 1914 (Dundee Corporation) - 1514 yards of track between Craigie Terrace and Belsize Road, following the extension of Dundee Burgh boundary
Name changed (owner) 1928 (to Dundee, Broughty Ferry and District Traction Company)
Taken over (tramway) 15th May 1931 (Dundee Corporation)
Closed 15th May 1931 - tramway services immediately withdrawn by Dundee Corporation in favour of motorbuses
Length 5.5 miles
Gauge 4ft 8½ins

Button description (Pattern 1)
Title ('DUNDEE BROUGHTY FERRY & DISTRICT') within a border, surrounding ‘TRAMWAYS COMPANY LIMITED’ in the centre.
Materials known Brass
Button Line reference [None]

Button description (Pattern 2)
Title ('D'DEE BRO'TY AND DIST TRAMWAYS’) within a border, surrounding a monogram of interwoven letters, 'DBT'.
Materials known Brass
Button Line reference [None]

Comment
The Pattern 1 button certainly looks to be the earlier of the two designs. The Pattern 2 button curiously omits the word 'Ferry' from the title, presumably to save space, but even so, the design must still hold some kind of record for the most abbreviated words ever to appear on a tramway button — three in total — not to mention their seemingly random nature! You do have to wonder why they didn't just stick with a monogram or initials like most of the other companies with longer titles.

The line was promoted by George Balfour, who later went on to found Balfour Beatty and Company Limited, along with A H Balfour.