Glasgow Corporation Tramways



Owner Glasgow Corporation
Opened 19th August 1872 (horse)
Operator (lessee) Glasgow Tramway and Omnibus Company Limited (GT&OCo)
Took over (operation) 1st July 1894 - all lines owned by the Corporation, but previously leased to the GT&OCo
Took over (operation) 11th November 1896 - (Glasgow and Ibrox Tramway [horse] and Vale of Clyde Tramways [horse; steam]) - owned by the Govan Commissioners of Police, but previously leased to the GT&OCo
First electric route 13th October 1898
Last horse service 14th April 1902
Took over (ownership) 7th August 1912 (Vale of Clyde Tramways and Glasgow and Ibrox Tramway - following expansion of the city's boundaries to encompass Govan)
Took over (ownership) 19th December 1921 (Airdrie and Coatbridge Tramways [electric]) - from Airdrie and Coatbridge burgh councils
Took over (operation) 1st January 1922 (Airdrie and Coatbridge Tramways) from the temporary operator, the Airdrie and Coatbridge Tramways Company
Took over (ownership) 1st August 1923 (Paisley District Tramways [electric])
Name changed 1929 (to Glasgow Corporation Transport)
Closed 4th September 1962
Length 141.37 miles
Gauge 4ft 7¾ins

Button description (Pattern 1) Monogram of intertwined initials 'GT&OCL' with 'G' inverted about its vertical axis
Materials known Silver plate; brass
Button Line reference [None]

Button description (Pattern 2) Title (‘GLASGOW CORPORATION TRAMWAYS') within a border, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing a fish, tree and bell) with a saint crest and salmon supporters, all above the motto: 'LET GLASGOW FLOURISH'
Materials known Brass; gilt
Button Line reference [113/31]

Button description (Pattern 3) Title ('GLASGOW CORPORATION TRAMWAYS' [with dots either side of ‘TRAMWAYS’]) within a border, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing a fish, tree and bell) with a saint crest and salmon supporters, all above the motto: 'LET GLASGOW FLOURISH'
Materials known Brass; gilt; nickel; japanned black
Button Line reference [None]

Button description (Pattern 4) Title (‘GLASGOW CORPORATION TRANSPORT' [with dots either side of ‘Transport’]) within a border, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing a fish, tree and bell) with a saint crest and salmon supporters, all above the motto: 'LET GLASGOW FLOURISH'
Materials known Brass
Button Line reference [None]

Button description (Pattern 5) Title (GLASGOW CORPORATION TRANSPORT DEPT') within a border, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing a fish, tree and bell) with a saint crest and salmon supporters, all above the motto: 'LET GLASGOW FLOURISH'
Materials known Brass; stay bright
Button Line reference [None]

Comments Evidence that the Pattern 1 button opposite is indeed an issue of the GT&OCo can be found in Glasgow Transport Museum, which has a horse brass from this company with the identical monogram (thanks to David Hughes and Kenny Delman for this information). The 'G' would appear to have been inverted about its vertical axis solely to give a more pleasing symmetry - the 'L' has also been given a tail, presumably to increase the symmetry with respect to the 'T'.

Chin strap buttons (circa 15 mm diameter) exist in brass, gilt and japanned black for the Pattern 3 button; all are of 1-piece construction.

After the renaming of the department in 1929, new issues of uniforms would have borne 'Glasgow Corporation Transport' buttons (Patterns 4 and 5), though the older patterns persisted for many years.

The unusual gauge was to allow for the running of railway wagons over its lines in the dockside area, whilst the unusual symbols on the coat of arms are all associated with St Mungo.