Blackburn Corporation Tramways
Owner Blackburn Corporation
Opened 28th May 1887 (steam)
Operator (lessee) Blackburn Corporation Tramways Company Ltd
First horse service 25th August 1888
Took over (operation) 24th August 1898 (all lines previously leased to the Blackburn Corporation Tramways Company)
Took over 1st January 1899 (Blackburn and Over Darwen Tramways [steam]) - together with Darwen Corporation
Took over (operation) 1st January 1899 - lines of the former Blackburn and Over Darwen Tramways, those in Darwen operated under a lease arrangement
First electric route 20th March 1899
Last horse service Summer 1899?
Last steam service 8th July 1901
Name changed February 1933 (to Blackburn Corporation Tramways and Omnibuses)
Name changed April? 1937 (to Blackburn Corporation Transport)
Closed 3rd September 1949
Length 14.73 miles
Gauge 4ft 0ins
Button description (Pattern 1) Title (‘BLACKBURN CORPN TRAMWAYS’) within a raised rim, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing bees and a river) with a dove crest, all above the motto: ‘ARTE ET LABORE’
Materials known Nickel
Button Line reference [113/8]
Button description (Pattern 2) Title (‘BLACKBURN CORPN TRANSPORT’) within a raised rim, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing bees and a river) with a dove crest, all above the motto: ‘ARTE ET LABORE’
Materials known Nickel; chrome
Button Line reference [None]
Comment Given that the department was renamed in 1937, and newly painted tramcars certainly bore the title 'Blackburn Corporation Transport', new issues of uniforms after this date would very probably have borne the Pattern 2 buttons.