Bexley Urban District Council Tramways
Owner Bexley Urban District Council
Opened 3rd October 1903 (electric)
Operator Bexley Urban District Council
Took over (operation) 8th August 1917 (Dartford Council Light Railways), on behalf of the lessee (Balfour Beatty and Co Ltd), following the destruction of the entire tramcar fleet in a depot fire the previous day)
Taken over (operation) 1st April 1921 (Bexley Council Tramways and Dartford Light Railways Joint Committee)
Taken over 1st July 1933 (London Passenger Transport Board)
Length 5.1 miles
Gauge 4ft 8½ins
Button description An elaborate gothic letter 'B' within a garter
Materials known Brass
Button Line reference [None]
Comment Evidence to support the use of the button described above comes from a short document entitled, 'Some recollections of a tram driver's son', which contains the following statement: "On the front of his peaked cap was the word 'Motorman'. The word motorman and the buttons on his uniform were of brass. The buttons simply had the letter "B" (in Old English) on them...". I am indebted to Bexley Archives for the above information. A studio portrait of a Great War conductor (see link) would tend to bear this out, as though not particularly sharp, it does suggest that the centre of the button bore an initial. Two potential candidate buttons are presented opposite.