Plymouth Corporation Tramways



Owner Plymouth Corporation
Took over 28th September 1892 (Plymouth Tramways Company, owners of the Plymouth, Devonport and District Tramways [horse])
Operator Plymouth Corporation
First electric route 22nd September 1899
Took over (track) 1901 (Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways [electric] - lines within the corporation boundary)
Operator (lessee) Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways Company
Took over 20th October 1915 (Devonport and District Tramways [electric]), a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction Company Limited, following absorption of Devonport into Plymouth Corporation
Took over 1st July 1922 (Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways following expiry of their lease)
Name changed November 1925 (to Plymouth Corporation Tramways and Transport)
Closed 29th September 1945
Length 17.57 miles
Gauge 3ft 6ins

Button description (Pattern 1) Title ('PLYMOUTH CORPORATION TRAMWAYS') within a border, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing a saltire and four towers) with a crest composed of six flags and a beacon, and lion supporters, all above a boat and waves
Materials known Brass
Button Line reference [None]

Button description (Pattern 2) The municipal arms (a shield bearing a saltire and four towers) with a crest composed of six flags and a beacon, and lion supporters, all above a boat and waves
Materials known Brass; chrome; black horn
Button Line reference [None]

Comments The shield device used on both the above buttons is taken from the original arms of Plymouth (early 17th Century), though the precise origin of the rest of the arms is much less clear. Whilst a crown and anchor crest, and lion supporters, were officially granted to Plymouth Council in 1931 - to reflect the absorption of Devonport and East Stonehouse (in 1915) and the elevation to city status (in 1928) - the new crest in fact differs markedly from that depicted on either of the buttons.

The Pattern 1 button is clearly marked as 'tramway', and was probably in use until the mid-to-late 1920s, the department's name being changed to 'Plymouth Corporation Tramways and Transport' in November 1925. At some point after this, a change was made to uniforms bearing the Pattern 2 button, which remained in use for the life of the tramway, despite the arms used on it being superseded in 1931.