Nelson's Trams
John Woodman
The dawn of the twentieth century saw towns and cities around the country caught up in the surge to see the new marvel of electric powered trams carrying their citizens -, replacing the old horse trams and noxious steam powered tram sets. In the case of Lytham and St Annes it was a case of doing away with the despised gas trams, both slow and equally noxious for those having to sit inside the lower deck.
Far grander were the large new stylish vehicles dominating all traffic along their path. Fast of acceleration and capacious with smartly uniformed crews - all proud of their new employment. The new trams came in smart municipal colour schemes, ornately lined out bearing the town's coat of arms and name of the general manager. Those early days in one small industrial Lancashire town is amply illustrated by these two photos of Nelson Corporation Tramways cars. Tram 15 above being in service and accompanied by its crew in their new uniforms, along with staff workers from the Corporation tram depot. While below a builder's photograph of a single deck model with what were ill advised open end sections. Windows were provided with full curtains to inhibit the glare of the sun and cloak nighttime journeys. Heavy ironwork grills are evidently necessary features, while the single decker has its headlamp over the driving cab.
Both photos : John Woodman Archive