History
Belfast's first trams operated in 1872 and were horse-drawn. Initially the system was owned and operated by the Belfast Street Tramways Company. It was purchased by the Belfast Corporation on 1 January 1905 and electrified, using overhead wires, in 1905.
Belfast's electric trams were originally painted red and white. Some older, unmodernised trams retained this livery until the 1950s. In 1928 a new general manager was appointed: William Chamberlain, formerly of Leeds Corporation Tramways. Chamberlain introduced a new livery of dark blue and white (although the former red and white was readopted in the late 1940s). He was also responsible for the modernisation of 50 of the older tramcars and the construction of 50 new vehicles.
Chamberlain was succeeded by Robert McCreary in 1931, who introduced a further fleet of 50 streamlined trams in 1935 - the last trams to be built for Belfast. These trams gained also the nickname "McCreary". Colonel McCreary retired in 1951 and was succeeded by Joseph Mackle.
Read more about this topic: Belfast Corporation Tramways
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