Nottingham Corporation Tramways - 1900 - First Electric Services

First Electric Services

Dick, Kerr & Co. informed the Department in January that unless the cars were ordered at once it would not be able to supply them before 1902 and then only at a higher price, and consequently an order was placed for 25. The relaying of the Carrington route with heavier rails (107 lb to the yard girder rails laid on six inches of concrete) and the extension to Winchester Street, Sherwood, began on 1 June. Work on the Sherwood Depot had commenced some weeks previously.

In May, horse buses were withdrawn from the St Peter’s Square to Musters Road service and placed on a new service between St Peter’s Square and Lenton Boulevard, the fare being 2d. Five months later the service was extended to the Radford Boulevard/Hartley Road junction at Radford. Negotiations were opened for the purchase of the ten horse buses of a Mr. Mann but these negotiations fell through, and two new ones were purchased from James Hudson of London for the opening of a service to Sneinton.

In October, the first nine electric trams arrived in Nottingham and were assembled at Sherwood Depot. By November, only one, no. 4, was completed, and this made its trial run on 17 November loaded with three tons of sand to represent the weight of a full load of passengers; the journey into Nottingham was quite successful, but trouble was experienced on its return when climbing Queen Street.

The destination indicator on the cars was a square ended box that pivoted on its ends, one side being painted “Sherwood” the other “Market Place.” It is believed that subsequently some cars had “Basford” and “Bulwell” painted on the other sides.

The delay in completing the cars was so great that in December a notice had to be served on Dick, Kerr to complete them within seven days and, as a result, the work was done. In the meantime an order had been placed with Westinghouse for ten cars for the Trent Bridge section and, shortly afterwards, orders were placed for a further ten cars and ten bogie cars. B.T.H. were awarded contracts for six cars and six bogie cars, all to be delivered by the end of May.

1900 also saw the discontinuance of the prepaid discount tickets, and the first year of non-operation on Christmas Day.

From September, horse drivers and conductors were awarded five days' holiday per annum and alternate Sundays off duty, and electric car drivers received 5½d. per hour for a six-day week averaging 62 hours, with an increase to 6d. per hour after the first year; electric car conductors were awarded 4d. per hour, increasing to 4½d. after the first year, and to 5d. after the second.