Nottingham Corporation Tramways - 1903 - Introduction of Colour-coding

Introduction of Colour-coding

During March the decision was taken to operate alternate cars on the Nottingham Road service only as far as Haydn Road, a practice that ceased in November of the following year.

An offer of £100 per annum was received from a syndicate for the carrying parcels on the cars, but although this offer was improved upon it was declined.

The beginning of the summer found certain service alterations taking place. A through service was provided from St Ann’s Well Road to Trent Bridge for workmen during the early morning at a fare of 1d., while on summer Sundays Sherwood cars were extended to Trent Bridge.

At this time the London County Council were expanding their electric tramways, and a request received from Dick, Kerr to borrow a number of motormen from Nottingham to drive their cars before they were handed over to the London County Council was granted.

On 11 May the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Company Bill was passed. This gave their trams running powers over Nottingham Corporation metals to Arnold, Beeston, Carlton and Ripley, extensions beyond the Corporation routes to Sherwood, Lenton, Sneinton and Basford respectively. The Beeston line ran from the Corporation line on Lenton Boulevard by way of Church Street, Gregory Street, Abbey Street and Beeston Road, continuing over fields on which University Boulevard was subsequently constructed, thence along Fletcher Road, Humber Road, High Road, Beeston Square and Chilwell Road to the Beeston boundary. The Carlton line ran via Canton Road, Carlton Hill and Main Street West to Newgate Street, while the Arnold line followed Mansfield Road, Daybrook Square, Nottingham Road and Front Street to Spout Lane (later Coppice Road). The final line proposed was from the projected line to Ripley, along Nuthall Road, thence over the railway crossing at Bobbers Mill, continuing via Alfreton Road to Bentinck Road junction, at which point it joined the existing Corporation lines.

Trial runs over the Market Street and Hartley Road sections were made on 20 July. They were duly inspected Major Pringle the next day and one-way working was brought into operation on 27 July, cars entering Market Place via Chapel Bar and leaving via Market Street The whole of the intricate layout at the bottom of Market Street was either relaid or new at this time.

The Hartley Road section completed what was known the “Boulevard Circle” and circular services commenced 30 July. Cars from Nottingham Road ran round the inner rails (Radford and Lenton) and thence back to Nottingham Road, and the St Ann’s Well Road cars ran round the outer rails (Lenton and Radford), returning to St Ann’s Well Road. Both operated on a six-minute frequency.

A system of coloured lights was used at night on the cars in order to distinguish the various services, as it was impossible to read the destination boards because they were not illuminated.

The colours were:

Sherwood Station Street - red

Mapperley Trent Bridge - yellow

St Ann’s Well Road Boulevards - green

Nottingham Road Boulevards - blue

Wilford Road Market Place - green

Bulwell Trent Bridge - red

Basford Market Place - white

These colours were illuminated by a light in the lower saloon immediately behind the offside bulkhead, through which there was a circular hole. The arrangement consisted of three coloured lenses on arms, which were pivoted, and by putting the lens or lenses in front of the hole the requisite light could be obtained. The side and front destination boards were painted as follows:

Sherwood Station Street - white on red

Mapperley Trent Bridge - blue on yellow

St Ann’s Well Road Boulevards - green on white

Nottingham Road Boulevards - white on blue

Wilford Road Market Place - white on green

Bulwell Trent Bridge - red on white

Basford Market Place - white on black

Following an application by residents in Sherwood for a fare reduction by extending the length of one stage, a general review of fares and stages was made, but as the average length of a 1d. stage was 1.42 miles no alterations were deemed to be necessary.