PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Plymouth City Tramways Department had started a programme of replacing trams with buses back in the early 1930s. By the outbreak of the Second World War this programme was almost complete, with only the City Centre to Peverell route left to close. For some reason this route was left operational throughout the War, the only change being that after the obliteration of Spooner's Corner in March 1941, the service was curtailed to Old Town Street. With nothing left south of that point there was hardly any purpose in running the service further.
Plymouth tram 158 at the wartime
terminus When hostilities ceased in 1945 there were only four trams left in a serviceable condition, numbers 154, 157, 158 and 165. It was therefore decided to stop this remaining service as soon as possible and the date chosen was Saturday September 29th 1945. Tram number 158 was chosen to make the final run.
Plymouth tram 158 leaving the Old
Town Street At 5pm number 165 left Old Town Street bound for Peverell Corner, after which it (presumably) ran empty to Milehouse Depot. Thirty minutes later District Inspector Mr Jack Kingdom despatched tram 158 on the last run, festooned with bunting and Union Jacks. The Corporation's senior motorman, Mr Herbert Herring, drove the tram. He had served for 45 years with the Corporation. The majority of the 135 passengers were there by invitation and all had to pay their fare to one of the two Conductors on board, Mr R Bassett and Mr R Gluyas. Also on the platform were Traffic Superintendent Lintern and Assistant Superintendent Knight.
Plymouth's last tram, number 158,
entering The tram entered the Depot empty, where it was received by the Lord Mayor, Alderman H G Mason, and the members of the Transport Committee. They then took tea in the offices at Milehouse at which it was announced that the City's trams had covered over 70 million miles and carried in excess of 800 million passengers. The audience was told that the wages when the tramways started were £1 4s for a 60-hour week and that the transport manager received an annual salary of £250.
The Civic Party pose with
Plymouth's last tram Among the guests on that day were Mr George Slater, aged 84, who had driven the Corporation's first horse-driven tram; Mr William Alfred Smith, then aged 73, who had driven the first electric tram in Plymouth; and Mr G E Hammett, who had been a passenger on that first electric car. Mr Clement Jackson, the General Manager, Alderman R H Baker, chairman of the Transport Committee, and Mr H Midgley, the Corporation's Electrical Engineer, were also present.
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