Croydon Trams    The London Transport Era
 
In July 1933 the newly created London Passenger Transport Board inherited a fleet of more than 2,000 tramcars. The bulk comprised the fleet previously operated by the London County Council, but more than 70 had previously been operated by Croydon Corporation. Some of these came direct from the corporation but a number were also acquired from the South Metropolitan Electric Tramways Co Ltd.  Whilst the former were renumbered by their new owners — even if they were destined to have a relatively short life under LPTB ownership — the latter were never allocated LT numbers even though they survived until the mid-1930s.
 
Of the ex-Croydon trams, 25 - similar in design to the LCC’s ‘E/1’ class -­ were to survive through the 1930s — indeed a number were subject to the Rehab programme that the LPTB instituted whilst all were fitted with enclosed lower decks by the end of the decade. Although two were withdrawn by the end 1945 as a result of enemy action during World War 2 and due to fire damage, the remainder survived the final closure of the ex-corporation routes - their traditional home - and transfer to less familiar territory. However, the withdrawal of the last members of the class in early 1952 meant that none survived to the very end of the system.
               
In his latest exploration into the history of London’s trams, Peter Waller explores the story of the ex-Croydon Corporation trams in London Transport operation from 1933 until 1952.
 
PUBLICATION:   November 2025