Abstract
Considering the fact that at the present time there are no tramcars operating in Bristol, it may seem a little odd to find a modern transport undertaking still using the somewhat quaint-sounding title, “Bristol Tramways and Carriage Co., Ltd.” The reason, together with the history of the company from its earliest days up to the present, is dealt with in the paper, which is illustrated with lantern slides, made from pictures of historical interest kept in the company's archives.
The story begins from 1870 and tells of the early difficulties confronting the planners; the scenes in the city when the first horse-drawn tramcars ran along the flag-decorated streets in 1875; the acquisition and operation of a fleet of cabs painted blue with red wheels, the drivers wearing top hats with braided bands and full-liveried top coats; the electrification of the tramway system and the supersession of the horses; and then on to the motor era which, as far as Bristol was concerned, commenced in 1906.
The various models of motor coaches and omnibuses designed and produced, including the four-tonner of 1913, the Redrup axial wobble-plate engine of 1935, the present-day models such as the underfloor engine single-decker and the low double-decker, and heavy goods vehicles are mentioned.
Details of the company's overall development during its eighty-three years' history are given in the narrative, and something is told of the work done during two world wars.
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