Book Description

A history of London’s horse, steam, cable, and electric tramways, and the operation that ended an era. Includes photos.

The final volume in the Regional Tramways series focuses on the history of tram operation in the London area. Starting the story with the pioneering horse tramways operated by George Francis Train in the 1860s, the book narrates how the various horse, steam, cable, and electric tramways evolved in the period leading up to the creation of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933.

The primary focus of the book is the period immediately after World War II when, following the retention of the tramways for longer than anticipated, the process of conversion—codenamed Operation Tramaway—saw almost 1,000 trams eliminated from the streets of London in less than two years. Also covered are the two second-generation tramways—the Docklands Light Railway and Croydon Tramlink—which now serve parts of the Greater London area. The book concludes with an overview of those London trams that survive into preservation.