In 1929 the

Metropolitan Electric Tramways Metropolitan Electric Tramways Limited (MET) operated electric tram services in suburban areas of Middlesex and Hertfordshire from 1904 to 1933, when its services passed to the London Passenger Transport Board. History The company originated in ...

(MET) placed into service an experimental tramcar, No. 320, manufactured by the

Union Construction Company The Union Construction Company (UCC) was a company set up in 1901 and associated with Charles Yerkes, an American associated with the London Underground at that time. It was part of the Underground Electric Railways Company of London (prior to the ...

which was located in

Feltham Feltham () is a town in West London, England, from Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it became part of the London Borough of Hounslow in 1965. The parliamentary constituency of Feltham and Heston has been held by Labour Party MPs ...

. This tram was of a significantly more advanced design than other experimental cars that the MET had trialled in the previous few years, and was the first of three prototypes that led to the final design of what became known as the "Feltham" trams. Two more experimental tramcars were then constructed: MET No. 330 later the same year, and No. 331 the next. After experience in passenger service was assessed, the best features of each were combined to form the final design. In 1932 these were the most modern tramcars in London, with their streamlined appearance and high-horsepower motors they were fast, and seated 64 passengers in comfort - with capacity for another 20 standing on the vestibuled end platforms to cope with rush-hour crowds. The drivers cabins were raised above the passenger saloon floor level, so that the seated driver was at the same height as standing drivers on older trams. Unusually for London, air brakes were fitted, as well as a pneumatically operated front exit door. One hundred production Feltham trams were built in total, 54 for the MET and 46 for

London United Tramways London United Tramways Company Limited was an operator of trams and trolleybuses in the western and southern suburbs of London, UK, from 1894 to 1933, when it passed to the London Passenger Transport Board. Origins The company was formed in 189 ...

(LUT), entering service from 1931. Although substantially the same trams, the LUT Felthams were fitted with different electrical equipment to the MET cars, and lacked plough carriers (required for through services with

London County Council Tramways The London County Council Tramways was an extensive network of public street tramways operated by the council throughout the County of London, UK, from 1899 to 1933, when they were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board. Acquisiti ...

). All 100 Felthams (and three prototypes) passed to London Transport in 1933. Following closure of their (home) North London tramlines upon conversion to

trolleybus A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or troll ...

operation, all surviving cars were transferred to South London, with the former LUT trams being fitted with plough carriers; most survived almost until the final round of closures of London tramlines ( Operation Tramaway, 1950–1952). Starting in 1949, 90 Felthams were sold for further service in

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

. Unlike the London Transport renumbering, that in Leeds was not sequential. The experimental prototypes did not fare so well, being of non-standard design and two with non-standard equipment, causing maintenance problems and operational difficulties; No. 320 was scrapped in 1935 after a very short service life; No. 331 was withdrawn in 1936 but was sold to

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

where it saw further service until 1954; however No. 330, being the most "standard" of the three, managed to be transferred to South London with the production Felthams.

In Preservation

Three Feltham cars have survived to the present day, all ex-Metropolitan Electric Tramways.

References

External links

Trolleybus.net
Tram vehicles of the United Kingdom Trams in London {{UK-tram-stub