Birmingham Corporation Tramways 732 and 762 Classes

Also known as the EMB Air Brake Cars, these were two classes of trams built for the Birmingham Corporation in the late 1920s as the Corporation's network grew such as the takeover of the route from Dudley to Oldbury [1]. The 732 Class were built by Brush and had EMB trucks. The trams were more powerful than earlier trams in the fleet and were the first trams operated by the Corporation to have air brakes [2].

762 Class 804 in Birmingham [4]

Information for 762 Class
Number built:	50
Built:	1928-29
Builder:	Brush Traction
Motor:	2 DK30/1L electric motors (550v DC OHLE)
Power:	126 hp (94 kW)

The 762 Class were fifty very similar trams with the same electrical equipment as the 732 Class, though one difference was the use of a Fischer bow collector instead of a trolley [3]. The 762 Class also had modifications to the brake system which had caused problems on the 732 Class especially in cold weather. However, the complicated brake system led to them becoming unpopular with depot staff.

Both 732 and 762 Classes survived in service until 1952, a year before the final closure of the once extensive Birmingham tram network.

[1] P.W. Lawson, Birmingham Corporation Tramway Rolling Stock (BTHG, 1983) p. 141

[2] Ibid. p. 140

[3] Ibid. p. 142

[4] Stockholm Transport Museum image, no copyright restrictions