Liverpool Corporation Tramways Baby Grand Car

The Baby Grands were the last of a series of streamlined trams built at the Liverpool Corporation Edge Lane works in the 1930s and early 1940s to modernise the Corporation's fleet. The Baby Grands were a simpler, smaller (and therefore cheaper) single truck (which was EMB built) version of the double bogie Streamliner tram which had a high power consumption [1]. The Baby Grand fleet mostly survived until the end of Liverpool Corporation Tramway in 1957.

245 at the Wirral Tramway Museum

Information
Number built:	100
Built:	1937-42
Builder:	Liverpool Corporation
Motor:	2 BTH 116 electric motors (550v DC OHLE)
Power:	120 hp (89 kW)

Two Baby Grands has been preserved, 245 was one of the trams which took part in the final parade before Liverpool's tram system shut down. It has now been restored back to running order by the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society. Tram 293, which made the final trips on the tram network, is at the Seashore Trolley Museum in the USA.

245 alongside slightly older trams

Another view of 245

[1] Martin Jenkins & Charles Roberts, Merseyside Transport Recalled (Ian Allan, 2014) p. 27

Liverpool Corporation Tramways Streamliner Car

Having begun the modernisation of it's tramcar fleet in the early 1930s with the Priestly Bogie Cars, which were fully enclosed and had double bogies, the Liverpool Corporation built a series of modern trams throughout the 1930s including a large fleet of 163 Streamliner cars (also known as "Liners").

869 at Crich

Information
Number built:	163
Built:	1936-37
Builder:	Liverpool Corporation Edge Lane Works
Motor:	4 GEC WT184 electric motors (550v DC OHLE)
Power:	144 hp (107 kW)

The Streamliners were fitted with EMB bogies [1] and had a high passenger carrying capacity [2]. Unfortunately they were also expensive to run. Although Liverpool had continued to invest in it's tram network in the 1930s, post-war the network was run like as in most places. Withdrawals of the Streamliners began in the 1950s. However, forty six were sold to Glasgow Corporation where they continued to be used until 1960.

The example shown here, Number 869, was the second Streamliner to be built. It was sold to Glasgow in 1954 and continued in use until 1960 when it entered preservation. However it was not fully restored to working order until 1993. It is now at Crich Tramway Museum.

Side view showing the double bogies

View of the destination blinds

[1] Brian P Martin, Liverpool Tramways 2: Southern Routes (Middleton Press, 1998) Fig. 120
[2] Martin Jenkins & Charles Roberts, Merseyside Transport Recalled (Ian Allan, 2014) p. 25

Liverpool Corporation Tramways Priestly Bogie Car

This batch of bogie cars, known as Priestly Bogie Cars (or sometimes English Electric Bogie Cars), was built by Liverpool Corporation Tramways in the early 1930s as part of the effort to modernise the tram fleet [1]. The tram cars, which were the first complete class of tram to be built at the Corporation's new Edge Lane Works, were fully enclosed and had two English Electric bogies with all axles being driven. However within a few years the bogies were replaced by lightweight ones by EMB as the original bogies were prone to wheel locking. The trams were withdrawn by the 1950s.

Tram 762 (right) at Wirral Transport Museum

Information
Number built:	12
Built:	1931-32
Builder:	Liverpool Corporation Edge Lane Works / English Electric
Motor:	4 electric motors (550v DC OHLE)

Tram number 762's lower saloon survived to become a bowling green clubhouse after the tram was withdrawn in 1955. The saloon was rescued for preservation in 1977 though this was a slow process. However in 2001 the tram was finally restored to working order and now runs on the Wirral Tramway heritage line.

Side view including the entrance and cab area

[1] Charles Knapper, The Golden Age of Tramways (David & Charles, 1974) p. 90