By the late 1930s most British street tram networks were in an irreversible decline, a decline made much worse by the ravages of the Second World War and the austerity which followed. Unlike most tramways, Sheffield Corporation designed and built a fleet of new tramcars post-war, these were amongst the last to be built in the UK. The first and prototype tram was Jubilee 501, it was built at the Sheffield Corporation's own works in 1946 using whatever materials the workers could get their hands on. The result was a streamlined fully enclosed body with a longer than usual wheelbase with rubber mountings and fluorescent lights.
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510 is preserved at Crich
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| Information |
| Number built: |
36 |
| Built: |
1946, 1950-52 |
| Builder: |
Sheffield Corporation, Charles Roberts & Co. |
| Motor: |
2 Metropolitan-Vickers 102 DR3 electric motors (500v DC OHLE) |
| Power: |
130 hp (97 kW) |
In 1950 a fleet of thirty-five trams was built by Charles Roberts in the same style as 501 but with steel frames and aluminium panels instead of wood like 501. They had rubber and leaf spring suspension and resilient drive gearing for very quiet operation. These were the last trams to be built for Sheffield Corporation and can be considered the ultimate example of the traditional British four-wheel truck street tram.
However, they had short working lives with the Sheffield Corporation tram network closing in 1960. Two Roberts Cars have been preserved including 510 which was one of the trams to operate in the final procession before closure.
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510 in the tramshed at Crich
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