Burnley
Corporation Tramways
Photos clearly show motormen and conductors
wearing the standard round corporation cap badge shown
below, along with badges on their jacket collars - possibly
‘BCT’ initials - though these cannot be made
out with any degree of certainty. The cap badge worn by
inspectors was different (a wreath design), apparently made
of cloth (see photo). Unusually perhaps, staff also appear
to be wearing some kind of cloth armband. The bottom photo
clearly shows a conductor sporting a municipal licence,
which may be the type illustrated below, though this seems
smaller than the one in the photograph. Interestingly,
Burnley was actually a County Borough throughout the life
of the tramway, only being relegated to
‘Borough’ status on the 1st April 1974. The
licence shown below clearly predates the 1970s (the
familiar bakelite/plastic PSV badges would probably have
been used on the buses from the mid 1930s onwards), so it
may simply be that the authority felt ‘Borough’
was sufficient, even if not wholly accurate!
For the last two years of its life, following amalgamation
of the municipal systems of Burnley, Colne and Nelson, the
tramway passed into the hands of the Burnley, Colne and
Nelson Joint Transport Committee. Given that this was a new
entity, with a need to quickly establish its own identity
(the new BC&NJTC device was applied to tramcars), it
would seem highly likely that tramway staff were issued
with new badges and buttons. This appears to be borne out
by the bottom photo, which shows two Burnley staff wearing
what appears to be the distinctive oval badge of the
BC&NJTC.
Cap badge - brass
(with thanks to Richard Hargreaves)
Cap badge - chrome
(probably worn for the last two years of the tramway's
existence)
Possible tramway-era conductor licence - grey metal
Group of tramway staff, including an inspector - with
thanks to Duncan Holden
Motorman and conductor apparently sporting the oval cap
badge of the BC&NJT Committee
Note that the conductor is wearing a municipal licence -
with thanks to Duncan Holden