Bradford City Tramways



Owner Bradford Corporation
Opened 2nd February 1882 (horse)
Operator (lessee) 2nd February 1882 (Bradford Tramways and Omnibus Company)
Operator (lessee) 6th September 1884 (Bradford and Shelf Tramway Company [steam]) - new line to Shelf
First electric route 30th July 1898
Took over (operation) 1st February 1902 (all lines previously worked by the BTOC and the BSTC, including those owned by Shipley UDC and the Shelf Tramways Company)
Took over June 1903 (1,286 yards of track in Shelf owned by the Shelf Tramways Company)
Took over (lease) 30th April 1904 (Mid-Yorkshire Tramways [electric] - track and fittings passing into the ownership of Shipley UDC)
Closed 6th May 1950
Length 64.54 miles
Gauge 4ft 0ins


Button description (Pattern 1) Title (‘Bradford City Tramways’) in circlet, surrounding boar's head (without tongue) on a torse, in front of a sprouting tree
Materials known Black horn
Button Line reference [114/82B]


Button description (Pattern 2) Boar’s head (without tongue) on a torse, in front of a sprouting tree, set within a prominent rim
Materials known Nickel
Button Line reference [None]


Button description (Pattern 3) Title (‘Bradford City Tramways’) in circlet, surrounding arms (shield with inverted chevron and three hunting horns, surmounted by a boar’s head), with ram and goat supporters, all above motto: ‘Labor Omnia Vincit’ (Labour conquers all things)
Materials known Black horn
Button Line reference [114/82A]


Button description (Pattern 4) Arms (shield with inverted chevron and three hunting horns, surmounted by a boar’s head), with ram and goat supporters, all above motto: ‘Labor Omnia Vincit’ (Labour conquers all things), set within a prominent rim
Materials known Brass; nickel; chrome
Button Line reference [None]



Comments Given that the supporters (ram and goat) were only granted to Bradford on the 31st January 1908, the Pattern 1 & 2 buttons probably predate both this event and the Pattern 3 & 4 buttons. This conclusion is also supported by the close similarity between the Pattern 3 & 4 buttons and the later 'Bradford City Transport' buttons, implying that they were concurrent issues. It is unclear why the only material known for both the Pattern 1 and Pattern 3 issues is black horn. An early photo shows a BCT employee (probably a Motorman or Conductor) wearing the Pattern 2 button (see link), whilst numerous later photos clearly show tramcar staff with shiny buttons, presumably the Pattern 4 button, which according to Bradford Industrial Museum was issued to motormen and conductors. The black issues were possibly either worn by higher grades (Inspectors) or were only used on overcoats or raincoats. It is however something of a mystery why the Corporation saw fit to state the name in one material but not in another - I know of no other tramway company/corporation which did this.