The Board had meanwhile also had a change of heart with regard to the trolleybus programme, electing to replace the trams with cheaper, and allegedly more flexible motorbuses. After the war, and somewhat ironically, the LPTB was unable to solve its tramway problem by resuming the trolleybus conversion programme, as it first needed to attend to its motorbus fleet, which was also in urgent need of replacement. The conflict also saw a significant reduction in skilled manpower, and a consequent reduction in maintenance, on top of which came severe damage during the Blitz, around 70 tramcars being completely destroyed and innumerable others damaged. In the end, however, developments in Germany were to put paid to the LPTB's carefully laid plans, the advent of the Second World War bringing the trolleybus conversions to a premature halt, the last taking place in 1940. In fact, such was the pace of change, that the LPTB had to institute economy measures to avoid pointed questions about its fiscal management. The speed with which the conversion was carried out, and the intention to drive it through to completion in the early 1940s, leaves little doubt that the decision was anything but financially driven, much of the redundant tramway infrastructure having been itself only recently upgraded, and well capable of giving many further years of service. Meanwhile, the trolleybus network had risen from a lowly 17 miles, operated by 61 vehicles, to 236 route miles operated by 1,411 vehicles.
By mid 1939, in just 6 short years, the LPTB had reduced the tramway network by 58% (to 135 route miles), and the tramcar fleet by 50% (to 1,316 vehicles). Further powers were obtained in 1935 authorising the conversion of 148 route miles of tramway, with the first replacement taking place on the 27th of October. The LPTB's first Trolleybus Bill, which was of modest scope, received its Royal Assent in July 1934, but from here on, the pace picked up dramatically. The Board's intentions soon became abundantly clear when it announced that it would be seeking powers to abandon a large number of lines in the northwest, west and southwest of the network (in favour of trolleybuses), the first tramway closures - short stretches in Anerley and Mitcham in favour of existing motorbus services - taking place before the end of 1933. As far as the tramcar was concerned, the formation of the LPTB was a disaster, the Board being dominated from the outset by individuals who not only viewed it as anachronism, but who wished to see it disappear as quickly as possible.
The London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) came into being on the 1st July 1933, bringing the services of the following tramway concerns under a single pan-London umbrella for the first time: Barking Town Urban District Council Tramways Bexley Urban District Council Tramways (including Dartford UDC Tramways) Croydon Corporation Tramways East Ham Corporation Tramways Erith Urban District Council Tramways Ilford Council Tramways Leyton District Council Tramways London County Council Tramways London United Tramways Metropolitan Electric Tramways South Metropolitan Electric Tramways Walthamstow Council Light Railways and West Ham Corporation Tramways.Īt its formation, the LPTB took over 328 route miles of tramway, which formed a dense network covering central London, radiating outwards to all points of the compass: north to Enfield and Waltham Cross northeast to Chingford Mount, Woodford and Barkingside east to Ilford, East Ham and Barking southeast to Erith, Bexley and Eltham south to Purley, Croydon and Sutton southwest to Wimbledon, Kingston and Twickenham west to Hounslow, Uxbridge and Sudbury and northwest to Edgware, Finchley and Barnet.Īlthough many welcomed the creation of what was hoped would be an integrated network of trams, trolleybuses, motorbuses and trains, others wondered at the wisdom of handing the city's municipally owned undertakings to a body over which they would have little control.
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