BRADFORD STANDARD TRAM No. 104 (Bradford's Last Tram)
in Early Livery, and as preserved
BRADFORD STANDARD TRAM No. 17
in later livery
BRADFORD STANDARD TRAMCAR
Most of Bradford’s trams were built at the Company’s Thornbury works between 1912 and 1925, all to basically the same design, seating 19 on the lower deck and 43 on the upper, and running on a 7ft wheelbase 21E truck. Unlike other operators, Bradford retained the open balconies to the end of tramcar operation in 1950. This was not through choice but was necessitated by the fairly unusual track gauge of 4ft, instead of the more generally used standard gauge of 4ft 8½ inches. Ministry of Transport regulations forbade the operation of totally enclosed double deckers on narrow gauge trackwork.
When tramway operation ceased in 1950, no Bradford cars were earmarked for preservation and most were scrapped, with the exception of the official “Last Car” No. 104, the body of which was sold off for further use as a scoreboard at Odsal football stadium.
Some years later the body was rescued for preservation, and a suitable replacement 21E truck of the correct type was obtained from Sheffield, as none of the Bradford ones had survived. The truck was re-gauged and other missing parts obtained and eventually the car was returned to its former glory in the Prussian blue and cream livery used before the lighter blue livery had been introduced in 1942. A length of track was restored at Thornbury works, and in 1958 the tram was able to run again! It continued to make occasional runs on its short length of track until the early 1960’s when it was put into storage. Today the car can be seen at the City’s Industrial Museum at Moorside Mills.