Coventry Corporation Tramways
Owner Coventry Corporation
Took over 1st January 1912 (from the Coventry Electric Tramways Company [electric] - a subsidiary of the New General Traction Company Ltd)
Operator Coventry Corporation
Service ceased 14th November 1940 (due to severe bomb damage)
Services formally suspended 24th December 1940
Closed 25th February 1941
Length 13.6 miles
Gauge 3ft 6ins
Button description (Pattern 1) Title ('COVENTRY CORPORATION TRAMWAYS’) surrounding the municipal device (a shield bearing an elephant) with a cat crest, all above the motto: 'CAMERA PRINCIPIS'
Materials known Nickel; chrome
Button Line reference [113/20]
Button description (Pattern 2) Title ('COVENTRY CORPORATION TRANSPORT') surrounding the municipal device (a shield bearing an elephant) with a cat crest, all above the motto: 'CAMERA PRINCIPIS'
Materials known Nickel; chrome
Button Line reference [None]
Button description (Pattern 3) Title ('COVENTRY CORPORATION TRANSPORT') in a border, surrounding the municipal device (a shield bearing an elephant) with a cat crest, all above the motto: 'CAMERA PRINCIPIS'
Materials known Black horn
Button Line reference [None]
Comment The Prince's chamber of the motto does not refer to a specific chamber — as frequently claimed — but to the nearby manor of Cheylesmore which was held by the Black Prince.
Although it is unclear when the name of the department changed to 'Coventry Corporation Transport', newly repainted trams certainly bore this legend from c1939 onwards. It is therefore highly likely that for the last few years of the system, at the very least, tramwaymen were issued with uniforms bearing Pattern 2 buttons.