Stockport Corporation Tramways



Owner Stockport Corporation
Took over 1901 (Manchester Carriage & Tramways Company Limited) - lines within the borough
Operator (lessee) MC&TCoLtd (on behalf of Manchester Corporation)
First electric service 26th August 1901
Operator Stockport Corporation
Taken over (operation) 1st June 1902 (Manchester Corporation Tramways [electric]) - lines of the former MC&TCoLtd within the borough
Took over 24th January 1905 (Stockport and Hazel Grove Carriage and Tramway Company Limited [horse])
Last horse service 4th July 1905
Took over (ownership) 9th November 1913 (lines of the former MC&TCoLtd owned by Heaton Norris UDC, following absorption of that authority by Stockport)
Operator (lessee) Manchester Corporation (lines within Heaton Norris)
Operational change 1st February 1924 (mutual running powers agreed between Stockport and Manchester Corporations following expiry of the lease)
Name changed late-1920s (to Stockport Corporation Tramways and Omnibus Department)
Name changed circa 1935 (to Stockport Corporation Transport)
Took over (operation) 13th May 1945 (Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Tramways) — Hyde Corporation-owned line from Pole Bank to Hyde
Closed 25th August 1951
Length 19.46 miles
Gauge 4ft 8½ins

Button description (Pattern 1) Title (‘STOCKPORT CORPORATION ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS’) within a raised rim, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing nine crosses) with a banner and crown crest, and lion couchant and Britannia supporters
Materials known Brass; nickel chrome
Button Line reference [114/70]

Button description (Pattern 2) Title (‘STOCKPORT CORPORATION ELECTRIC TRANSPORT’) within a raised rim, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing nine crosses) with a banner and crown crest, and lion couchant and Britannia supporters
Materials known Chrome
Button Line reference [None]

Button description (Pattern 3) Title (‘STOCKPORT CORPORATION TRANSPORT’) within a raised rim, surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing nine crosses) with a banner and crown crest, and lion couchant and Britannia supporters
Materials known Nickel
Button Line reference [None]

Button description (Pattern 4) Title (‘STOCKPORT CORPORATION TRANSPORT’) surrounding the municipal arms (a shield bearing nine crosses) with a crown and castle crest, all above the motto: 'ANIMO ET FIDE'
Materials known Chrome
Button Line reference [None]

Comment Although the banner on the old, unofficial Stockport Corporation arms bore the legend 'Corporate Reform January 1836', close inspection of the buttons reveals the banner to contain vertical lines that give the impression of writing, rather than writing per se.

The corporation appears to have chosen to rebrand its transport services as 'Stockport Corporation Electric Transport' at some point in the mid-1930's, hence the Pattern 2 button. Quite why it bears a version of the municipal arms that was superseded in 1932 is unclear. The Pattern 3 button may simply be an evolution of the Pattern 2, as motorbus operation became the dominant mode of transport, however, it is also possible that the buttons co-existed, one being used for tram staff and the other for bus staff. A new pattern of button was eventually issued (Pattern 4), and almost certainly before the demise of the tramway, given that it does not bear supporters to the arms, which were granted in 1959.