North Metropolitan Tramways
Owner North Metropolitan Tramways Company
Opened 9th May 1870 (horse)
Operator North Metropolitan Tramways Company
First electric route 4th August 1877 (battery electric)
Took over (operation) 1st August 1891 (North London Tramways Company lines)
Took over (assets) 12th April 1892 (North London Tramways Company) - from receivership
Taken over 24th May 1897 (London County Council) - lines within LCC area
Operator (lessee) North Metropolitan Tramways Company
Took over 13th October 1897 (London Street Tramways Company [horse]) - infrastructure and equipment
Took over (operation) 14th October 1897 (lines of the former London Street Tramways Company [horse]) - now owned by London County Council
Taken over (company) 26th November 1902 (Metropolitan Electric Tramways - a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction Company Ltd) - controlling interest gained
Taken over 26th November 1902 (Middlesex County Council) - lines within Middlesex
Taken over (operation) 26th November 1902 (Metropolitan Electric Tramways) - lines within Middlesex
Taken over (tracks) 1st July 1903 (West Ham Corporation Tramways) - lines in West Ham, which continued to be worked by the NTMCo pending electrification
Taken over 1st April 1906 (London County Council Tramways) - lines and services in the County of London
Taken over 1st June 1906 (Leyton Urban District Council Tramways) - lines and services in Leyton
Last service 28th April 1908 - East Ham Corporation-owned Romford Road to Manor Park, following mutual termination of the operating lease
Length 56.77 miles
Gauge 4ft 8½ins
Button description Uniforms not worn
Comment With the exception of conductors' caps, the North Metropolitan Tramways Company did not issue uniforms (see link), so marked uniform buttons never existed.
The button pictured is actually an issue of the 'North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Company', which supplied power to the Metropolitan Electric Tramways and electricity to large areas of the capital and surrounding counties. The company traded under the name 'NorthMet', and the standard reference work on the 'bullseye' - A Logo for London - shows a 'bullseye' device used by this company (Page 48). The distinctive style of lettering seen on this button only made its appearance in 1908/9, being introduced at the behest of the District Railway (a constituent of the Underground Electric Railways Company of London - the 'Underground Group') to promote London's underground railways. The group eventually incorporated this style of lettering into its 'blue bar and red circle' logo - the famous London Underground 'bullseye' - a device which was subsequently used by numerous companies within the group.