Rothesay Tramways Company
Owner Rothesay Tramways Company
Opened 1st June 1882 (horse)
Operator Rothesay Tramways Company
Taken over July 1899 (British Electric Traction Company) - controlling interest gained
First electric service 13th August 1902
Last horse service 18th August 1902
Ownership transferred 24th September 1913 (Scottish General Transport Company - another wholly owned subsidiary of BET)
Taken over 6th November 1931 (Scottish Motor Traction)
Owner's named changed 1st June 1932 (to Western S.M.T. Company Ltd)
Closed 30th September 1936
Length 4.87 miles
Gauge 3ft 6ins
Button description (horse era) Uniforms not worn
Button description (electric era) Wheel, magnet and electrical flashes
Materials known Brass; nickel; chrome; black composite
Button Line reference [113/16]
Button description (post-BETCo) Unknown
Comment During the horse tramway era - and prior to the advent of the BET - staff wore informal attire, so it is almost certain that uniform buttons - marked or otherwise - never existed (see link). During the 30 years of BET ownership (1901 to 1931), staff wore BET uniforms which bore standard BET 'Magnet & Wheel' buttons. Although the concern was run by the Scottish General Transport Company from 1913 to 1931, this was also a BET company, having been expressly set up to manage all of the BETCo's tramways (and their motorbus operations) in Scotland, namely, the RTCo, the Airdrie and Coatbridge Tramways Company and the Greenock and Port Glasgow Tramways Company.
Following the sale of the RTCo to Scottish Motor Traction (in 1931), it is unclear what uniforms were worn; however, as the BET 'Magnet & Wheel' device was removed from the sides of the tramcars, it seems inconceivable that the staff would have been allowed to continue wearing BET insignia of any description, including buttons.