Subject: Leicester C. T. 1?
Maker: Electric Railway and Tramway Carriage Works, Preston
Truck: Brill 21E
Seating: 34/22
Location: Preston, Dick, Kerr works
Date: c.1903

A traditional view of what is believed to be Leicester's first electric tram (although they did try a Brush sample car in 1903, but quickly that to Metropolitan Electric Tramways).

This tram differs from the other trams supplied to Leicester in having a quarter-turn (instead of half-turn) staircase. It is not known if it ever operated like this or was modified before delivery.

Although this reversed style of staircase seems to be good in separating the flow of passengers from upstairs from the drivers, on most systems at least only the rear staircase was used and instead the effect would be to slow down boarding and alighting as both streams of passengers had pass through the small area outside the lower saloon door. Reversed staircases fell out of favour quite quickly in most places but Leicester seemed to stick with them.

The staircases on this tram in particular would cause serious visibility problems to the driver when looking to his left - the later cars had a series of holes in one stair riser to improve this.

Photograph from the GEC Archive, taken by E. Hoole