Subject: Truck and underframe for City of Hull Tramways 101
Maker: English Electric, Preston
Truck: Rayner patent cardan-shaft drive
Location: Preston, Dick, Kerr works
Date: c.1923

The Rayner patent truck fitted to this tram, one of several contemporary experimental designs which had as an objective the reduction of unsprung mass. Note the centre flanges just about visible, Hull and Doncaster both tried this rail profile and of course, then had to stick with it!

Mr. E. S. Rayner, the designer of this truck, was also General Manager of City of Hull Tramways. The design was fundamentally flawed as the use of differentials would actually adversely affect the ride performance and particularly the curving, although with only one tram and quite slow speeds in Hull it is unlikely this would have been noticeable at the time.

Photograph from the GEC archive, taken by Watson Bros., Hull