More tram trivia

The info here was originally posted by Brian, Doon the Toon, in the 3Js (DC Thomson's chat board) and the Dundee Forum. Some of the info comes from the video "Dundee Trams", released in 1996, the anniversary of the ending of Dundee's trams.

From the 3Js

When the use of trams was finally discontinued in 1956, the oldest one still working dated back to 1900, although rebuilt on more than one occasion.

The two remaining routes, Lochee/City Centre and Ninewells/Maryfield, closed on Saturday, 20th October, 1956.

The last SCHEDULED tram (car No. 45) left NINEWELLS for Maryfield on that day.

6 cars left MARYFIELD to head for the Lochee Depot at 12.31am on Sunday, 21st October. Car 25 was the last to leave Reform Street at 12.50am. It took over an hour for the journey from Maryfield to the Lochee Depot, due to thousands of spectators lining the route. It had been decreed by the Council that there would be nothing special to mark the occasion - no closing ceremony, no official "last tram", no souvenir tickets, etc.

In the early hours of Thursday, 25th October, the last seven cars at LOCHEE Depot, left to travel to Maryfield Depot. The last of this convoy, Car No 21, gave late night dancers heading home, a free lift.

This was the last car that carried (unofficial) passengers.

All 31 remaining cars of the Dundee fleet were transported on the back of lorries from Maryfield to a field at Marchbanks, where they were burnt. None of them was preserved.

BUT - one of Dundee's trams, the original Steam Tram Trailer No. 21, dating from around 1893-4, has undergone restoration and is one of the most historically significant vehicles at the National Tramway Museum at Crich in Derbyshire.


From Dundee Forum

On the subject of Dundee transport, you may find the this link of interest.

Here's a quote and a photo from that site

Dundee steam tram trailer No. 21 

The Dundee & District Tramway Company ran horse and steam trams in Dundee, Scotland. No.21 was a trailer built by GF Milnes in 1894. It was a typical steam tram trailer of the period, being a top covered double deck bogie car. Dundee Corporation took over in 1899 and electrified the system. No.21 was sold off and became a fisherman's hut at Crombie reservoir For a full history of the tramways of Dundee, I recommend Tramways of the Tay Valley by Alan W. Brotchie. 

In 1969, the body of 21 was moved to Marton Moss near Blackpool, where restoration commenced. Two spare Milnes plate frame bogies were obtained from the Douglas cable car project and reguaged. 

Marton Moss July 27th 1979

There are more photos and details of the restoration work at that site.

That tram trailer is now fully restored and can be seen at the National Tramway Museum at Crich, Derbyshire. Here's a photo of what it looks like now, taken from the Museum's website page

Update 22-10-2012: Many thanks to Brian, Doon the Toon, who gave us an updated link for Dundee Steam Trailer No. 21 from the internet archive.