The Trams

The line began in June 1874 with a horse drawn service from Shepherd's Bush to Askew Crescent in Acton. Small extensions and changes of ownership by 1895 found the line reaching the top of Acton Hill and owned by London United Tramways, namesake of the present day bus company. Acton Tram Depot opened in 1896. Unlike the LUT tram depots at Stamford Brook and Fulwell the Acton Depot did not pass to the modern London United in the dismemberment of London Transport, but went instead to CentreWest as the Uxbridge Road forms the backbone of that company's teritory.
Representing the modern London United RML2269 showing an incorrect side blind - 94 instead of 9
On 20th July 1996 Acton Tram Depot held an open day to celebrate its Centenary
It took much deliberation by the people of Ealing in the form of their elected representatives on the council to allow "A form of transport which is unable to yeald right of way to other traffic, but must require other traffic to yeald". The tramway was approved & built in 1900. By 1901 the line was electrified and reached Southall. It took until 1904 to pass through the open country of Hillingdon Heath and finaly reach Uxbridge.
The tramway opening cermony in 1901 at Southall. The Town Hall is recognisable as today's landmark, but Lady Margaret Road and the Broadway shops are yet to be built
In these 1905 views the junction of Ealing Broadway and Uxbridge Road is established as we know it today.
A little further west Christ Church is hidden by trees as is any evidence of Ealing Town Hall. The shops and Railway Hotel at the junction of High Street and Uxbridge Road have been replaced over the years.
These 3 images ©Ealing Public Libraries
History is not quite clear as to exactly when the Shepherd's Bush to Uxbridge tram service was numbered 7, but about the time of the formation of the London Passenger Transport Board and the adoption of the fleetname in 1933 would be a good guess. The historian who captioned these two postcards as 1935 was in some doubt about the date of the conversion from tram to trolleybus, but I am reliably informed that the change took place on 15th November 1936. The landmarks are established but the traffic is almost non-existant.
Photographed from about the same spot as the 1905 view but looking west a tram passes the junction of Ealing Broadway & Uxbridge Road
A few yards further east and looking in that direction a Trolley bus aproaches the junction with the tram lines looking filled in
Both these images ©Ealing Public Libraries
Mention of Trolleybuses links neatly on to the next chapter