Leicester Corporation No. 76

Reversed staircase with viewing flap in ‘open’ position. J. Dignan, 15/5/2015

A couple of 76’s original design features are also of note as they highlight the contrast in attitudes and values over the intervening period since its introduction. The first might be thought of as a rather serious ‘design fault’, particularly in today’s health and safety conscious age, and involved the positioning of the ‘reversed stairs’, which completely obscured the driver’s vision over his left shoulder. This handicap was partially alleviated by incorporating a series of perforated holes in the vertical section of one of the steps through which the driver might be able to glimpse any approaching cyclist or other traffic coming up from behind on the ‘near’ side.

Reversed staircase with viewing flap in ‘closed’ position. J. Dignan, 15/5/2015

However, the solution to one problem gave rise to another one since the glimpse of a passing lady’s ankle on the tram’s rear stairwell at the conductor’s end of the tram would almost certainly have offended the cultural sensitivities of the day. In order to solve this dilemma a further modification was incorporated, consisting of a ‘decency flap’ of metal, which could be pegged up in the ‘open’ position at the front end of the tram to afford slightly better visibility for the driver and down again in the ‘closed’ position at the rear end of the tram to afford a modicum of decorum for the benefit of female passengers. Determined to leave nothing to chance, the corporation tramway threatened conductors who omitted to close the decency flaps on ‘their’ stairwells with swingeing fines.

Sister car 77 at Belgrave Terminus, with 97 in the distance. W.A. Camwell, 1938

Leicester 76 was withdrawn in July 1947 when the Fosse Road routes were converted to buses, just a couple of years before the final closure of the system, and the body was sold – minus controllers and truck – to become a cricket pavilion and changing rooms in the village of East Cowick, near Snaith in Yorkshire.

Before restoration – Leicester 76 was in a sorry state, emphasizing the scale of the challenge facing the volunteer restoration team! Photo: Howard Parkinson, date unknown

It was rescued from there, together with the lower deck of a sister car (number 99) in August 1960 and was the first car at Crich to undergo a major structural restoration, the objective being to restore the tram to a condition similar to the SHMD tram which had been adopted as the society’s emblem. This entailed not only the removal of vestibules and enclosed balconies to restore the car to its 1920s condition but also the replacement of parts of the car’s main structure and reinstatement of the ornamental embossed ceilings. Given the rudimentary facilities at Crich in those early days, this was no mean achievement, particularly as it was accomplished solely by volunteers.

Leicester 76 pictured during a Royal Visit by the late Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, on a visit to Crich on 14th August 1972  Photo: Richard Lomas.

Some idea of the primitive working conditions and challenges facing the early volunteers at Crich during the restoration of Leicester 76 (and other tramcars) can be gleaned from a British Pathé newsreel – part of which (the second half) was filmed at Crich in 1964 – by following the link to: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/trams-and-tram-museum/query/tram

Top of the controller on Leicester 76. Photo: Paul Abell

The newly restored tram did enjoy a brief spell in passenger service for a limited period in the early 1970s (1973-5 inclusive), until the discovery of a major structural defect brought her operational duties to a close. Since then, Leicester 76 has featured very prominently as a static exhibit firstly in the ‘Trade Exhibition’ display and more recently in the ‘Century of Trams’ display.

Leicester 76, photographed with Derby 1, another Midlands tram, on 2/5/21. Photo: Jim Dignan