London United Tramways

LUT made repeated attempts to cross Kew Bridge after it was rebuilt in 1903 but these continued to be resisted by the Richmond Corporation Tramways Committee.

So whilst the rest of London went electric, this little branch continued to use horse-drawn cars until well into the 20th century – the interiors had red velvet seat cushions and were described as "comfortable, if not luxurious", and ran every quarter-hour (the full "end to end" journey costing 2d) – until 20 April 1912 after which it was replaced by part of a London General (LGOC) motor-bus route.

Richmond's tram-shed still exists as the former RACC Shaftesbury Centre in Kew Road, now part of The Falcons School for Boys, just north of the A316.

The LUT system was connected to the London County Council tram network at Hammersmith in 1908, Tooting in 1922 and Wandsworth in 1931; and to the Metropolitan Electric Tramways (MET) at Acton in 1909.

Records related to London United Tramways can be found at Bristol Archives within the papers of George White (Ref.

Map of the London United Tramways on the depot wall at the National Tramway Museum
'Electricity' and 'Locomotion' sculpture on London United Electrical Tramway Company's Chiswick electricity generating station
One of Richmond's trams outside the tram-shed
1 March 1906. The Mayor of Kingston upon Thames is about to drive number 320 onto Kingston Bridge. Clifton Robinson the Managing Director of London United Tramways is on the upper deck.
Tramcar 13 in Boston Road on a Hanwell to Brentford journey
Preserved tramcar 159 in the depot at Crich