The 'Baby Grands'

In the 1930s, when most operators were looking to eliminate their tramways, there was a handful of towns and cities that sought to buck the trend. Notable amongst these was Liverpool, where, under the management of Walter G. Marks from 1933, the corporation acquired a significant number of modern trams: the bogie 'Streamliners' and the four-wheel 'Baby Grands'. In all, a total of 100 of the latter were constructed between 1937 and 1942 although, ironically, all were never on service together as, due to enemy action during World War 2, two were withdrawn before the final examples were completed. After the war, Liverpool's pro-tram policy was reversed - much to the disappointment of Marks (who felt that he needed to resign his presidency of the Light Railway transport League as a consequence) - and, between 1948 and 1957, the once proud network was gradually dismantled. With the last of the bogie cars being withdrawn before the system's demise, it was the 'Baby Grands' that saw the system through to its final closure. Compiled by Martin Jenkins, a native of Merseyside whose knowledge of Liverpool's tramway network is second to none, this volume looks at the operational history of the 'Baby Grands' and includes a wide range of illustrations to portray the routes over which they operated.