UK local transportation tokens

[Figleaf]

The Plymouth arms were redesigned some time after 1925. The tokens show the old arms. There are two arms sizes. On the red token, the tail of the right lion aligns with TI. On the white token, it aligns with AT. The denomination side comes in several versions. The 2 penny token is slightly smaller and thinner than the others. It looks like another production process was used.

Added an TI aligned 5 pence baby blue.
Added three versions of the 1 ½d red, a black penny with a broad, outlined 1 and a tuppence brown. All are TI aligned.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Preston took the central elements of its coat of arms as main device for its bus tokens. PP is said to mean Princeps Pacis (prince of peace). My first thought was Prestonis Patronas (patron saint of Preston). The Lamb is the device of St. Wilfrid who is the Patron Saint of Preston.

Added a dark blue one stage token. The text is different;y aligned. The quickest way to distinguish the two alignments is by the E in ONE. On the blue token it is left of the G underneath. On the black token it is to the right of the G.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Rochdale was once a textile economy (hence the wool sack on the arms,) but it has become a commuting town in greater Manchester. I have a second black token with what on a coin would be called 180° die rotation.

Peter

[malj1]

There is a post for Nottingham tokens already, but this one is good enough for its own post. This token is marked A.R.P. which means that it was meant for air raid precautions wardens. Nottingham, unlike Walmington, is not by the sea, but I can still see warden Hodges use this, managing to make it a token of the extraordinary power invested in him

Peter

I distinctly remember showing my Nottingham Corporation ARP three-halfpenny here too, it seems to have dropped off. (see Wartime Nottingham) A nicer shade of blue this time - but otherwise the same.

For use during WW2 by Air Raid Wardens, but only when on duty. Other colours are known Orange, Light green and Dark green; also an Orange 1d.

All these different issues leads one to speculate that they may also have been issued to the  Home Guard [Dads Army] too. Mainwaring would have had a hand in this!

[Figleaf]

Salford's arms have changed since this token came about, but it remains a confused hotchpotch. Today, it is a borough within greater Manchester.

Even in good light, black and white tokens all look alike. So why are there so many of them?

Peter

[malj1]

From Sheffield we have the:

WALESWOOD COLLIERIES MOTOR BUS 2d red celluloid, 21.7mm another is known in Maroon, both are (R9) = 2 - 4 known.

A very nice image of the bus can be seen here.

Added bus tokens for the West Thorpe and Oxcroft mines, also near Sheffield. Both sides are the same.

[Kushi]

What is the W.S.T.? I suppose the W. and T. are West Thorpe, but what is the S.?

The Smiths (1990) have this listed as England 685 BW.

[Figleaf]

Just quoting Voice. Booth & Fisher was a bus company, based in Eckington, specialised in transporting miners. Voice lists a number of Sheffield area mines served by them: High Moors (HM), Kiveton Park (KP), Oxcroft (OC), unknown (RPK), Waleswood (black on blue token) and West Thorpe (WST). They do not have a denomination.

Peter

[Kushi]

Got it. I'm presuming this is West Thorpe.

[Figleaf]

South Shields is Newcastle's sea port, which explains the arms supporters (sailor, commerce) as well as the boat, that would typically be used to transport the crews of big ships. The anchor is still there, but the flags were replaced by a helmet some time after 1925. For the series with TRANSPORT, rather than TRAMWAYS, see this post.

Added a dark blue halfpenny. Colour lightened to increase visibility.
Added a yellow double penny and a light blue halfpenny. Variety or type?

Peter

[Figleaf]

Surprisingly, the coat of arms used in the tokens of Sunderland is quite hard to find. I presume it was unofficial and not registered. I found it on the access gates of Mowbray Park: a sextant.

Peter

[malj1]

, unknown (RPK),
Peter

RPK = Renishaw Park Colliery Line [from Smith and Smith]

Furnace Hill & Renishaw Park Collieries Ltd. Registered Office: 53, Norfolk Street, Sheffield

Here is a RENISHAW PARK COLLIERY BRASS MINERS CHECK from there. [not a transport item] from eBay.

[malj1]

Just quoting Voice. Booth & Fisher was a bus company, based in Eckington, specialised in transporting miners. Voice lists a number of Sheffield area mines served by them: High Moors (HM), Kiveton Park (KP), Oxcroft (OC), unknown (RPK), Waleswood (black on blue token) and West Thorpe (WST). They do not have a denomination.

Peter

See Booth & Fisher (Motor Services) Ltd. for a history of the company.

[Figleaf]

Thank you, Malcolm. My copy of Voice will be better than a new one

Here's another series to have fun with. The Yorkshire Traction Company (YTC). The colourful tokens are already a bit different: both sides are the same. However, the second series is mind boggling: not the colour, but the size differs with value.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Here come the tokens of Basingstoke and Deane. Each with an expiry date (to end contingent liabilities, I suppose). Cute detail: the square on the green variant, making sure you can't just paint an old token and recycle it.

Pounds red (2005), salmon (2006) and orange (2010/11) added.
Pounds blue (2006/07), red (2007/08), purple (2008/09) and blue-green (2009/10) added.

Peter