UK local transportation tokens

[translateltd]

Here is a nice series from Newcastle. The colours are brighter in reality, but in this way, the lettering is more legible. All tokens have the coat of arms. Note the placement of the dot below the D on the value side. Diameters vary between 21.8 and 22.6 mm.

Very belatedly, my selection of Newcastle Corporation Tramways tokens, picked up at various markets on a trip "home" in 1997: a couple of different denominations to those illustrated by Peter, and my 5d seems a much deeper pink and the penny quite a dark purple.

Hmm, we don't seem to have a thread on New Zealand milk tokens yet ...

[malj1]

Very belatedly, my selection of Newcastle Corporation Tramways tokens, picked up at various markets on a trip "home" in 1997: a couple of different denominations to those illustrated by Peter, and my 5d seems a much deeper pink and the penny quite a dark purple.

I think my 5d may be an even darker shade of pink. I have a few but none that are not listed already.

Hmm, we don't seem to have a thread on New Zealand milk tokens yet ...

This will be your province,  I don't have any and I see there are only eleven listed in Smith & Smith; nearly all of which they rate as scarce and command a decent price.

[Figleaf]

Berkshire, 5p, yellow plastic. Seventies? 26 mm.

Added 25 p.
Added 10 p.

Peter

[malj1]

Hmm, we don't seem to have a thread on New Zealand milk tokens yet ...

I now see you say 'milk' my reply was in relation to transport tokens.

Hmm, we don't seem to have a thread on New Zealand milk tokens yet ...

This will be your province,  I don't have any and I see there are only eleven listed in Smith & Smith; nearly all of which they rate as scarce and command a decent price.

I only have a WCC cream token.

[malj1]

Berkshire, 5p, yellow plastic. Seventies? 26 mm.

Peter

I have two of these, the other is much lighter; it does not appear faded more like its from a different batch of plastic.

Two varieties 'lemon colour' listed by Smith and Smith at Newbury 543BG. 5p concessionary token was used Dec 1 1975 to June 24 1983

[malj1]

The following two are a whole new strain of thought. Rather than NATIONAL TRANSPORT TOKEN, the legend has become BUS TOKEN. To make sure you grasp that they are not national tokens, a name is added, the district of Wyre and the town of Carlisle. Is the national system falling apart?

Both tokens are aluminium, the 10p is 31.0 mm, 3.0 grammes, the 2 p is 25.7 mm, 2.0 grammes. Both sides are the same.

Peter

I have a 2p from Wyre, perhaps earlier, along with another similar from Fleetwood also 2p, Aluminium 25.5mm., both being the same both sides. Fleetwood is a town within the Wyre district of Lancashire, England, also a seaside resort, serving as a quiet contrast to nearby Blackpool.

[malj1]

Glasgow! 1.0 grams, 21.3 mm, chocolate brown fiber (colour changed by increasing contrast).

Peter

I feel that one you list is plastic, the size implies plastic too.

I have four of these 2 Stage tokens in plastic in varying shades of red, 21.5mm., along with one larger fibre token, 23.7mm that is quite different, the reverse having much larger font.

Edit; Another Glasgow 2 stage added today. rev. legend nicely spaced - see right-hand token the other is left-hand in Epa3054; obv see space between upper and lower legend.

[malj1]

Another from Glasgow is that for the Subway Railway 1d white plastic, 25mm. [enhanced to show the lettering more clearly]

A blue halfpenny is also known.

[FosseWay]

I have four of these 2 Stage tokens in plastic in varying shades of red, 21.5mm...

There is also a noticeable difference in the 2 -- the first two have a squashed digit compared to the other two.

[malj1]

Yes I should have mentioned that, also the other two vary in the position of the 2. The third appears to match that posted by Peter.

[Figleaf]

I see two major die varieties: S above T and S between T and O. There is also a squat 2, which seems to coincide with the second type while the first type can have a squat or a normal 2. I think the 2 was made with a separate punch, to facilitate production of other "denominations", so the position of the 2 is not so important to me.

Peter

[malj1]

I agree, however there was no 'single' STAGE, only the 2 STAGE. There is also a lemon yellow and 2 black 2 STAGE listed along with several halfpennies and three pennies, all in a variety of colours, for the tramways.

Scottish Transport Tokens by Ronnie Breingan devotes a whole chapter to the history of the Glasgow Corporation Tramways but does not explain the use of these 2 stage tokens.

[Figleaf]

Both are 25 mm. Darwen is near Blackburn and in the general Manchester area. Maybe a trip to Manchester was 5d?

I lightened the green token to show its arms better.

Peter

[malj1]

Another, this time a  three-halfpenny for Darwen, 26mm. the Coat of Arms is nearly worn flat so darkened a little.

[malj1]

Three LCC tokens, Halfpenny, penny and tuppence. The only values but each came in variety of colours, all 22mm. 1889 is probably a foundation date.

London County Council ran its own extensive tramway system from 1899 to 1933 until London Transport was formed on 1 July 1933.

My most vivid recollection of the london trams was a stopover at Lee Green of about ten minutes duration whilst the changeover from three rails to the overhead wire system used in the outer areas was made. Much of the system used a conduit system of electrical current, as the metropolitan boroughs had the power of veto on the installation of overhead wires.