A Leicester Transport Heritage Trust and DeMontofrt Universtiy partnership is underway to create a digital 3D model of the old Stoneygate Tram Depot which will be used to promote plans to turn the building into a transport heritage and resource centre over the coming years.
The Tram 31 Group is represented on the Trust’s Sub-Committee for the Tram Depot Proposals and has played a key role in the research and development of this new 3D model.
The work is part of the University’s Digital Building Hertiage AHRC project where a number of community heritage groups are benefitting from new digital technology.
Their work can be followed here….
Steve
What was the building at the front used for?
Office, messroom, booking in/off point?
Was Stoneygate used for any maintenance? Were some crews based there? Was cash taken in there?
Thanks for your comments Bob, I’m pleased you are enjoying our site.
Stoneygate would have had facilities for light maintenance and I’m sure even carried out some heavy work too if a car was not able to limp back to Abbey Park Road. I understand the purpose of the outstations was to provide cars in the early hours and at peak times without having to bring them out from the Centre of Town. As for crews assigned to the outpost – I suspect they would just be told that they would be based there when required. Extra cars would be laid on for the Racecourse on Race Days and so teams of drivers and conductors could be ferried out on a service car and then take up cars stored at Stoneygate to bring the crowds back in to town.
The building at the front was originally a staff office and mess room. It’s actually labelled on the drawings as ‘Mens Room’ but I’m pretty sure thats to be interpretted as a mess room and not a block of toilets or any other modern meaning! Signing in and off would have been caried out in this building in the early days of the system but later this was replaced by punch machines at the side of the road. When the depot closed in 1922 the out-building was altered internally and divided up in to Male and Female public toilets. They remained in use until the mid 1990’s I’m told. The urinals are all 1922 original and we will probably donate these to a preserved railway or other worthy cause in the process of returning the building to its original condition.
Keep coming back!
Steve.