Manchester has become a regular location for the Festival of Model Tramways but of course has had much more famous visitors. Our postcard shows the tram illuminated for the official visit to Manchester by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra on 13th July 1905. The caption printed on the other side reads "This beautiful series of fine art cards is supplied free exclusively by Brett's Publications, comprising 'My Pocket Novels', 'Keepsake Novels' and 'Something to Read'.
The lights on the side of the tram spell out "Long Live our King and Queen" and it is standing outside Hyde Road depot. The tram is probably car 585 built for the Corporation in 1904, one of a batch of 100 from Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd that used Westinghouse equipment and ran on Brill 22E bogies. This car was at the time open top, but top covers were soon added, some cars of the batch being delivered with them already fitted.
On the occasion of this royal visit, the King opened the No. 9 Dock at nearby Salford and accompanied by the Prime Minister of that time, A. J. Balfour, visited the ground of Manchester City Football Club which was then in Hyde Road and where they would most likely have seen the illuminated tram. During the visit the procession followed Stretford Road and Chester Road which were closed to traffic for the occasion, so the power to the tramway there was temporarily cut. The royal couple made a second visit to the city in 1909 for the opening of a new building of the Manchester Royal Infirmary.
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