At about 11.30 on the morning of December 28th, 1916, occurred the worst accident in the 24-year operation of Luton's trams.

Despite the best efforts of driver Alfred Lloyd, his tram sped down the Midland Road hill and failed to make the sharp turn at the Old Bedford Road junction and crashed into an earth bank next to the Midland Railway bridge. Mr Lloyd, a father of six children living at 7 Victoria Street, Luton, was trapped in the wreckage and had to be freed before being taken to the Bute Hospital.

Six other people were injured in the incident, including Luton's acting Chief Constable, W. J. Hagley, two children, two women and tram conductor Arthur Eaton.

Tramways Manager Mr A. E. Wray,who was quickly on the scene, said he had no idea at that stage what had caused the accident. There were four brakes on the tram, two mechanical and two electrical, and it was impossible to say what happened until the driver was able to give his story.

For a fuller contemporary account of the accident, click here.