203-282 Pequenos abertos – Small open trams

In September 1899 Carris ordered these 2-axle open cross-bench cars from the J. G. Brill Co of Philadelphia. The trams were sent “knocked-down” to save on transport costs. The motors and other electric equipment were ordered separately from General Electric. They arrived between January and June 1901 in Lisboa. After assembling, they entered service on 31 August 1901 as Lisboa’s first electric tramcars. These trams were indicated as “pequenos abertos” (small open)

The first thirty, 203-232 were equipped with air brakes and could operate with trailers. No.228 had by 1930 Dick Kerr DB1K3 controllers.

Except for five cars all were withdrawn and the bodies scrapped 1932-37; trucks, motors and other equipment were overhauled and added to the stockpile available for use with the new Standard cars built in the same period and getting the numbers of withdrawn open cars. Five trams were retained in the fleet until 1948 with an “A” added to their number to avoid confusion with the already existing Standard cars with the same numbers: 228A, 235A, 247A, 251A and 267A. 247A became works-car 397 and was in 1973 sold to Detroit.