Again a postcard by that most famous of French card producers, Lévy Fils et Cie, of 44 Rue Letellier, Paris. The view was taken at 7.30 a.m. at about the date of the opening of the Calais electric tramways in 1906, although this card and a more common black and white version were sold until the 1920s. The early morning set up once more clearly illustrates the "posed" style of Lévy cards.
The first Calais tramway was built in 1879 by the London based "Tramways and General Works Co. Ltd." which became the "Calais Tramways Company" in 1882. It consisted of three Standard Gauge routes operated by 17 horse trams.
In 1906 a new company, the "Société Anonyme des Tramway de Calais et Extensions", took over from the English company, re-laid the track to metre gauge, electrified the system and extended it to form six routes totalling 20 kilometres . By 1927 they had expanded to operate 34 motor cars and 30 trailers, the motor cars being to the design of the one shown in the postcard.
As a result of its destruction during the Battle of Calais, the tramway closed in June 1940.
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