I chanced upon this company when I was researching Gateshead Trams.
I did a Googoo search and this was what came up:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Electric_Traction
The diversity that ensued from what was, initially, a company set up to electrify trams (until then, Gateshead trams were steam-powered!) is amazing.
The steam-driven trams were introduced in 1883. An earlier horse-drawn hackney carriage from 1827 charged
one shilling per mile! - hardly 'public' transport . . .
From:-
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DUR...story/Ch7.html