William is a horse drawn tower wagon which was supplied by contractor Robert W. Blackwell & Co. of London in 1902, together with a quantity of overhead equipment for conversion of Reading’s tramway system from horse to electric traction. Despite carrying Blackwell’s name on his three remaining hub caps, he was probably brought-in rather than made by Blackwell’s themselves. Horse-power was at that time the only realistic means for propulsion for a tower wagon, as petrol engines were in their infancy, though William was probably towed by a motor vehicle once this mode of traction had superseded the horse.

William was owned by Reading Corporation Transport Department until 1967, although in later years he was used only in connection with trolleybus traction pole painting (acquiring a coat of traction pole green in place of his former maroon livery), and also for internal wiring work within Mill Lane depot. Upon withdrawal, he was presented to the Reading Transport Society (now British Trolleybus Society) and it was at this time that he acquired his name. At some time, many years previously, the Corporation’s legal lettering had been applied to the body. The lettering would have read Reading Corporation Transport, Mill Lane, Reading – William John Evans, Transport Manager. So ancient was the paintwork, however, that the only word still visible was William!