on the Brixton Buzz page, the colour(ed) photo is probably from a year or so earlier than the black and white one - having the route details sign-written round the end of each tram didn't last long, as it meant each tram was restricted to a particular route.
the three little lumps above the tram destination were lit up at night, with sliding glass 'spectacles' so that each route would show a different combination of coloured lights, so that passengers - and also tram pointsmen - could identify where the tram was going.
Norbury - Blackfriars was 3 red lights, Norbury - Westminster a single red light, Norbury - Victoria was red-red-green. This set up got replaced by service numbers in 1913 (it must have been a bit hard - especially in a fog - to tell if a light was 'amber' or a dim 'white' bulb) Norbury - Embankment via Westminster became service 16 and via Blackfriars service 18 - these numbers stayed until the end of tram operation (they were extended south to Purley in the 1920s when the LCC tram system and Croydon Corporation's tram system were joined up)
Above from E R Oakley's history of the LCC Tramways
Sign on the left would be Treble's Studio. 1904 London County Suburbs Guide (from
Leicester University collection) identifies Chas F Treble, photographer at 373 Brixton Road
and Wikimedia has his card
(ugh, too many typefaces
)
he appears also to have had a studio at 270 Lavender Hill, Battersea - again from the 1904 directory.
The business went under in 1921, by which time it was being run by a Daniel Prodger (extract from London Gazette, 25.2.21)
He had competition across the road from Rupert Leighton, photographer, next door to the London Dental Company who appear to be offering teeth for one guinea (suppose it was better to get some teeth before having your photo taken)
(also from the 1904 directory)
1894 map
here
