This is a list of town tramway systems in the United Kingdom by Home Nation and by regions of England. It includes all tram systems, past and present.
England, by region[]
East Midlands[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alford and Sutton Tramway | Alford - Sutton-on-Sea | Steam | 2 Apr 1884 | 1889 | [1]. |
Burton upon Trent | Electric | 3 Aug 1903 | 31 Dec 1929 | ||
♦ Burton upon Trent - Ashby-de-la-Zouch | Electric | 13 Jun 1906 | 19 Feb 1927 | ||
Chesterfield Tramways Company | Chesterfield | Horse | 1897 | 1904 | |
Electric | 21 Dec 1904 | 23 May 1927 | |||
Derby | Electric | 27 Jul 1904 | 29 Jun 1934 | see Derby Tramway | |
Ilkeston | Electric | 16 May 1903 | 15 Jan 1931 | see Ilkeston Corporation Tramways | |
Leicester Corporation Tramways | Leicester | Horse | 1874 | 1904 | |
Electric | 18 May 1904 | 9 Nov 1949 | |||
Lincoln | Electric | 23 Nov 1905 | 4 Mar 1929 | ||
Mansfield | Electric | 16 Jul 1905 | 9 Oct 1932 | Also served Sutton-in-Ashfield see Mansfield & District Light Railways. | |
Matlock Cable Tramway | Matlock | Cable | 28 Mar 1893 | 30 Sep 1927 | [2]. |
Northampton | Horse | 4 Jun 1881 | 18 Aug 1904 | ||
Electric | 21 Jul 1904 | 15 Dec 1934 | |||
Nottingham | Horse | 18 Sep 1878 | 30 Apr 1902 | ||
Steam | 1883 | 1889 | |||
Electric | 23 Jul 19019 Mar 2004 | 6 Sep 1936- | see Nottingham Corporation Tramways, Nottingham and District Tramways Company Limited and Nottingham Express Transit. | ||
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Tramways Company | ♦ Nottingham - Ripley | Electric | 4 Jul 1913 | 5 Oct 1932 |
East of England[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cambridge | Horse | 28 Oct 1880 | 18 Feb 1914 | ||
Colchester | Electric | 28 Jul 1904 | 8 Dec 1929 | ||
Ipswich | Horse | 13 Oct 1880 | 6 Jun 1903 | ||
Electric | 23 Nov 1903 | 26 Jul 1926 | |||
Lowestoft | Electric | 22 Jul 1903 | 8 May 1931 | ||
Luton | Electric | 21 Feb 1908 | 16 Apr 1932 | ||
Norwich | Electric | 30 Jul 1900 | 10 Dec 1935 | ||
Peterborough | Electric | 24 Jan 1903 | 15 Nov 1930 | ||
Southend (-on-Sea) | Electric | 19 Jul 1901 | 8 Apr 1942 | [3]. | |
♦ Canvey Island | (Electric) | Construction started 1904, not completed. | |||
Wisbech - Upwell | Steam | 20 Aug 1883 | 1 Jan 1927 | [4]. | |
(Great) Yarmouth | Electric | 19 Jun 1902 | 14 Dec 1933 |
Greater London[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
London | Horse | 23 Mar 18612 May 1870 | 1861
30 Apr 1915 |
||
Cable | 1884 | 1909 | [5]. | ||
Accumulator (storage battery) | 1889 | 1892 | |||
Electric | 4 Apr 1901 | 5 Jul 1952 | see Trams in London. Tram tunnel (Kingsway tramway subway), 24 Feb 1906 - 5 Apr 1952. |
Note: Horse tramways existed as several unconnected systems north of the Thames, a system (owned and operated by several undertakings) south of the Thames, and two unconnected systems at Croydon.
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
West Metropolitan Tramways Company | ♦ Kew Bridge - Richmond | Horse | 1883 | 1912 | Not electrified. |
Electric Tramways - Inner London:
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
London County Council | 15 May 1903 | 5 July 1952 | To London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB) from 1 Jul 1933 (see London's transport history from 1933). |
Note: The LCC tramway system was assembled from predecessors including 14 municipal and three company undertakings. Tramways were not built in the City of London and the West End of London because of local opposition. The South London system had segments north of the Thames, notably the Victoria Embankment. However, this system was not connected to the North London system until construction of the Kingsway tramway subway. Reintroduction planned (Cross River Tram scheme), Camden Town / Kings Cross - Euston - Waterloo - Brixton / Peckham [6].
Other electric tramway operators absorbed by LPTB (arranged clockwise, from north):
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
♦ Walthamstow | Electric | 3 Jun 1905 | 1939 | To LPTB from 1 Jul 1933. | |
♦ Leyton | Electric | 1 Jun 1905 | 1939 | ||
♦ West Ham | Electric | 27 Feb 1904 | 1940 | ||
♦ East Ham | Electric | 22 Jun 1901 | 1940 | ||
♦ Ilford | Electric | 14 Mar 1903 | 1938 | ||
♦ Barking (Town) | Electric | 1 Dec 1903 | 16 Feb 1929 | (Last tramway line in Barking closed prior to creation of LPTB.) | |
♦ Bexley | Electric | 3 Oct 1903 | 24 Nov 1935 | ||
♦ Erith | Electric | 26 Aug 1905 | 9 Nov 1935 | ||
♦ Dartford | Electric | 14 Feb 1906 | 23 Nov 1935 | ||
♦ Croydon | Horse | 9 Oct 1879 | 3 Jan 1902 | ||
Electric | 26 Sep 190110 May 2000 | 7 Apr 1951- | see Tramlink [7] [8]. | ||
♦ South Metropolitan Electric Tramways | Electric | 14 Feb 1906 | September 1937 | [9]. | |
♦ London United Tramways | Electric | 4 Apr 1901 | 1931 | Reintroduction planned (West London Tram scheme), Shepherd's Bush - Uxbridge [10]. | |
♦ Metropolitan Electric Tramways | Horse | 2 May 1870 | 1904 (?) | ||
Electric | 22 Jul 1904 | 1939 |
North East England[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Darlington | Horse | 1862
1880 |
1864
1904 |
||
Electric | 2 Jun 1904 | 10 Apr 1926 | [11]. | ||
Middlesbrough | Horse | 20 Jan 1875 | by 1898 | ||
Steam | 17 Nov 1881 | by 1898 | |||
Electric | 16 Jul 1898 | 9 Jun 1934 | |||
♦ Middlesbrough - Thornaby - Stockton-on-Tees - Norton | Horse | 1881 | by 1899 | ||
Electric | 1898 | 31 Dec 1931 | |||
Newcastle-upon-Tyne | Horse | 1878 | 13 Apr 1901 | ||
Steam | 1882 | 1897 | |||
Electric | 16 Dec 1901 | 4 Mar 1950 | [12]. Through workings to Gateshead from 1923. Newcastle served by Gateshead tramway system to 4 Aug 1951. | ||
♦ Gosforth - Wallsend - North Shields (Tyneside) | Electric | 22 Sep 1902 | 6 Apr 1930 | ||
♦ North Shields - Tynemouth - Whitley Bay (Tynemouth) | Horse | 1880 | ? | ||
Steam | 1884 | ? | |||
Electric | 18 Mar 1901 | 4 Aug 1931 | |||
♦ Gateshead | Steam | October 1883 | 8 May 1901 | ||
Electric | 8 May 1901 | 4 Aug 1951 | [13]. Through working to Newcastle from 1923. | ||
South Shields | Horse | 1 Aug 1883Mar 1887 | 1885
31 Jan 1906 |
||
Electric | 30 Mar 1906 | 31 Mar 1946 | [14]. | ||
♦ Jarrow | Electric | 9 Nov 1906 | 30 Jun 1929 | [15]. | |
Sunderland | Horse | 28 Apr 1879 | 19 Feb 1901 | ||
Steam | 1880 | 1880 | |||
Electric | 15 Aug 1900 | 1 Oct 1954 | [16]. | ||
♦ Grangetown - Ryhope - Philadelphia - Hetton-le-Hole (Sunderland District) | Electric | 10 Jun 1905 | 12 Jul 1925 | ||
West Hartlepool | Steam | 1884 | 1891 | ||
Electric | 19 May 1896 | 25 Mar 1927 |
North West England[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barrow (-in-Furness) | Electric | 6 Feb 1904 | 5 Apr 1932 | ||
Blackpool Electric Tramway Company | Blackpool | Electric (Conduit System) |
29 Sep 1885 | 1899 | Merged with the Blackpool and Fleetwood Electric Tramway. Also used Horse pulled trams during construction work [17], [18], [19]. |
Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramway (Blackpool Transport) |
♦ Blackpool - Fleetwood | Electric | 14 Jul 1898 | Present | The Marton route, closed 28 Oct 1962, is ranked as the last tramway service in the UK with its entire length running in the street |
♦ Lytham St Annes | Gas (Town Gas) | 1898 | 1903 | ||
Electric | 28 May 1903 | 28 Apr 1937 | |||
Carlisle | Electric | 30 JUn 1900 | 21 Nov 1931 | ||
Chester | Horse | 1878 | 27 Dec 1902 | ||
Electric | 4 Apr 1903 | 15 Feb 1930 | |||
Lancaster | Electric | 14 Jan 1903 | 4 Apr 1930 | ||
♦ Morecambe | Horse | 1887 | 1912 | ||
Petrol (gasoline) | 1912 | 1926 | |||
♦ Lancaster - Morecambe | Horse | 1890 | 1921 |
Note
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liverpool | Horse | 1861
December 1869 |
1861
25 Aug 1903 |
||
Electric | 16 Nov 1898 | 13 Sep 1957 | see Liverpool Tramways Company. | ||
♦ Seaforth - (Great) Crosby | Electric | 19 Jun 1900 | 31 Dec 1925 | ||
♦ St. Helens | Horse | 5 Nov 1881 | 1890 | ||
Steam | 4 Apr 1890 | 7 Apr 1900 | |||
Electric | 20 Jul 1899 | 31 Mar 1936 | |||
♦♦ Birkenhead | Horse | 30 Aug 1860 | 1901 | ||
Electric | 4 Feb 1901 | 17 Jul 1937 | |||
♦♦ Wallasey | Horse | 1879 | ? | ||
Electric | 17 Mar 1902 | 30 Nov 1933 |
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
South Lancashire Tramways Company | Atherton | Electric | 20 Oct 1902 | 16 Dec 1933 | [20]. See note. |
Wigan | Horse | 1880 | ? | ||
Steam | 1882 | ? | |||
Electric | 25 Jan 1901 | 28 Mar 1931 | |||
Blackburn | Steam | 16 Apr 1881 | 9 Jul 1901 | ||
Horse | 28 May 1887 | 1901 | |||
Electric | 20 Mar 1899 | 3 Sep 1949 | |||
♦ Darwen | Steam | 16 Apr 1881 | 16 Oct 1900 | ||
Electric | 16 Oct 1900 | 5 Oct 1946 | |||
♦ Accrington | Steam | ? | 31 Dec 1907 | ||
Electric | 1 Jan 1908 | 31 Mar 1932 | |||
♦ Burnley | Electric | 16 Dec 1901 | 7 May 1935 | ||
♦ Nelson | Electric | 23 Feb 1903 | 6 Jan 1934 | ||
♦ Colne - Trawden | Electric | 28 Nov 1903 | 6 Jan 1934 | ||
♦ Rawtenstall | Steam | 10 Nov 1887 | 23 Jul 1909 | ||
Electric | 15 May 1909 | 31 Mar 1932. |
Note for South Lancashire Tramways Company: Also served Ashton-in-Makerfield and Leigh, and connected with Liverpool - St. Helens, Wigan, Bolton - Rochdale and Greater Manchester tramway networks.
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bacup | see note. | ||||
♦ Rawtenstall - Bacup | Steam | 1889 | ? | ||
Electric | 1909 | 1932 | |||
Bacup Light Railway | ♦ Rochdale - Bacup | Electric | 1911 | 1930 | Worked by Rochdale tramway system. |
Bolton (-le-Moors) | Horse | 1 Sep 1880 | 1 Jan 1899 | ||
Electric | 9 Dec 1899 | 1947 | |||
Bury | Horse | ? | ? | ||
Steam | 1886 | April 1904 | |||
Electric | 3 Jun 1903 | 13 Feb 1949 | |||
♦ Radcliffe | Electric | 4 Jan 1905 | 8 Oct 1938 | ||
Heywood | Electric | see note. | |||
Rochdale | Steam | ? | ? | ||
Electric | 22 May 1902 | 3 Jul 1932 |
Note for Bacup: The Blackburn - Colne and Bolton - Rochdale (Greater Manchester) tramway networks connected here. Through working was not possible because of difference in track gauge.
Note for Rawtenstall - Bacup: Owned by local authority (Bacup Corporation) from electrification, worked by Rawtenstall tramway system.
Note for Heywood: Tramway lines built and owned by local authority (Heywood Corporation), worked by Bury and Rochdale tramway systems.
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Manchester | Horse | 17 May 1877 | 31 Mar 1903 | ||
Electric | 6 Jun 1901 | 10 Jan 1949 | Reintroduced 6 Apr 1992. See Manchester Metrolink [21]. | ||
♦ Manchester - Altrincham | Electric | 10 May 1907 | 6 Jun 1931 | Reintroduced (on former railway alignment) 15 Jun 1992. | |
♦ Manchester - Bury | Electric | Manchester - Bury railway line worked by Manchester Metrolink light rail vehicles from from 6 Apr 1992. |
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
♦ Salford | Horse | 30 Jul 1877 | by October 1903 | ||
Electric | 4 Oct 1901 | 31 Mar 1947 | |||
Middleton Electric Traction Company | ♦ Middleton (Lancashire) | Electric | 27 Mar 1902 | 1935 | To Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale systems from 16 Jun 1925. |
♦ Oldham | Horse | 16 Sep 1880 | 1 Nov 1901 | ||
Steam | November 1885 | 19 Nov 1901 | |||
Electric | 15 Dec 1900 | 3 Aug 1946 | |||
♦ Ashton-under-Lyne | Electric | 19 Aug 1902 | 28 Feb 1938 | ||
♦ Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Tramways | Horse | 14 Jun 1881 | 14 Oct 1903 | ||
Electric | 12 Jun 1899 | 21 May 1945 | see note. | ||
♦ Glossop | Electric | 21 Aug 1903 | 24 Dec 1927 | ||
♦ Stockport | Horse | 7 May 1880 | 1905 | ||
Electric | 26 Aug 1901 | 25 Aug 1951 | |||
Oldham, Ashton and Hyde Electric Tramway | ♦ Oldham - Ashton-under-Lyne - Hyde | Electric | 12 Jun 1899 | 1947 | To Ashton and Hyde local authorities from 2 Jul 1921. |
Preston | Electric | 7 Jun 1904 | 15 Dec 1934 | ||
Southport | Electric | 18 Jul 1900 | 31 Dec 1934 | ||
Warrington Corporation Tramways | Warrington | Electric | 21 Apr 1902 | 28 Aug 1935 |
Note for Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield Tramways: Served Ashton-under-Lyne, Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley and Dukinfield. Stockport trams served Hyde to 2 Mar 1947. Manchester trams served Hyde to 30 Dec 1947.
South East England[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brighton | Electric | 25 Nov 1901 | 31 Aug 1939 | ||
Volk's Electric Railway | Electric | 4 Aug 18834 Apr 1884 | 1883
- |
Operation suspended 2 Aug 1940–1948 because of war. Winter season service withdrawn from 1954. Ranked as world's oldest operating electric railway [22], [23] [24]. | |
Chatham | Electric | 17 Jun 1902 | 30 Sep 1930 | Served Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham. | |
Dover | Electric | 6 Sep 1897 | 31 Dec 1936 | [25]. | |
Folkestone (Sandgate) - Hythe | Horse | 18 May 1891 | 30 Sep 1921 | Operation suspended 7 Aug 1914 - May 1919, operated only during summer season 1919–1921. | |
Gravesend | Horse | 15 Jun 1883 | 30 Jun 1901 | ||
Electric | 2 Aug 1902 | 28 Feb 1929 | |||
Hastings Tramway | Hastings | Electric | 31 Jul 1905 | 15 May 1929 | |
Isle of Thanet | see Margate - Ramsgate. | ||||
Maidstone Corporation Transport | Maidstone | Electric | 14 Jul 1904 | 11 Feb 1930 | |
Margate - Ramsgate (Isle of Thanet) | Electric | 4 Apr 1901 | 24 Mar 1937 | ||
Oxford | Horse | 1 Dec 1881 | 7 Aug 1914 | ||
Portsmouth | Horse | 1865 | ? | ||
Electric | 24 Sep 1901 | 10 Oct 1936 | [26]. | ||
Portsdown and Horndean Light Railway | ♦ Cosham - Horndean | Electric | 3 Mar 1903 | 9 Jan 1935 | |
♦ Gosport - Fareham | Electric | 20 Dec 1905 | 31 Dec 1929 | ||
Reading | Horse | 1879 | 21 Jul 1903 | ||
Electric | 22 Jul 1903 | 20 May 1939 | |||
Rye and Camber Tramway | Rye - Camber | Steam | 1895 | ? | |
Petrol (gasoline) | ? | 4 Sep 1939 | [27]. | ||
Sheerness | Electric | 9 Apr 1903 | 1 Jul 1917 | [28]. | |
Southampton Corporation Tramways | Southampton | Horse | 5 May 1879 | 1900 | |
Electric | 20 Jan 1900 | 31 Dec 1949 | |||
Wantage | Horse | 11 Oct 1875 | 188_ | ||
Steam | 1 Aug 1876 | 31 Jul 1925 | |||
Wolverton - Stony Stratford | Steam | 27 May 1887 | 4 May 1926 | [29]. |
South West England[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bath | Horse | 1880 | 1904 | ||
Electric | 2 Jan 1904 | 6 May 1939 | [30]. | ||
Bristol Tramways | Bristol | Horse | August 1875 | ? | |
Steam | 1880 | ? | |||
Electric | 14 Oct 1895 | 11 Apr 1941 | First electric town tramway in the UK. Closed because of bomb damage to tramway system power station. [31], [32]. | ||
Bournemouth | Electric | 23Jul 1902 | 8 Apr 1936 | ||
♦ Poole | Electric | 6 Apr 1901 | 1935 | Poole amalgamated with Bournemouth from 22 Jul 1905. | |
Camborne - Redruth | Electric | 7 Nov 1902 | 9 Jun 1927 | [33]. | |
Cheltenham | Electric | 17 August 1901 | 31 December 1930 | ||
Exeter | Horse | 1882 | 4 Apr 1905 | ||
Electric | 1905 | 1931 | [34]. | ||
Plymouth | Horse | 1872 | 22 Jun 1907 | ||
Steam | 4 Nov 1884 | 14 Nov (or 6 Dec) 1884 | |||
Electric | 22 Sep 1899 | 29 Sep 1945 | |||
♦ Devonport | Electric | 1901 | Devonport amalgamated with Plymouth from October 1910. | ||
Plymouth Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways Company | ♦ Plymouth - Devonport | Horse | 1872 | 1901 | |
Electric | 18 Nov 1901 | Taken over by Plymouth from 1 Jul 1922. | |||
Swindon | Electric | 22 Sep 1904 | 11 July 1929 | ||
Taunton | Electric | 21 Aug 1901 | 28 May 1921 | [35]. | |
Torquay | Electric | 4 Apr 1907 | 31 Jan 1934 | [36]. | |
Weston-super-Mare | Electric | 12 May 1902 | 17 Apr 1937 | [37]. |
West Midlands[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Birmingham Corporation Tramways | Birmingham | Horse | 20 May 1872 | 1905 | |
Steam | 26 Dec 1882 | 31 Dec 1906 | |||
Cable | 24 Mar 1888 | 1911 | |||
Electric | 14 May 190130 May 1999 | 4 July 1953- | See also City of Birmingham Tramways Company Ltd. New line built on former railway alignment (see Midland Metro.) | ||
Birmingham - West Bromwich - Wednesbury - Wolverhampton | Steam and horse | 20 May 1872 | 1911 | Completed 16 Jul 1883. | |
Electric | 6 February 1902 | 1 Apr 1939 | Electrified throughout from 1 Jul 1911. First closure 26 Aug 1928. Reintroduced 30 May 1999, with most of system length on disused parallel railway alignment (opened 13 Nov 1854, passenger service withdrawn 6 Mar 1972). | ||
Birmingham - Smethwick - Dudley - Wolverhampton | Steam and horse | 7 May 1883 | 1904 | Completed 30 August 1885. | |
Electric | 26 Jul 1899 | 30 Sep 1939 | Electrified throughout from 24 Nov 1904. First closure 18 Aug 1925. | ||
Dudley, Stourbridge and District Electric Traction Company | Dudley - Stourbridge | Steam | 1883 | 1901 | |
Electric | 26 Jul 1899 | 1 Mar 1930 | Part of "Black Country Tramway System". | ||
Kinver Light Railway | Stourbridge | Electric | 4 Apr 1901 | 8 Feb 1930 | Part of "Black Country Tramway System". [38]. |
South Staffordshire Tramways Company | Wednesbury | Electric | 1 Jan 1893 | 193_. | Part of "Black Country Tramway System". To Dudley, Stourbridge and District undertaking from 17 Dec 1930. |
Walsall | Steam | 1883 | ? | ||
Electric | 1 Jan 1901 | 30 Sep 1933 | |||
Wolverhampton | Horse | 1 May 1878 | ? | ||
Electric | 6 Fe 1902 | 11 Jul 1928 | [39], [40]. | ||
Wolverhampton District Electric Tramways Company | Wolverhampton - Dudley | Electric | 9 Jan 1902 | 1929 | Part of "Black Country Tramway System". To Wolverhampton Corporation Tramways from 1 Sep 1928. |
Coventry | Steam | 1884 | ? | ||
Electric | 5 Dec 1895 | 14 Nov 1940 | [41]. Closed because of bomb damage. | ||
Kidderminster - Stourport (-on-Severn) | Electric | 25 May 1898 | 2 Apr 1929. | Unconnected part of "Black Country Tramway System". | |
(Royal) Leamington (Spa) - Warwick | Horse | 21 Nov 1881 | 15 Mar 1905 | ||
Electric | 15 Jul 1905 | 16 Aug 1930 | |||
Stoke-on-Trent (The Potteries) | Electric | 16 May 1899 | 1928 | Also served Newcastle-under-Lyme. | |
Worcester | Horse | 18 Feb 1884 | 25 Jun 1903 | ||
Electric | 6 Feb 1904 | 31 May 1928 |
Yorkshire and the Humber[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Doncaster Corporation Tramways | Doncaster | Electric | 2 Jun 1902 | 8 Jun 1935 | |
Great Grimsby Street Tramways Company | (Great) Grimsby | Horse | 1881 | 1901 | |
Electric | 1 Jan 1902 | 17 Jul 1937 | Also served Cleethorpes. | ||
Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway | ♦ Grimsby - Immingham | Steam | 3 Jan 1901 | 14 May 1912 | |
Electric | 15 May 1912 | 1 Jul 1961 | [42]. | ||
Hull Street Tramways | (Kingston upon) Hull | Horse | 9 Jan 1875 | 1899 | |
Steam | 22 May 1889 | Jan 1901 | |||
Electric | 5 Jul 1899 | 30 Jun 1945 | |||
Leeds | Horse | 16 Sep 1871 | 13 Oct 1901 | ||
Steam | 17 Jun 1880 | 1 Apr 1902 | |||
Electric | 11 Nov 1891 | 7 Nov 1959 | |||
♦ Bradford | Horse | 1 Feb 1882 | by 1903 | ||
Steam | 8 Aug 1882 | by 1903 | |||
Electric | Mar 189230 Jun 1898 | Mar 18926 May 1950 | |||
♦♦ Keighley | Electric | 12 Oct 1904 | 17 Dec 1924 | ||
♦ Halifax | Electric | 9 Jun 1898 | 14 Feb 1939 | ||
♦ Huddersfield | Horse | 1883 | ? | ||
Electric | 14 Feb 1901 | 29 Jun 1940 | |||
Yorkshire (Woollen District) Electric Tramways Company | ♦ Dewsbury | Electric | 18 Feb 1903 | 31 Oct 1934 | Also served Batley. |
♦♦ Dewsbury - Ossett | Electric | 11 Nov 1908 | 19 Oct 1933 | ||
Yorkshire (West Riding) Electric Tramways Company | ♦ Wakefield | Electric | 15 Aug 1904 | 25 Jul 1932 | |
♦♦ Castleford | Electric | 29 Oct 1906 | 1 Nov 1925 | ||
Scarborough | Electric | 6 May 1904 | 30 Sep 1931 | ||
Sheffield Corporation Tramways | Sheffield | Horse | 6 Oct 1873 | 11 Nov 1902 | |
Electric | 5 Sep 189921 Mar 1994 | 8 October 1960- | [43], see also Sheffield Supertram. | ||
Rotherham Tramway | ♦ Rotherham | Electric | 31 Jan 1903 | 13 Nov 1949 | |
Mexborough & Swinton Tramways Company | ♦ Mexborough - Swinton | Electric | 16 Feb 1907 | 19 Mar 1929 | |
Dearne District Light Railways | ♦ (Wath-upon-) Dearne (Dearne District) | Electric | 14 Jul 1924 | 30 Sep 1933 | [44]. "Last" tramway system opened in the UK (until Manchester Metrolink). |
Barnsley and District Tramway | ♦ Barnsley | Electric | 31 Oct 1902 | 31 Aug 1930 | |
York | Horse | 1880 | ? | ||
Electric | 20 Jan 1910 | 16 Nov 1935 |
Scotland[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aberdeen | Horse | 1874 | 1900 | ||
Electric | 23 Dec 1899 | 3 May 1958 | |||
♦ Aberdeen - Bankhead and Aberdeen - Bieldside | Electric | 23 Jun 1904 | 9 Jun 1927 | ||
Ayr | Electric | 26 Sep 1901 | 31 Dec 1931 | ||
Carstairs West | Electric | 6 Feb 1886 | 1905 | First permanent electric railway in Scotland. | |
Horse | 1905 | 1935 | |||
Cruden Bay | Electric | 1899 | 1932 | [45]. | |
Dundee | Horse | 30 Aug 1877 | 12 Jul 1900 | ||
Steam | 1885 | 15 May 1902 | |||
Electric | 13 Jul 1900 | 20 Oct 1956 | |||
♦ Dundee - Broughty Ferry | Electric | 27 Oct 1905 | 16 May 1931 | ||
Dunfermline | Electric | 2 Nov 1909 | 15 Jul 1937 | ||
Edinburgh | Horse | 6 Nov 1871 | ? | ||
Steam | 23 Apr 1881 | 27 Oct 1882 | Previous operations in 1876, 1877 and 1880. | ||
Cable | 28 Jan 1888 | 23 Jun 1923 | |||
Electric | 8 Jun 1910 | 16 Nov 1956 | see Edinburgh tram network, [46] [47], [48]. | ||
♦ Leith | Horse | 16 Nov 1871 | 24 Aug 1907 | ||
Electric | 18 May 1905 | 11 Mar 1956 | Leith amalgamated with Edinburgh from 20 Nov 1920. | ||
♦ Musselburgh | Electric | 12 Dec 1904 | 15 Feb 1928 | ||
Falkirk | Electric | 21 Oct 1905 | 21 Jul 1936 | ||
Glasgow Corporation Tramways | Glasgow | Horse | 19 Aug 1872 | 1898 | |
Steam | 1877 | ? | |||
Electric | 13 Oct 1898 | 31 Aug 1962 | [49]. | ||
♦♦ Govan | Horse | 1873 | 1877 | ||
Steam | August 1877 | 1901 | |||
Electric | 10 Aug 1901 | Burgh of Govan amalgamated with Glasgow, 1912. | |||
♦♦ Airdrie - Coatbridge | Electric | 18 Feb 1904 | 3 Nov 1956 | To Glasgow from 31 Dec 1921. | |
♦♦ Paisley | Electric | 13 Jun 1904 | 11 May 1957 | To Glasgow from 1 Aug 1923. | |
♦ Dumbarton | Electric | 20 Feb 1907 | 3 Mar 1928 | ||
♦ Hamilton - Motherwell (Lanarkshire) | Electric | 22 Jul 1903 | 14 Feb 1931 | ||
Greenock | Horse | 7 Jun 1873 | 1901 | ||
Electric | 1901 | 15 Jul 1929 | |||
Inchture | Horse | 1895 | 1916 | ||
Kilmarnock | Electric | 1904 | 3 May 1926 | ||
Kirkcaldy | Electric | 28 Feb 1903 | 15 May 1931 | ||
♦ Wemyss | Electric | 25 Aug 1906 | 30 Jan 1932 | ||
Perth | Electric | 31 Oct 1905 | 19 Jan 1929 | ||
Rothesay | Horse | 1881 | 1902 | ||
Electric | 19 Aug 1902 | 30 Sep 1936 | |||
Stirling | Horse | 1874 | 1920 |
Wales[]
North Wales[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fairbourne | Horse | 1898 | 1916 | ||
Llandudno - Colwyn Bay | Electric | 19 Oct 1907 | 24 Mar 1956 | [50], [51]. Operated Monday - Saturday only to 1930. | |
Great Orme Tramway | ♦ Great Orme | Cable | 31 Jul 1902 | Funicular railway, two sections, lower section built in or alongside public roads, upper section built on reservation. [52]. | |
Pwllheli | Horse | 1899 | 1919 | Town tramway line (0.8 km, 0.5 mi) owned by local authority (Pwllheli Corporation). | |
Pwllheli and Llanbedrog Tramway | ♦ Pwllheli - Llanbedrog | Horse | 1894 | 1928 | [53]. |
Wrexham | Electric | 1903 | 31 Mar 1927 |
South Wales[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aberdare | Electric | 9 Oct 1913 | 31 Mar 1935 | ||
Cardiff | Horse | 12 Jul 1872 | 17 Oct 1902 | ||
Electric | 2 May 1902 | 19 Feb 1950 | |||
Llanelly (Llanelli) | Horse | 28 Sep 1882 | 31 Mar 1908 | ||
Electric | 19 Jul 1911 | 16 Feb 1933 | |||
Merthyr | Electric | 6 Apr 1901 | 23 Aug 1939 | ||
Neath | Horse | 9 Nov 1875 | 1899 | ||
Gas | 31 Aug 1899 | 8 Aug 1920 | "Gas" refers to town gas, not petrol (gasoline). One car is preserved locally at the Cefn Coed Colliery Museum. | ||
Newport | Horse | 1 Feb 187530 Jul 1894 | 28 Jul 18943 Nov 1903 | ||
Electric | 9 Apr 1903 | 5 Sep 1937 | |||
Pontypridd | Horse | Mar 1888 | July 1903 | ||
Electric | 5 Mar 1905 | 30 Aug 1931 | |||
♦ Rhondda | Horse | Mar 1888 | July 1903 | ||
Electric | 11 Jul 1908 | 1 Feb 1934 | |||
Swansea | Horse | 12 Apr 1878 | 1901 | ||
Steam | 1882 | 1884 | |||
Cable | 1898 | 1902 | Street funicular. | ||
Electric | 30 Jun 1900 | 29 Jun 1937 | |||
Swansea and Mumbles Railway, Mumbles Train | ♦ Swansea - Mumbles | Horse | 25 Mar 18071860 | 1826
1877 |
Believed to be the world's first public passenger rail service. Early traction experiments included wind (sail mounted on passenger carriage). Passenger service withdrawn 1826, restored 1860 following reconstruction of the line. |
Steam | 17 Aug 1877 | 1929 | Two competing undertakings operated service on the line, ca. 1879 - ca. 1898. One used steam traction. The other was compelled (by court order, obtained by its rival) to use horse traction. Traction experiments prior to electrification included accumulator (storage battery), petrol (gasoline) and diesel. | ||
Electric | 2 Mar 1929 | 5 Jan 1960 | [54]. One car preserved following closure, but scrapped after being vandalized. |
Northern Ireland[]
Name of System | Location | Traction Type |
Date (From) | Date (To) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belfast | Horse | 28 Aug 1872 | 1906 | ||
Steam | 1 Jul 1882 | 1895 | |||
Electric | 5 Dec 1905 | 10 Feb 1954 | |||
(Londonderry) Derry | Horse | 1 Apr 1897 | 1920 | ||
Fintona | Steam | 15 June 1853 | 16 Jan 1854 | ||
Horse | 16 Jan 1854 | 30 Sep 1957 | Railway branch, worked by horse-drawn tramcar from 1854 to closure (1957). | ||
Newry - Bessbrook | Electric | 1 Oct 1885 | 10 Jan 1948 | [55], [56]. | |
♦ Glen Anne - Loughgilly | Horse | 1897 | 1917 | ||
♦ Warrenpoint - Rostrevor | Horse | 1 Aug 1877 | February 1915 | ||
Giant's Causeway, Portrush and Bush Valley Railway & Tramway Company, Ltd. | Portrush - Bushmills - Giant's Causeway | Steam | 29 Jan 1883 | 1926(?) | |
Electric | 15 Nov 1883 | 30 Sep 1949 | [57]. Operation suspended during winter, 1927–1939, 1947–1948. | ||
Portstewart | Steam | 1882 | 1926 |
Note for Giant's Causeway Tramway: Portrush - Bushmills opened 29 Jan 1883. Bushmills - Giant's Causeway opened 1 Jul 1887. World's first use of electric traction with hydroelectric generation. Track built in street in Portrush.
Crown dependencies[]
See List of town tramway systems in Europe.
References[]
- Books, Periodicals and External Links
See also[]
- List of Tramways in Scotland
- List of town tramway systems
- List of town tramway systems in Europe
- List of light-rail transit systems
- List of rapid transit systems
- List of trolleybus systems