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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[]


Historic town tramway systems in the United Kingdom (v/t)

England

Alford and Sutton - Barnsley and District - Birmingham Corporation - Blackpool - Brill - Bristol - Chesterfield - City of Birmingham - Dearne District - Derby - Doncaster - Grimsby & Immingham - Grimsby District - Heaton Park - Hull - Ilkeston - Liverpool - London County Council - London United - Maidstone Corporation - Mansfield & District - Matlock - Mexborough & Swinton - Nottingham Corporation - Nottingham & District - Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire - Rotherham - Scarborough funiculars - Sheffield - Southampton - Volks Electric - Warrington - Wisbech and Upwell - Wolverton and Stony Stratford

Wales

Great Orme - Swansea and Mumbles Railway - Pwllheli and Llanbedrog

Scotland

Glasgow - Scottish Tramway and Transport Society

Northern Ireland

Giant's Causeway Tramway

Isle of Man

Douglas Bay Horse Tramway - Douglas Southern Electric Tramway - Manx Electric Railway - Snaefell Mountain Railway - Upper Douglas Cable Tramway

Industry

Maley & Taunton

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