City of Birmingham Tramways Company

Last updated

City of Birmingham Tramways Company
Operation
Locale Birmingham
Open29 September 1896
Close31 December 1911
StatusClosed
Infrastructure
Track gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Birmingham and District Tramways Company era: 1872–1876
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Birmingham Tramways and Omnibus Company era: 1876–1886
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Birmingham Central Tramways Company era: 1884–1896
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
The City of Birmingham Tramways Company era: 1896–1911
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge and 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)

The City of Birmingham Tramways Company Ltd operated trams in Birmingham, England, from 1896 until 1911.

Contents

The company was formed on 29 September 1896 by James Ross (President and Vice-President of the Toronto and Montreal Street Railway Co. of Canada) and Sir William Mackenzie to take over the business of the Birmingham Central Tramways Company Ltd. [1]

The last routes in Birmingham closed on 31 December 1911. Most of its services were taken over by Birmingham Corporation Tramways.

Historical overview

City of Birmingham Tramways Company Ltd was the result of a number of changes in ownership of the tramway franchises within the city of Birmingham since its creation in 1872 until 1911.

The Birmingham and District Tramways Company Ltd (BDTC) operated trams in Birmingham from 1872 until 1876. BDTC was acquired by the Birmingham Tramways and Omnibus Company Ltd (BTOC) in 1876.

BTOC in turn was taken over by the Birmingham Central Tramways Company Ltd (BCTC) in 1886. In 1896 the assets of the BCTC were acquired by the CBTC.

On 1 January 1907, some of CBTC’s Birmingham routes were taken over by BCT. On 1 January 1912 BCT took over the remainder of the company's routes, ownership of which had just passed from neighbouring local councils to Birmingham Corporation.

Detailed history

Birmingham and District Tramways Company Ltd

BDTC was the tramway company operating in Birmingham from 1872 until 1876.

The company was formed by William Busby and Daniel Busby in 1871 as an amalgamation of the Birmingham and Staffordshire Tramways Company Ltd and the Birmingham Tramways Company Ltd.

It built a standard gauge tramway line in 1872 from Hockley Brook to Dudley Port operated by horse trams. In 1873 the service was extended to the centre of Birmingham over the Birmingham Corporation tracks which were leased for £910 over seven years. The Birmingham Corporation tracks had cost £15,000 to build.

In 1874 the tramway between West Bromwich and Dudley Port was abandoned as the company was in financial difficulty.

The company was taken over by the Birmingham Tramways and Omnibus Company Ltd in 1876.

Birmingham Tramways and Omnibus Company Ltd

BTOC operated trams in Birmingham from 1876 until 1886.

It took over the business of the Birmingham and District Tramways Company Ltd and restricted the trams to a service between Birmingham and Handsworth, thus discontinuing the service through West Bromwich.

It was taken over by the BCTC in 1886.

Birmingham Central Tramways Company Ltd

BCT's former office in Old Square, Birmingham, being prepared for demolition in 1891. Birmingham Central Tramways office in Old Square, Birmingham - 1891 (cropped).jpg
BCT's former office in Old Square, Birmingham, being prepared for demolition in 1891.

The BCTC operated trams in Birmingham from 1884 to 1896.

The company was formed in 1882, initially as the Birmingham Suburban Tramways Company but by the time of the opening of its first line, had been renamed the Birmingham Central Tramways Company Ltd.

BCTC's Car No. 104 outside the tram shed in Dawlish Road, Bournbrook, in 1891. This vehicle survives, at the Black Country Living Museum. Bournbrook Tram.jpg
BCTC's Car No. 104 outside the tram shed in Dawlish Road, Bournbrook, in 1891. This vehicle survives, at the Black Country Living Museum.

The initial rolling stock consisted of 10 Falcon horse cars for the Nechells route, 14 Kitson steam tram locos and 13 Falcon trailer cars.

In 1886 they purchased the track of the BTOC, which lay outside the city boundary, and 18 horse cars. At the same time Birmingham Corporation leased the lines within the city to the Company.

Taken over by companies controlled by Scottish-Canadian businessman James Ross, on 24 March 1888, the horse tram route from Colmore Row to Hockley Brook was converted to cable traction by the Patent Cable Tramway Company, and on 20 April 1889, the line was extended to Handsworth (New Inns). The service was operated with open-top double-decker cars.

In October 1889 the portion of the acquired tramway along Bristol Road to Bournbrook was closed for reconstruction. It re-opened on 24 July 1890 and was worked by Nos. 101-112, Falcon battery-electric (accumulator) open-top double-deck cars.

On 29 September 1896 the assets of the BCTC were acquired by the City of Birmingham Tramways Company Ltd.

The City of Birmingham Tramways Company Ltd

Postcard commemorating the ending of steam tram operations, on the last day of 1906 Thinktank Birmingham - Birmingham Tram(3).jpg
Postcard commemorating the ending of steam tram operations, on the last day of 1906

The CBTC operated trams in Birmingham from 1896 until 1911.

The company was formed on 29 September 1896 by James Ross and William Mackenzie to take over the business of the BCTC. [2]

From 14 May 1901 the route from the city to Bournbrook via Bristol Road (later extended to Selly Oak) was operated by electric cars using overhead current supply. Other routes were soon electrified and the company became a British Electric Traction subsidiary in 1902.

On 30 June 1902 the company took over the routes of the Birmingham and Aston Tramways Company which were now owned by Aston Manor Urban District Council. By this date the CBTC were operating 21 overhead electric trams, 54 cable trams, 89 steam engines, 76 Double Decker steam trams, 10 horse cars, 45 horse buses and 608 horses on tracks mostly constructed and owned by Birmingham Corporation.

The last routes in Birmingham closed on 31 December 1911. Most of its services were taken over by Birmingham Corporation Tramways.

See also

Related Research Articles

Cable car (railway) Cable-hauled mass transit system

A cable car is a type of cable railway used for mass transit in which rail cars are hauled by a continuously moving cable running at a constant speed. Individual cars stop and start by releasing and gripping this cable as required. Cable cars are distinct from funiculars, where the cars are permanently attached to the cable.

Trams in India were established in the late-19th century. Horse-drawn trams were introduced in Kolkata in 1873; electric trams began in Chennai in 1895, and trams were also introduced in Mumbai, Kanpur, and Delhi. They were discontinued in all Indian cities between 1933 and 1964, except for Kolkata.

Trams in Kingston upon Hull

The Kingston upon Hull tramway network was a network of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 instandard gauge tram lines following the five main roads radially out of the city centre of Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Two of these lines went west, and two east. The fifth went to the north, and branched to include extra lines serving suburban areas. Additionally a short line linked the city centre to the Corporation Pier where a ferry crossed the Humber Estuary to New Holland, Lincolnshire.

Birmingham Corporation Tramways Birmingham tramway operator (1904-1953)

Birmingham Corporation Tramways operated a network of tramways in Birmingham from 1904 until 1953. It was the largest narrow-gauge tramway network in the UK, and was built to a gauge of 3 ft 6 in. It was the fourth largest tramway network in the UK behind London, Glasgow and Manchester.

The London County Council Tramways was an extensive network of public street tramways operated by the council throughout the County of London, UK, from 1899 to 1933, when they were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board.

Upper Douglas Cable Tramway

The Upper Douglas Cable Tramway was a tram line serving all points between the southern end of the promenade and the upper part of the town of Douglas in the Isle of Man. It opened on 15 August 1896 and closed on 19 August 1929.

Southampton Corporation Tramways

Southampton Corporation Tramways were in operation from 1879 to 1949. They were initially horse-drawn, but latterly powered by electricity.

Dublin tramways Transport system in Dublin, 1871–1959

Dublin tramways was a system of trams in Dublin, Ireland which commenced line-laying in 1871, and began service in 1872, following trials in the mid-1860s. Established by a number of companies, the majority of the system was eventually operated by forms of the Dublin United Tramways Company (DUTC), dominated for many years by William Martin Murphy. Most of the services ran within the city centre and near suburbs, with the majority of major suburbs served. Additionally, there were two longer-range services, one reaching the "excursion" destination of Poulaphouca Falls, and two services concerning Howth.

Manchester Corporation Tramways Municipal operator of electric tram services in Manchester (1901-1949)

Between 1901 and 1949 Manchester Corporation Tramways was the municipal operator of electric tram services in Manchester, England. At its peak in 1928, the organisation carried 328 million passengers on 953 trams, via 46 routes, along 292 miles (470 km) of track.

G.F. Milnes & Co.

G. F. Milnes & Co. Ltd was a tramcar manufacturer based in Birkenhead (1886-1902) and Hadley, Shropshire (1900-1905)

Cardiff Corporation Tramways

Cardiff Corporation Tramways was a company that operated an electric tramway service in Cardiff between 1902 and 1950.

Cardiff Tramways Company

Cardiff Tramways Company operated a horse tramway service in Cardiff between 1872 and 1902.

Coventry Corporation Tramways

Coventry Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Coventry, England, between 1912 and 1940.

Cavehill and Whitewell Tramway Tram system in Northern Ireland, later part of Belfast Tramways

The Cavehill and Whitewell Tramway operated steam powered, then horse drawn and finally electric tramway services between Cavehill and Whitewell in Belfast, Ireland between 1882 and 1911. It was subsumed into Belfast Corporation Tramways.

Wigan Corporation Tramways

Wigan Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Wigan, England, between 1901 and 1931. The first tramway service in the town was run by the Wigan Tramways Company, whose horse trams began carrying passengers in 1880. They began replacing horses with steam tram locomotives from 1882, but the company failed in 1890 when a Receiver was appointed to manage it. The Wigan & District Tramways Company took over the system in 1893 and ran it until 1902. Meanwhile, Wigan Corporation were planning their own tramway system, obtaining an authorising Act of Parliament in 1893, and a second one in 1898. This enabled them to build electric tramways, and in 1902, they took over the lines of the Wigan & District Tramways Company.

Bath Tramways

Bath Tramways Company and its successors operated a 4 ft horse drawn tramway service in Bath between 1880 and 1902. From 1903 until its closure in 1939 an expanded route carried electric trams operated by Bath Electric Tramways Company.

Tramways in Plymouth

The tramways in Plymouth were originally constructed as four independent networks operated by three different companies to serve the adjacent towns of Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport in Devon, England. The merger of the 'Three Towns' into the new borough of Plymouth in 1914 was the catalyst for the three companies to join up under the auspices of the new Plymouth Corporation. The network was closed in 1945, partly as a result of bomb damage during World War II.

The Provincial Tramways Company was a holding company for horse tramway companies in various regional towns of England. It was floated in July 1872 by means of a prospectus inviting public subscription for shares in the new company. The published prospectus lists the towns where it was proposed to operate horse tramways as Plymouth. Cardiff, Dundee. Portsmouth. Southampton and Tynemouth. Initially those in Plymouth and Cardiff were constructed and in operation as reported to the half yearly meeting of the company in 1873.

The Portsmouth Street Tramways Company operated horse tramways in Portsmouth, England. It was started under the terms of a Provisional Order of 1874 and was a wholly owned subsidiary company of The Provincial Tramways Company.

Bradford Corporation Tramways were a tramway network in the city of Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England which operated trams from 1882 until 1950 and trolleybuses from 1911 until 1972. The track gauge of the tramways was 4 ft.

References

  1. ↑ Railway King of Canada: Sir William MacKenzie, 1849-1923. R. B. Fleming
  2. ↑ History of Birmingham, Volume 2. Conrad Gill, Asa Briggs
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.