Inchture Tramway

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Inchture Tramway
Inchture Tram.jpg
The Inchture Tram outside the Crossgates depot in 1905 with Bob Speed driving it
Operation
Locale Inchture
Open1848
Close1 January 1917
StatusClosed
Infrastructure
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in)
Propulsion systemHorse
Statistics
Route length 1.475 miles (2.374 km)

Inchture Tramways operated a horse-drawn tramway service in Inchture between 1848 and 1917. [1]

Contents

History

Inchture Tramway northern section between Crossgates and the Inchture Brick and Tile Works Inchture Tramway.png
Inchture Tramway northern section between Crossgates and the Inchture Brick and Tile Works
The terminus at Inchture Village railway station ca. 1863 Inchture Village railway station.png
The terminus at Inchture Village railway station ca. 1863

The tramline was built by the Caledonian Railway and opened in 1848 [2] to connect Inchture to Inchture Village railway station. It was recorded as being 1 mile 31 chains (2.2 km) long.

Shortly after opening it was extended to connect the Inchture Brick and Tile Works belonging to George Kinnaird, 9th Lord Kinnaird on the Farm of New Mains with Inchture railway station. [3] A short branch at New Main farm also ran to the clay pits to the north east of the New Mains farm house. The line was around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long.

A passenger service was provided by a single horse and tramway car, which had a depot at Crossgates, Inchture. This location served as the stables and also formed the terminus of the passenger service from Inchture Village railway station on the Dundee and Perth Railway line. The tramway depot is now Category B listed. [4]

Closure

The service was closed on 1 January 1917 [5] and the tracks were taken to France to assist in the war effort.

References

  1. The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
  2. "Railways Operated by Horse Traction" . Railway News. United Kingdom. 22 November 1913. Retrieved 7 January 2026 via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "To be let, Brick and Tile Works at Inchture" . Dundee Courier. United Kingdom. 30 November 1859. Retrieved 7 January 2026 via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. Historic Environment Scotland. "Crossgates, Inchture Village (LB11783)" . Retrieved 7 January 2026.
  5. "Inchture Railway 'Bus' Does Not Now Run" . Railway News. United Kingdom. 10 January 1917. Retrieved 7 January 2026 via British Newspaper Archive.