Worcester Tramways Company

Worcester Tramways Company and its predecessors operated a horse-drawn tramway service in Worcester between 1881 and 1902.[1]

Worcester Tramways Company
Operation
LocaleWorcester
Open1881
Close31 October 1902
StatusClosed
Infrastructure
Track gauge3 ft (914 mm)
Propulsion system(s)Horse
Statistics
Route length3.5 miles (5.6 km)
Tramways Trust Company era: 1881–1885
Track gauge 3 ft (914 mm)
City of Worcester Tramways Company era: 1889–1894
Track gauge 3 ft (914 mm)
Worcester Tramways Company era: 1894–1902
Track gauge 3 ft (914 mm)

Tramways Trust Company

The Worcester Tramways Order of 1881 authorised the Tramways Trust Company to build a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge horse tramway. There was a depot at St Johns, Bull Ring and three branches on the 3.5 mile network:

  • The Cross – St Johns
  • City Centre – Foregate St – Barbourne – Ombersley Rd
  • St Nicholas St – Shrub Hill station.

Services started in 1881 with single-horse single-deck tramcars. The Tramways Trust Company went into liquidation on 12 December 1885.[2]

Plans were approved by the Board of Trade in 1886 for extensions, but, presumably due to the financial state of the company, these were not constructed.

City of Worcester Tramways Company

The City of Worcester Tramways Company purchased the Worcester tramway from the liquidator in 1889,[3] but this new company was unable to improve the financial position and on 3 April 1894 the company was wound up.[4]

The Worcester Tramways Company took over the assets in 1894. There were more than 100 horses, nine tramcars and eleven horse buses.

Closure

In 1898 British Electric Traction gained control of the company. Plans were put in place for modernisation and electrification of the system. The Worcester Tramways Act of 1901 and the Worcester (Extension) Light Railway Order of 1902 gave the British Electric Traction subsidiary company, Worcester Electric Traction Company, authority to upgrade, extend and electrically operate a 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge tramway.

On 31 October 1902 Worcester Electric Traction Company took over the Worcester Tramways Company, which was finally dissolved in 1906.

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References
  1. The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
  2. The London Gazette, 21 December 1885, 6312
  3. The London Gazette, 22 November 1889, 6355
  4. The London Gazette, 23 February 1894, 1174
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