Southampton Trams

Presenter: Martin Petch

With 31 December 2019 marking the 70th anniversary of the closure of Southampton’s tram system it was fitting to mark the occasion with a presentation on the system by Martin Petch. It was fascinating to see the main roads and landmarks at the turn of the 20th century and compare them to the modern day.

A major landmark in Southampton is The Bargate which formed part of the city walls. This has a low central arch which trams used to pass through, with the adjoining walls and buildings either side of the structure only being removed in the 1930s. Prior to the Second World War the tram system was owned by Southampton Corporation and was profitable, but the Council did not reinvest the profit in the system, preferring to use it to limit local taxes or spend the money elsewhere. There was no money for making good war damage to the run down system, making closure inevitable. Fortunately a small number of trams survived such as summer houses. Tram 45 was sold for preservation by the Light Rail Transport League in 1949 and is now located at Crich. Numbers 11 and 57 are undergoing restoration in Southampton by a small band of volunteers but are not generally available for viewing by the public.

Our thanks to Martin for his presentation on a local system.