The History of Trams – Peter Waller

RCTS – West Midlands Branch Meeting Report

Monday 20th January 2025 – Coventry

 

Our speaker, Peter Waller, took us on a historical journey entitled “The History of Trams’. He gave us a full description of the tram networks across Britain and Ireland. The story began in the 1860s, initially in Birkenhead (the historic home of the first street tramway in Europe. It was here on August 29 1860 that Europe´s first tramway was established, running from Woodside to Birkenhead Park). Also the tramway in London opened on March 1861 these being soon followed by the Tramways Act of 1870 controlling their construction and progress, licenses being obtained for and by local authorities.

 

In 1883 Huddersfield constructed a new steam operated tramway and was the first municipal operator of steam trams in Britain. The act of 1870 had become fraught with problems as they expanded. The Public Highways act came into the equation and clashed with other vehicles using the roads. The construction of tramcars also became problematic mainly regarding the use of different gauges and varied from 3ft 6”in to 4ft 9in.

 

The decline of tram networks became apparent during the 1920s and into the 1930s. Peter illustrated his presentation with numerous images taken in locations from Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow in Scotland through England to London and the south coast. Then end of our local trams here in Coventry followed the major bombing raids of 1940 in World War II.

 

There are many trams that survive to this day, those at the National Tramway Museum in Crich, and those in Blackpool being the best known. Other working examples operate in the Isle of Man and at Seaton in Devon. Modern 21st century trams are again popular, but here problems arise with congested roads and infrastructure. They are active in some major towns and cities including Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Croydon.

 

We thanked Peter for his superb illustrated presentation.