Birkenhead Corporation Tramways

British street tramway service operator (1901-1937)

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)Propulsion system(s)ElectricStatisticsRoute length79.08 miles (127.27 km)

Birkenhead Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Birkenhead between 1901 and 1937.[1]

History

In 1860, Birkenhead started the first street tramway in Britain, [2] shortly before London.

The Birkenhead Corporation Tramway company was formed through the acquisition of the Birkenhead United Tramways, Omnibus and Carriage Company (known as Birkenhead Street Railway Company Limited 1860-1877, Birkenhead Tramways Company 1877-1890) on 31 December 1900, and the Wirral Tramway Company on 8 May 1901, and the Birkenhead United Tramways Company on 24 January 1901.

Electrification of the system was undertaken and 44 tramcars were ordered from G.F. Milnes & Co. and built locally in their factory at Birkenhead. Services started on 4 February 1901.

Closure

Car No 7 previously preserved on static display in the Mersey Ferry Terminal, now at Wirral Transport Museum

The first closure was on 30 August 1925, when the Claughton Road route was converted to bus operation.

The remaining routes were closed over successive years until the system finally closed on 17 July 1937.

Car No 7 is preserved on static display at the Wirral Transport Museum in Birkenhead.

Car No. 20 is preserved and regularly carries passengers on the Wirral Tramway.

References

  1. ^ The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
  2. ^ "Birkenhead Corporation Transport: 1901-1969". Archived from the original on 21 March 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Birkenhead Corporation Tramways.
  • v
  • t
  • e
England
East
East Midlands
London
North East
North West
South East
South West
West Midlands
Yorkshire and
the Humber
WalesScotlandNorthern IrelandIsle of ManManufacturers
and suppliersGroup holding
companies
Trade Fairs
  • v
  • t
  • e
Operations
Owners
Operators
Depots
Lisbon No.730 at Woodside
Trams
Specially built
  • Hong Kong Trams No. 69 'George Francis Train & Phileas Fogg'
  • Hong Kong Trams No. 70 'Thomas Brassey'
Historic
Horse
  • Birkenhead Horse car No. 7
  • Liverpool Horse tram No. 43
Stops
Proposed extensions