Timeline: Tramways
The first installation of a street tramway for passengers was the New York and Harlem line of 1832. The second was in New Orleans in 1835 (one that is still in use today, with electric cars). In many respects, British practice followed these and other developments elsewhere.
c.1859 Horse-drawn trams were introduced in Liverpool on the Curtis principle
1860 George Francis Train promoted an alternative approach in Birkenhead
c.1861 Trams were introduced in parts of London
1870 An Act of Parliament was passed which authorized local councils to grant 21-year concessions to private tramway operators.
1870s Many horse-drawn tramways were constructed but animal power had its limitations; promoters started to investigate mechanical traction. The new tram companies in London all adopted the same standard gauge, with the intention of being able to link up services at later dates.
1873 John Grantham tested an experimental 23-foot steam tramcar in London but withdrew it after it performed poorly.
Steam trams were developed, but were not very suitable for urban use, although they ran on many suburban and rural light railways.
1879 The development of practicable dynamos opened the way for electric traction by generating power for trams at a central station.
1880 Compressed air propulsion, on the Mekarski principle, was tried on the Wantage Tramway. This was followed by tests of a small number of trams powered by compressed air on the Caledonian Road tramway.
1882 North Metropolitan Tramways Co provided an opportunity for testing a battery-powered tram.
1883 The first UK tramline using centrally-generated electricity was the Giant's Causeway Electric Tramway in Ireland.
1883 This was soon followed by the Volk's Electric Railway in Brighton.
1884 A cable tram was introduced on Highgate Hill, the first cable tramway in Europe, followed a few years later by a second cable line to draw trams up Brixton Hill to Streatham. Edinburgh was another early example. Cable tramways enjoyed considerable success for a time.
1885 The first British use of overhead wires for transmitting electricity was on the Bessbrook and Newry Tramway.
1885 Formation of the Tramways Institute
From 1885, the North London Tramways Co used steam engines from Merryweather and Dick, Kerr and Co to haul long-wheelbase trailers made by Falcon Engine and Car Works; the company went into liquidation in 1891.
Although several towns and cities adopted steam trams, the problems associated with track weight, acceleration, noise and power held back their general acceptance in London.
Underground conduits were used as an alternative to overhead current collection.
1885 The Blackpool Electric Tramway was opened with conduit operation.
Gas and petrol engine trams were also tried.
c.1896 Gas-engine trams were introduced in Lytham St Annes and Neath (1896), and Trafford Park, Manchester (1897).
Most of the alternative methods of propulsion fell out of use once the advantages of electric traction became clear.
1899 The Blackpool tramway was converted to the overhead system; other British systems did so too.
1901 Dublin completed its conversion to electricity. The first electric trams were introduced in London
1915 The last horse-drawn trams were withdrawn from London.
1920s Because insufficient reinvestment had taken place to maintain the tram systems, and with the improvements in motor buses and the development of trolley buses, the 1920s marked a turning point for use of trams.
1952 Underground conduits survived until the end of tramway operation in London in 1952.
1962 Closure of Glasgow Corporation's trams. The only public trams left in Britain were those at Blackpool.