City of Carlisle Electric Tramways

The City of Carlisle Electric Tramways Company operated an electric tramway service in Carlisle between 1900 and 1931.[1]

City of Carlisle Electric Tramways Company
Map of the routes of the City of Carlisle Electric Tramways
Operation
LocaleCarlisle
Open30 June 1900
Close21 November 1931
StatusClosed
Infrastructure
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Propulsion system(s)Electric
Statistics
Route length5.73 miles (9.22 km)
Former tram shed, London Road

History

The Carlisle Tramways Order of 1898 authorised the construction of an electric tramway and construction began in 1899. The system comprised 6 lines radiating from Carlisle railway station to Newtown, Stanwix, along Warwick Road to Petteril Bridge, London Road, Boundary Road and Denton Holme.

The tramway was operated by the City of Carlisle Electric Tramways Co Ltd, power being taken from the Corporation's supply station in James Street and opened for public service on 30 June 1900

In 1911 the concern was sold to Balfour Beatty who undertook track renewals and replaced the fleet of tramcars at a cost of £18,000 (equivalent to £1,950,176 in 2021).[2]

After the First World War, the company was unable to expand the services to meet the needs of an expanding town, and had started its own motorbuses services. In 1926 it changed its name to Carlisle and District Transport Company.

Fleet

Closure

Carlisle Corporation purchased the assets of the company on 5 March 1931, and after being unable to get agreement with local bus operators and secure an operating licence, closed the tramway system on 21 November 1931. In 2011, plans were made to send the remains of a Carlisle tram to Workington for partial restoration[3] and in 2013 it was announced that this was about to begin[4] using Wolverhampton Corporation Tramways number 49, based at Black Country Living Museum, as a model.[5]

References
  1. The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
  2. UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  3. "Carlisle's last tram to be removed from derelict building". BBC. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  4. Prior, Gareth (20 July 2013). "Restoration set to start on Carlisle tram". British Trams Online. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  5. "Other Vehicles". Workington Transport Heritage Trust. 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
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