Gloucester Tramways Company
| Gloucester Tramways Company | |
|---|---|
| Operation | |
| Locale | Gloucester |
| Open | 26 May 1879 |
| Close | 17 March 1904 |
| Status | Closed |
| Infrastructure | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft (1,219 mm) |
| Propulsion system | Horse |
| Statistics | |
| Route length | 3.4 miles (5.5 km) |
Gloucester Tramways Company operated a horse-drawn tramway service in Gloucester between 1879 and 1904.[1]
History
[edit]In 1877, the Gloucester Tramways Company submitted proposals for a system to the city council. Gloucester Tramways Company was a subsidiary of the Imperial Tramways Company. The company obtained an order under the Tramways Act 1870 on 8 April 1878.
Track laying started on 16 September 1878. By 24 May 1879, the system was ready for inspection by the Railway Inspector, Colonel Hutchinson.[2]
The depots were located off Bristol Road at its junction with Lysons Road at SO 8256 1717, and off India Road at SO 8414 1776.
Services
[edit]The company provided services on three routes:
- The Fleece in at Wotton along London Road, Northgate Street to The Cross, then Southgate Street to Theresa Place on Bristol Road.
- St. Nicholas Church in Westgate Street to The Cross, then Eastgate Street, Lower Barton Street to India Road.
- Kingsholm on Denmark Road, via Northgate Street to The Cross, then to The Royal Infirmary on Southgate Street.
Closure
[edit]On 30 September 1902 the corporation bought out the tramways company. The purchase price was finally agreed at £26,000 (equivalent to £2,760,000 in 2025).[3]
The sale included the India Road and Bristol Road depots, 100 horses, 14 tram cars, 8 horse buses, and 6 charabancs.
The council established a new company, Gloucester Corporation Tramways, for the purpose of modernising the tramway.
References
[edit]- ↑ The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
- ↑ Gloucester Journal, 24 May 1879
- ↑ UK Consumer Price Index inflation figures from 1209–2024 based on data from "Inflation calculator". Bank of England. London. 18 February 2026. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
