Aberdeen Corporation Tramways
Aberdeen Corporation Tramways formerly served the City of Aberdeen, Scotland.
The system
The city's tram system was the most northerly municipal tramway in the United Kingdom. It started on 26 August 1898 when the Aberdeen Corporation purchased the assets of Aberdeen District Tramways. The council paid the purchase price of £84,735, representing £15 per share, and they also took over the temporary loans amounting to £10,000 and the mortgages of £9,050.From 1906 to 1918 the system fell under the care of R. S. Pilcher who served as general manager and chief engineer.
The system was electrified, with trams using the standard trolley poles until 1935 when bow collectors were fitted to take power from the overhead wires. The trams were double deck and painted in a dark green and cream livery, often with the words "Corporation Transport" painted prominently on the sides.
In the late 1930s the city purchased 18 trams from Nottingham Corporation Tramways, which closed in 1936. Further secondhand trams were later obtained from Manchester. The last new trams for the city were built by R Y Pickering of Wishaw in 1949.
The city's best known service was route 1, from Bridge of Don to Bridge of Dee, the numbering of which is preserved by the current number 1 bus service serving the same areas. The city's last tram operated on 3 May 1958, being replaced by diesel buses.
A short stretch of track that served as a terminus for the Sea Beach route remains alongside the Beach Boulevard where, following their final day in service, the entire fleet was burned. This remainder formerly ran right across to the former Constitution Street depot, however the western end is now occupied by a hotel.
Routes
The tram system was supported by 14 bus routes numbered No. 4, No. 8 and No. 11 through to No. 22, No. 4 being an extension of the No. 4 tram route.Business
The table shows the annual mileages run, passengers carried and revenue taken on tram car services.| Year | Tramcar Mileage | Passengers | Revenue |
| 1899-1900 | 7,364,731 | £30,781 | |
| 1900-01 | 688,611 | 8,361,711 | £35,452 |
| 1901-02 | 794,641 | 9,099,715 | £37,931 |
| 1902-03 | 966,859 | 12,152,774 | £50,936 |
| 1903-04 | 1,379,723 | 15,538,167 | £64,071 |
| 1904-05 | 1,617,525 | 17,142,896 | £70,430 |
| 1905-06 | 1,520,229 | 17,222,967 | £70,507 |
| 1906-07 | 1,529,682 | 17,676,008 | £72,605 |
| 1907-08 | 1,566,119 | 17,517,304 | £71,930 |
| 1908-09 | 1,553,978 | 17,608,695 | £71,679 |
| 1909-10 | 1,585,137 | 17,508,636 | £71,121 |
| 1910-11 | 1,585,137 | 17,152,548 | £73,470 |
| 1911-12 | 1,643,247 | 19,054,847 | £73,470 |
| 1912-13 | 1,738,966 | 19,990,711 | £80,166 |
| 1913-14 | 1,832,587 | 20,966,394 | £85,266 |
| 1914-15 | 1,909,009 | 24,048.816 | £88,002 |
| 1915-16 | 1,963,615 | 26,593,730 | £94,328 |
| 1916-17 | 2,003,245 | 27,141,275 | £100,068 |
| 1917-18 | 2,169,667 | 32,739,528 | £116,378 |
| 1918-19 | 2,214,484 | 40,019,565 | £140,895 |
| 1919-20 | 2,437,811 | 44,988,484 | £169,737 |
| 1920-21 | £191,470 | ||
| 1921-22 | £183,995 | ||
| 1922-23 | 2,392,918 | 39,885,812 | £184,750 |
| 1923-24 | 2,434,898 | 40,072,746 | £183,521 |
| 1924-25 | 2,675,785 | £189,246 | |
| 1925-26 | 2,792,572 | 40,471,662 | £177,568 |
| 1926-27 | 2,564,718 | £143,906 | |
| 1927-28 | 2,702,548 | 39,557,263 | £153,267 |
| 1928-29 | 2,807,796 | 41,584,677 | £161,964 |
| 1929-30 | 2,892,538 | 42,968,627 | £167,636 |
| 1930-31 | 2,858,639 | 41,700,576 | £162,314 |
| 1931-32 | 2,528,090 | £145,729 | |
| 1932-33 | 2,528,090 | £148,425 | |
| 1933-34 | 2,593,165 | 38,256,224 | £151,612 |
| 1934-35 | 2,660,295 | 37,831,049 | £150,016 |
| 1935-36 | 2,707,511 | 38,750,234 | £153,768 |
| 1936-37 | 2,708,803 | £152,565 | |
| 1937-38 | 2,747,003 | £152,565 | |
| 1938-39 | 41,358,062 | £166,478 | |
| 1939-40 | £200,315 |
Depots
By 1914, the company had 77 passenger cars with depot accommodation for 72, with 30 at Queen’s Cross, 17 at Woodside, 6 at Mannofield, 13 at Constitution Street and 6 at Market Street.The depots and workshops were:
- Queen's Cross Depot. This depot was acquired from the Aberdeen District Tramways. In 1910 it was extended in size. It was extended again in 1951. The building was purchased by Grampian Television in 1960 and converted into their television studios and headquarters. In 2003 Grampian Television relocated their studios and offices to new premises; the former tram depot was subsequently demolished by 2004 with new flats built on the site.
- Woodside Depot. This depot was acquired from the Aberdeen District Tramways. Electrification of the depot took place during 1900. On closure this was eventually demolished and replaced with housing and a community centre.
- Mannofield Depot. This depot was acquired from the Aberdeen District Tramways. In 1901 the corporation agreed to it being rebuilt and equipped for electric tramcars. The tender for construction was won by Robert Beattie and Son of Holland Street. After closure it became William Wilson’s showrooms.
- Constitution Street Depot. Designed by Jenkins and Marr in 1885 as a public swimming baths. Converted to a tramway depot in 1901 for the sum of £45,000. Remodelled by the City Architects Department in 1920. This depot was put up for sale for £20,000 in 1954. Now the home of Aberdeen Science Centre.
- Market Street Depot. It was built from plans prepared by W. Dyack, C.E. burgh surveyor, and constructed by Alexander Cheyne, Holburn Street in Grey Rubislaw granite with picked dressings of Corennie red granite. The walls were finished with rustic ashlar. It was in length and in width. It was opened in autumn 1904 and is now a Category B listed building. After closure the site was redeveloped in 1997-98 incorporating the tram car shed as a large business office facility.
- Central Depot, King Street Category C listed. A new central depot was required by 1914 and following a report to the Tramways Committee by W. Dyack, burgh surveyor, and R.S. Pilcher, tramway manager, the company decided to acquire the King Street Barracks site which was 2½ acres in area and develop an additional central depot at a total estimated cost of £26,000. This scheme required the conversion of the site and building two new car sheds and workshops etc. The plan was to accommodate 22 tramcars and 6 motor omnibuses in a shed by alongside the buildings facing St Peter Street with three separate lines of tramway. To anticipate future requirements, provision was made for an extension to the shed for housing an additional 24 cars.
- Crown Street workshops and depot. A building of 1903-04 comprising workshops, tram car depot, and electricity works and offices. Category C listed. The generating station opened in March 1903 and the tram depot in 1904.
Officials
General Managers
- Robert Stuart Pilcher 1906 - 1919
- William Forbes 1919 - 1929
- James Lowe Gunn 1929 - 1934
- Alfred A. Smith 1934 - 1952
- Frederick Y. Frazer 1953 - 1963
Traffic Superintendents
- David Moonie 1898 - 1905
- James D. Caird 1905 - 1908
- Walter P. Young 1908 - 1912
- William Forbes 1912 - 1918
- Robert McLeod 1918 - 1919
- Charles Symon 1927 - 1834
- M.R. Shepherd 1934 - 1951
- Alexander Main from 1951
Successors
Following the closure of the tram system, Aberdeen Corporation continued to operate buses. Following the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the fleet passed to the new Grampian Regional Council in 1975, becoming Grampian Regional Transport. The dark green and cream livery was retained. Following the Transport Act 1985 the company was subsequently privatised, becoming the GRT Group, which later became FirstGroup. As of 2009, buses in Aberdeen are operated by First Aberdeen.There were proposals for a new tramway system in 2013, but they were rejected in September 2014.