Birmingham Corporation Tramways
Birmingham Corporation Tramways operated a network of tramways in Birmingham from 1904 until 1953. It was the largest narrow-gauge tramway network in the UK, and was built to a gauge of. It was the fourth largest tramway network in the UK behind London, Glasgow and Manchester.
There were a total of 843 trams, 20 depots, 45 main routes and a total route length of.
Birmingham Corporation built all the tramways and leased the track to various companies.
Birmingham was a pioneer in the development of reserved trackways which served the suburban areas as the city grew in the 1920s and 1930s.
History
The first trams operated in Birmingham from 1872, and the network expanded throughout the late 19th century. Initially these were horse and steam operated, the first electric trams operated from 1901. Under the terms of the Tramways Act 1870 the Birmingham Corporation owned all of the tracks within the city boundaries, however, they were forbidden from operating the trams themselves, and so various private companies operated them under lease. It wasn't until 1904 that the Birmingham Corporation took advantage of new legislation, which allowed it to operate trams in its own right as the original concessions expired. By 1912, the corporation had taken over all of the privately operated lines, it also took over other district tramways as the city boundaries were expanded. BCT continued to expand the network into a comprehensive system, and also took over routes extending into the Black Country. The last new route to Stechford was opened in 1928.Decline set in during the 1930s, when several tram lines were converted to trolleybus operation, as this was seen as being a more economic option than replacing worn out track and rolling stock. Several of the least used lines were also abandoned, and replaced by diesel buses. Reflecting the fact that it now operated buses and trolleybuses as well as trams, BCT changed its name to Birmingham City Transport in 1937.
However, most of the tram network remained in operation until large scale closures began in 1947. The last three lines to Short Heath, Pype Hayes and Erdington were closed simultaneously on 4 July 1953.
Trams eventually returned to the streets of Birmingham on 6 December 2015, after a 62-year gap, when the first part of the Midland Metro city-centre extension was opened to Bull Street tram stop.
Timeline
*Routes
| Route | Description | Abandoned | Short workings |
| 2 | Steelhouse Lane to Erdington | 4 July 1953 | 59 Steelhouse Lane to Gravelly Hill, 60 Steelhouse Lane to Aston Cross, 64 Steelhouse Lane to High Street, Erdington |
| 3 | Martineau Street to Witton via Six Ways | 11 September 1939 | |
| 3x | Martineau Street to Witton via Aston Cross | 31 December 1949 | |
| 4 | Station Street to Stoney Lane | 5 January 1937 | |
| 5 | Lozells to Gravelly Hill | 30 September 1950 | |
| 6 | Martineau Street to Perry Barr | 21 December 1949 | |
| 7 | Martineau Street to Nechells | ||
| 8 | Martineau Street to Alum Rock | 30 September 1950 | 61 Martineau Street via the Gate Inn, Saltley to Pelham Arms |
| 10 | Martineau Street to Washwood Heath | 30 September 1950 | 9 Martineau Street to Ward End Fox & Goose Pub, 62 inward working of route 10 |
| 15 | High Street to South Yardley | 2 October 1948 | 13 High Street to Small Heath Park, 56 High Street to Hay Mills |
| 16 | Station Street to South Yardley | 6 January 1934 | 14 Station Street to Small Heath Park, 57 Station Street to Hay Mills |
| 17 | High Street to Stratford Road | 5 January 1937 | 19 High Street to Stratford Road, 58 High Street to Stoney Lane/Stratford Road, 82 High Street to Stratford Road |
| 18 | Station Street to Stratford Road | 5 January 1937 | 21 Station Street to Stratford Road |
| 20 | Station Street to Stratford Road | ||
| 22 | Station Street to Bolton Road | 4 February 1930 | |
| 23 | Colmore Row to Handsworth | 1 April 1939 | 28 Colmore Row to New Inns, Crocketts Lane, Handsworth |
| 24 | Colmore Row to Lozells via Wheeler Street | 1 April 1939 | |
| 25 | Colmore Row to Lozells via Wheeler Street | 7 August 1933 | |
| 26 | Colmore Row to Oxhill Road | 1 April 1939 | 27 Colmore Row to Stafford Road, Soho Road, Handsworth |
| 29 | City to Bearwood via Dudley Road | 30 September 1939 | 30 Edmund Street to Windmill Lane, Cape Hill, Smethwick, 55 Edmund Street to Dudley Road/Grove Lane |
| 31 | Edmund Street to Soho | 30 September 1939 | |
| 32 | Edmund Street to Lodge Road | 29 March 1947 | |
| 33 | Navigation Street to Ladywood | 30 August 1947 | |
| 34 | Navigation Street to Bearwood via Hagley Road | 9 August 1930 | |
| 36 | City to Cotteridge | 5 May 1952 | 46 Navigation Street to Stirchley |
| 37 | City to Cannon Hill Park | 1 October 1949 | |
| 39 | City to Alcester Lanes End | 1 October 1949 | 38 Hill Street to High Street/Vicarage Road, Kings Heath via Balsall Heath, 49 Navigation Street to Mary Street/Park Road, Balsall Heath, 52 Hill Street to Station Road, Kings Heath via Balsall Heath, 66 Hill Street to Moseley via Balsall Heath |
| 42 | City to Alcester Lanes End | 1 October 1949 | 43 High Street to Station Road, Kings Heath via Moseley Road, 48 High Street to High Street/Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, 67 Dale End to Moseley via Bradford Street |
| 44 | Dale End/Albert Street to Acocks Green | 5 January 1937 | 91 High Street to Warwick Road, Tyseley |
| 45 | Dale End/Albert Street to Sparkbrook | 5 January 1937 | |
| 50 | High Street to Moseley Road depot | 1 October 1949 | 41 Navigation Street to Moseley Road Depot |
| 51 | Hill Street to Alcester Lane End | 1 October 1949 | 40 Hill Street to High Street/Vicarage Road, Kings Heath via Leopold Street, 65 Hill Street to Moseley via Leopold Street |
| 53 | Navigation Street to Dogpool Lane | ||
| 63 | Steelhouse Lane to Fort Dunlop | 4 July 1953 | |
| 68 | Villa Road to Soho Road, Lozells, Gravelly Hill and Erdington | 1923 | |
| 70 | Navigation Street to Rednal | 5 July 1952 | 35 Navigation Street to Selly Oak, 54 Navigation Street to Pebble Mill Road, 69 Navigation Street to Northfield, 72 Navigation Street to Longbridge |
| 71 | Navigation Street to Rubery | 5 July 1952 | |
| 74 | City to Dudley | 1 April 1939 | 74 Livery Street to Carters Green, West Bromwich, 76 Colmore Road to Great Bridge, 77 Colmore Row to Spon Lane/High Street, West Bromwich |
| 75 | City to Wednesbury | 1 April 1939 | |
| 78 | Steelhouse Lane to Short Heath | 4 July 1953 | 1 Steelhouse Lane to Stockland Green |
| 79 | Steelhouse Lane to Pype Hayes Park | 4 July 1953 | 63 Steelhouse Lane to Holly Lane/Tyburn Road |
| 81 | Villa Road to Soho Road, Lozells to Pype Hayes | 1930 | |
| 84 | City to Stechford | 2 October 1948 | 12 High Street to Bordesley Green via Deritend and Coventry Road |
| 87 | City to Dudley | 30 September 1939 | 85 Edmund Street to Spon Lane, West Bromwich via Smethwick, 86 Edmund Street to Oldbury via Smethwick, 88 Windmill Lane to Spon Lane, West Bromwich via Smethwick |
| 90 | City to Stechford | 2 October 1948 | 11 High Street to Bordesley Green via Fazeley Street |
Depots and works
- Arthur Street Depot see Coventry Road
- Birchfield Road Depot, acquired from Handsworth District Council 1911, converted to motorbus use 28 October 1925
- Bournbrook, Dawlish Road, acquired 1 January 1912, closed 11 July 1927
- Cotteridge Depot, acquired from King's Norton and Northfield District Council 1912
- Coventry Road Depot, opened 1907, converted to motorbus use 1 July 1951
- Handsworth Sub-Depot
- Highgate Road Depot, opened 25 November 1913
- Hockley Depot, acquired from Handsworth District Council 1912, converted to motorbus use 2 April 1939,
- Kyotts Lake Road Works, opened 1907, closed August 1953
- Miller Street Depot, opened 4 January 1904, converted to motorbus use 4 July 1953
- Moseley Road Depot, opened 1907, converted to motorbus use 2 October 1949
- Rosebery Street Depot, opened 1 July 1906, converted to motorbus use 31 August 1947
- Selly Oak Depot, opened 8 July 1927, converted to motorbus use 6 July 1952
- Trafalgar Road Depot
- Tividale B.M.T.C.J. Works
- Washwood Heath Depot, opened 1907, converted to motorbus use 1 October 1950
- West Smethwick Depot
- Witton Depot, acquired 1912. Until 2011, Aston Manor Road Transport Museum
Surviving artefacts and infrastructure
Tramcars
- Vehicle 107 under restoration at Aston Manor Road Transport Museum
- Vehicle 395 rescued by City of Birmingham Museums and Galleries. Restored in 1953 and presented to Birmingham Science Museum. Now preserved in Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
Shelters
- One preserved at Crich Tramway Museum
Depots
- Moseley Road Depot - Grade II listed.
- Selly Oak Depot, Harborne Lane - now Storage Units.
- Witton Depot
- Silver Street, Kings Heath - now International Stock
- Miller Street - First Corporation built depot, now used for storing buses by NXWM after privatisation of WMPTE.
- Highgate Road. Closed to trams 1937. Used for buses until the 1950s.
- Steam Tram coke yard, 1899 - Stratford Road/ College Road junction.
Track
- Edmund Street, Birmingham City Centre
- Rednal Terminus
- Manor Farm Park, Selly Oak Tram Track reused in the sluice of the pond in the park. Almost certainly from the tramway that ran down the Bristol Road, a few hundred yards away.
Literature
Great British Tramway Networks, Wingate H. Bett and John C. Gillham, Light Railway Transport League 1st edition 1940 and 2nd edition 1944The ABC of Birmingham City transport. Parts 1 & 2, W. A Camwell, Ian Allan 1950City of Birmingham Transport Department. 1904-1954: Brochure to commemorate the undertaking's jubilee, Birmingham Transport Committee 1954The demise of Birmingham's Trams, Gordon P. Laker - copy in Birmingham Central LibraryBirmingham Trams and Tramways, Colin Andrew Purdue - copy in Birmingham Central LibraryMemories of Birmingham's steam trams, C Gilbert, Light Railway Transport League 1966Short review of Birmingham Corporation tramways, Peter Laurence Hardy, H.J. Publications1971 Birmingham , R.J.S. Wiseman, Huddersfield, Advertiser Press, 1972, Birmingham Transport, Alec G Jenson, Birmingham Transport Historical Group 1978 Birmingham City Transport, Malcolm, etc. Keeley, Transport Pub. Co 1978 Birmingham Corporation Trams and Trolleybuses, Archie Mayou, Senior Publications 1982 Birmingham Corporation Tramway Rolling Stock. The story of Birmingham tramcar design, development and maintenance, P.W. Lawson, Birmingham Transport Historical Group 1983- Last Tram Down the Village and Other Memories of Yesterday's Birmingham, Ray Tennant and Jim Lyndon, BiginInk Ltd 1984 Memories of Birmingham's transport, A.N.H Glover, 1987 Birmingham in the Electric Tramway Era, D.F. Potter, Birmingham Transport Historical Group 1988 Memories of Birmingham Transport, D.R. Harvey Birmingham Transport Historical Group 1988 Birmingham Trams on Old Picture Postcards, John Marks, Reflections of a Bygone Age 1992 A Nostalgic Look at Birmingham Trams, 1933-53: The Northern Routes Vol 1, David Harvey, Silver Link Publishing Ltd 1993 A Nostalgic Look at Birmingham Trams, 1933-53: The Southern Routes - Bristol Road Routes, Cotteridge and the Moseley Road Routes, Plus Nechells and Bolton Road Vol 2, David Harvey, Silver Link Publishing Ltd 1994 A Nostalgic Look at Birmingham Trams, 1933-53: The Eastern and Western Routes - Including the Stechford Routes, the West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Dudley Routes and the Smethwick, Oldbury and Dudley Routes v. 3, David Harvey, Silver Link Publishing Ltd 1995 Birmingham Trams, Silver Link Publishing Ltd 1995 Birmingham Transport , Keith Turner, Tempus Publishing Ltd 1998 The Tramways of the West Midlands, LRTA handbook 1999 Birmingham Corporation Transport, 1904-39, Paul Collins, Ian Allan Ltd 1999ISBN 0-7110-2627-0Birmingham Corporation Transport, 1939-69, Paul Collins, Ian Allan Ltd 1999ISBN 0-7110-2656-4Birmingham Transport , Mike Hitches, Sutton Publishing 1999 Seeing Birmingham by Tram, Eric Armstrong, Tempus Publishing Ltd 2003 Roads & Rails of Birmingham 1900-1939, R.T. Coxon, Ian Allan Ltd. 1979
Video and DVD
- Birmingham trams and trolleybuses, Birmingham Transport Historical Group 1992, VHS, 90min, also DVD published by Online Video
- Another look at Birmingham's trams and buses, John Stanford, 1999 VHS