Sheffield Tramway


Sheffield Tramway was an extensive tramway network serving the English city of Sheffield and its suburbs.
The first tramway line, horse-drawn, opened in 1873 between Lady's Bridge and Attercliffe, subsequently extended to Brightside and Tinsley. Routes were built to Heeley, where a tram depot was built, Nether Edge and Hillsborough. In 1899, the first electric tram ran between Nether Edge and Tinsley, and by 1902 all the routes were electrified. As of 1910 the network covered 39 miles and as of 1951 48 miles.
The last trams ran between Leopold Street to Beauchief and Tinsley on 8 October 1960—three Sheffield trams were subsequently preserved at the National Tramway Museum in Crich. 34 years later trams returned to the streets of Sheffield under a new network called Supertram.

History

Horse tram era

The Sheffield horse tramway was created under the Tramways Act 1870, with powers granted by the in July 1872. The first routes, to Attercliffe and Carbrook, Brightside, Heeley, Nether Edge and Owlerton opened between 1873 and 1877. Under the legislation at that time, local authorities were precluded from operating tramways but were empowered to construct them and lease the lines to an individual operating company. Tracks were constructed by contractors and leased to the Sheffield Tramways Company, which operated the services.
Prior to the inauguration of the horse trams, horse buses had provided a limited public service, but road surfaces were poor and their carrying capacity was low. The new horse trams gave a smoother ride. The fares were too high for the average worker so the horse trams saw little patronage; services began later than when workers began their day so were of little use to most. Running costs were high as the operator had to keep a large number of horses and could not offer low fares.

Electric tram era

Sheffield Corporation took over the tramway system in July 1896 under the ' and the '. The corporation's goal was to expand and mechanise the system. Almost immediately a committee was formed to inspect other tramway systems to look at the improved systems of traction. Upon their return the committee recommended the adoption of electrical propulsion using the overhead current collection system.
The National Grid had not been developed at that time, and so the corporation set out to generate the required current - the corporation became the local domestic and industrial electricity supplier. A power station was built for Sheffield Corporation Tramways on Kelham Island by the river Don between Mowbray Street and Alma Street. Feeder cables stretched from there to the extremities of the system, covering over 40 miles of route.
Image:Sheffield tramcar 74 - National Tramway Museum 28-10-06.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Preserved Sheffield tramcar 74, built 1900 as an open-top car and modified in 1909 to have a short top cover, as seen here, providing passengers protection from the elements
The horse operated lines were left opened and track replaced with heavier rails. Along with lines opening to Abbeydale, Walkley and Hunter's Bar, the missing link in the centre of the sprawling network between Moorhead and Lady's Bridge was finally laid.
Electric lines opened in succession; Nether Edge to Tinsley on 6 September 1899, to Walkley on 18 September 1899 and Pitsmoor on 27 September 1899. The other electric lines opened soon after allowing the Hillsborough to be closed in November 1902.
The network was basically in place by 1905, further development included extending lines out of the city and connecting lines.
In 1905, Rotherham Corporation connected their line to Templeborough to Tinsley and both Sheffield and Rotherham corporations began running services between both towns. Some tensions existed between both councils and services were halted between September 1914 and May 1915 leaving passengers to either walk between both networks or use the railways. Sheffield Corporation introduced motor bus services from the termini to outlying districts in 1918.
The First World War made material scarce and progress in bus technology which meant that many cities abandoned their tram networks. Sheffield considered trolleybuses, but found no favours in the council, who preferred motor buses. Twenty second-hand double-deck tramcars were purchased from London County Council Tramways in 1917 and 1918, due to the material shortage. This was a rare move but a necessary one to replace single-deck cars. The scarcity of material did not deter the corporation, though, who extended the network to Handsworth, Mansfield Road and to Sheffield Lane Top. In 1927, the Beauchief and Meadowhead lines were joined by the laying of track along Abbey Lane. Prince of Wales Road line was linked to the Handsworth and Intake line. The Nether Edge line was closed in 1934, in face of line renewal costs, the Nether Green via Broomhill line suffering the same fate.
The Prussian blue with cream bands with gold leaf lining livery gave way to the Cream with azure blue bands.
After the Second World War, the railway bridge on Sheffield Road was replaced and the through-tram service to Rotherham temporarily suspended. It was never reinstated. In 1951, the decision was taken to eventually close the tramway system and replace it with motor buses. The decision was not unanimous, Councillor R. W. Allott resigned from the ruling Labour Group in protest. The council compared the price to replace tramcars with that of buses, ignoring the shorter lifespan of motor buses.
The first line conversion was the Fulwood to Malin Bridge in 1952. Several protests broke out following the publishing of the news. "Sheffield folk were fond of their trams and did not take kindly to the prospect of losing them". An unsuccessful petition was handed over to the council by the Holme Lane residents and traders. The second conversion occurred in 1954 and was the Ecclesall to Middlewood line. Thos. W. Ward received most of the trams for scrapping via a track connection into their scrap-yard on Attercliffe Common, almost opposite the end of Weedon Street.
The last route, Beauchief to Vulcan Road, closed on the afternoon of Saturday 8 October 1960. An illuminated car, followed by a procession of fourteen trams, carried passengers and council dignitaries from Beauchief to the Tinsley depot. Trams then went on to Tinsley or Queens Road, trams led to the Queens Road depot were destined for preservation.

Network

The Sheffield Tramway Company's original horse-drawn tram network was 9 miles long and radiated from the city centre to Tinsley, Brightside, Hillsborough, Nether Edge and Heeley. A few years after Sheffield Corporation took over horse tramways were gradually replaced first by single-deck, then double-deck electric trams. It extended routes to Beauchief and Woodseats in 1927 and to Darnall and Intake in 1928.
Adjacent lines were converted into circular route by sleeper-track connecting links. The line along Abbey Lane linking Beauchief to Woodseats was mostly reserved track.
The last extensions were opened in 1934 and extended the network to Lane Top, via Firth Park. Three small sections, Fulwood Road, Nether Edge and Petre St, were closed between 1925 and 1936.
In 1952 the corporation closed two sections followed by the rest of the network between 1954 and 1960. The sortable table below shows opening and closing dates of routes -
TerminusRouteDate opened to electric tramsDate closed
Abbey Lane14 April 19271 March 1959
Brightside27 December 19017 December 1958
CrookesOld Grindstone1 April 19015 May 1957
School Road28 April 1902
Heavygate Road1913
DarnallPrince of Wales Road11 April 190113 April 1958
EcclesallHunters Bar13 April 190028 March 1954
Banner Cross1908
Millhouses Lane19221954
Firth ParkPitsmoor27 September 18993 April 1960
Barnsley Road1909
Firth ParkPitsmoor26 October 19031 March 1959
Brightside Lane1909
Firth ParkNewhall Road27 October 1957
FulwoodRanmoor P.O.1 August 190123 August 1936
via BroomhillNether Green12 October 1901
Canterbury Avenue12 July 1923
FulwoodHangingwater Road28 October 19016 January 1952
via Hunters BarNether Green14 May 1904
Canterbury Avenue12 July 1923
HandsworthNorfolk Arms19095 May 1957
Orgreave Lane7 September 1934
IntakeCemetery Gates10 January 19008 April 1956
Woodhouse Road17 April 1902
Hollinsend8 February 19357 October 1956
Birley Vale29 December 1935
Malin Bridge19096 January 1952
Meadowhead12 July 19283 April 1960
MiddlewoodHillsborough30 May 190328 March 1954
Middlewood1913
MillhousesFirth Road28 July 1900
Bannerdale Road1 March 1901
Millhouses Lane17 April 1902
Waggon & Horses31 July 1926
Nether Edge5 September 189925 March 1934
Prince of Wales Road24 February 192813 April 1958
Rotherham11 September 190512 December 1948
Sheffield Lane Top18 November 1934see Firth Park
Tinsley5 September 1899
Wadsley BridgeOwlerton26 January 19014 October 1959
via Nursery StreetHalifax Road7 June 1924
Walkley18 September 18998 April 1956
WoodseatsThirlwell Road1 November 1900
Woodbank Cres1 November 19024 October 1959
Chantrey Road6 April 19033 April 1960
Abbey Lane1923