Swindon Corporation Tramways
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Swindon Corporation Tramways operated an electric passenger tramway service in Swindon between 1904 and 1929.[1]
Contents
History
Swindon Corporation was the local council formed by the 1901 Municipal Borough charter,[2] with the amalgamation of the Old and New Swindon councils; a power station was built in Corporation Street. On the same site at SU 1522 8503 was the tram depot.
The corporation started to operate electric trams in 1904. A total of 3.75 miles (6.04 km) of 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) gauge track was laid down from the Great Western Railway Station to Rodboume, Gorse Hill and the Market Square in Old Town. A small fleet of nine 48 seater trams were bought at the time of inception with four further cars purchased at a later date.
In 1906, the Swindon Tram disaster occurred. A number 11 tram taking passengers from the Bath and West Show being held in Old Town suffered brake failure driving down Victoria Hill and crashed in Regents Circus killing 5.[2]
Closure
After only 25 years of operation, Swindon's Trams were phased out by buses in 1929.[3]
Tramcar 13 survived and is under restoration.
References
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