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Aberdeen Corporation Tramways

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Aberdeen Corporation Tramways
Tram 34 on Union Street, Aberdeen ca. 1900
Operation
LocaleAberdeen
Open27 August 1898
Close3 May 1958
StatusClosed
Owner(s)Aberdeen City Council
Infrastructure
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Propulsion system(s)Electric
Statistics
Route length16.12 miles (25.94 km)

Aberdeen Corporation Tramways formerly served the City of Aberdeen, Scotland.

The system

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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 (equivalent to £11,920,000 in 2023),[1] representing £15 per share, and they also took over the temporary loans amounting to £10,000 (equivalent to £1,410,000 in 2023)[1]and the mortgages of £9,050 (equivalent to £1,270,000 in 2023).[1][2]

From 1906 to 1918 the system fell under the care of R. S. Pilcher who served as general manager and chief engineer.[3]

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.[4] This remainder formerly ran right across to the former Constitution Street depot (now Aberdeen Science Centre), however the western end is now occupied by a hotel.

Routes

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No. From To Via Notes
1 Bridge of Dee Bridge of Don Union Street Known as "The Bridges"[5]
2 Castle Street Mannofield[6] Great Western Road Withdrawn 2 March 1951.[7][8]
3 Castle Street Castle Street Union Street, Queen's Cross, Fountainhill Road, Rosemount Place, Rosemount Viaduct, Union Terrace Circular Route
4 Castle Street Hazlehead Queen's Road Subsequently operated by buses.[9] Withdrawn in 1986 following bus deregulation.[10]
5 Castle Street King's Gate Union Terrace
6 Castle Street Castle Street Union Terrace, Rosemount Viaduct, Rosemount Place, Fountainhill Road, Queen's Cross, Union Street Circular Route
7 St Nicholas Street Woodside, Scatterburn George Street, Great Northern Road
9 Castle Street Sea Beach Constitution Street
Castle Street Fonthill Road Crown Street Included a branch via Whinhill Road that terminated at Duthie Park. Withdrawn on 30 May 1931 and replaced with the number 6 bus.[11]

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.

Depot

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There was a tram depot at Queen's Cross (grid reference NJ 92362 05887). 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 and new flats built on the site.

Officials

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General Managers

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Traffic Superintendents

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  • David Moonie 1898 - 1905[16] (from Aberdeen District Tramways)
  • James D. Caird 1905 - 1908[17] (afterwards superintendent of the Halifax Corporation Tramways)
  • Walter P. Young 1908 - 1912[18] (afterwards traffic superintendent of the Oldham Tramways)
  • William Forbes 1912 - 1918[19] (afterwards general manager)
  • Robert McLeod 1918 - 1919
  • Charles Symon 1927 - 1834[20]
  • M.R. Shepherd 1934 - 1951[21]
  • Alexander Main from 1951

Successors

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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.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Aberdeen Corporation Tramways. Town Council Take Over the Undertaking". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 27 August 1898. Retrieved 19 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0 902 198 84 X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  4. ^ Paton, Craig; Morrice, Emma. "Watch: Focus on Aberdeen trams 60 years after their service ended". Evening Express. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  5. ^ "Bridges Buses At Peak Times?". Evening Express. 11 June 1956. p. 7. The Bridges tram-to-bus switch will not take place until 1959
  6. ^ "Mannofield Bus Fares at Tram Rates". Press and Journal. 23 April 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Buses Replace Trams March 4". Evening Express. 24 February 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Farewell To-night To Mannofield Trams". Evening Express. 2 March 1951. p. 12. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Buses". Evening Express. 2 April 1981. p. 17. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  10. ^ "No road ot 'treasure' of a park, Bridge of Don woman hits at lack of Hazlehead bus service". Press and Journal. 22 June 1988. p. 3. Retrieved 27 February 2022. The service provided by Grampian Regional Council transport to Hazlehead Park ended with bus deregulation in October, 1986
  11. ^ "Farewell to trams, 'Buses on Ferryhill Route To-Morrow". Press and Journal. 30 May 1931. p. 5. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  12. ^ "Aberdeen Tramway manager Appointed". Dundee Courier. Scotland. 20 February 1906. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Aberdeen Tramway manager Appointed". Dundee Evening Telegraph. Scotland. 18 January 1929. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Aberdeen Transport Manager's New Post". Dundee Evening Telegraph. Scotland. 10 January 1934. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ^ "Official of Wide Experience". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 10 May 1934. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Presentation to Mr. David Moonie". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 9 October 1905. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "Appointment to an Aberdeen Tramway Official". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 4 January 1908. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  18. ^ "Tramway Official's Appointment". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 7 February 1912. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  19. ^ "New Tram Manager". Aberdeen Weekly Journal. Scotland. 20 September 1918. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  20. ^ "Sudden Death of Mr. C. Symon". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 28 March 1934. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  21. ^ "Superintendent Retiring". Aberdeen Evening Express. Scotland. 30 April 1951. Retrieved 20 November 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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