Aberdeen District Tramways

Horse-drawn tramway services in Aberdeen

Aberdeen District Tramways

Horse Car No 1. in the Grampian Transport Museum

Operation
Locale| Aberdeen
Open| 31 August 1874
Close| 27 August 1898
Status| Closed
Infrastructure
Track gauge| 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Propulsion system(s)| Horse
Statistics
Route length| 10.95 miles (17.62 km)

The Aberdeen District Tramways operated a horse-drawn tramway services in Aberdeen between 1874 and 1898.[1]

## History[edit]

The act for making the Aberdeen District Tramway received royal assent on 10 August 1872. However, the unsettled state of labour and iron markets delayed the start of construction until 6 April 1874. The engineer was Henry Gore of London who advised of the likely routes which would prove remunerative. The first routes constructed were from Queen's Cross via Union Street, St Nicholas St and George St to Kittybrewster, and by way of Union Street and King Street to the North Church. The estimated cost of this part of the undertaking was £11,000. The contractors for rail were E.T. Dill of Lombard Street, London, and for sleeper, Campbell & Co of Aberdeen. The paving works were undertaken by Murray, Urquhart & Co of Aberdeen.[2] Initially there were six tramcars and a depot at Queen's Cross. The system was inspected by Mr. Willet, C.E. and opened on 31 August 1874.[3]

The George Street line was extended to Kittybrewster station in 1876. An additional tramcar was obtained resulting in a total fleet of 9 cars. The extension opened on 12 June 1876.[4]

The tramway was extended to Mannofield, Woodside and King Street Market. These extensions opened on 1 September 1880.[5]

An extension was built from Union Terrace to Queen's Cross via Rousemount, and the line in Union Street from King Street to Wellington Place was doubled. The company employed Mr Carter, C.E. of Edinburgh as the chief adviser and the work was carried out under the supervision of Mr. Proudfoot, the company's resident engineer. The line was formed from Queen's Cross junction to Rosemount Viaduct with steel girder rails 6 inches deep, and across the viaduct to the junction with Union Street with girder rails 7 inches deep. The space between the rails and for 18 inches either side were paved with granite setts, where formerly tarmacadam had been used. The works were completed in 20 weeks and the extension opened on 30 November 1888. Four new tramcars built by R & J Shinnie were purchased for the new service.[6]

The tramway was extended at a cost of between £5,000 and £6,000 from Bloomfield to Bridge of Dee. After inspection by Major-General Charles Scrope Hutchinson R.E. this extension opened on 24 August 1894.[7] This extension used 520 tons of rails which were delivered from Rotterdam by steamer. The purchase was consigned through Messrs Dick, Kerr & Co, of London[8]

The company fleet grew to around 40 tramcars.[when?] Initial vehicles were obtained from the Starbuck Car and Wagon Company but from 1883 the company turned to a local manufacturer, R & J Shinnie of Union Row, Aberdeen, who provided subsequent tramcars.

David Moonie was the superintendent of the company from 1874 and continued when the company was taken over by Aberdeen Corporation Tramways until 1905[9]

## Closure[edit]

Aberdeen Corporation took over the company on 26 August 1898 and formed the Aberdeen Corporation Tramways to continue the service and modernise it.[10] 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.

Horse car number 1 survived and is restored in the Grampian Transport Museum.

## References[edit]

1. ^ The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
2. ^ "The Aberdeen Tramways". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 26 August 1874. Retrieved 19 November 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
3. ^ "Inauguration of the Tramway System in Aberdeen". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 2 September 1874. Retrieved 19 November 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
4. ^ "Opening of the Tramway Extension". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 14 June 1874. Retrieved 19 November 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
5. ^ "The Aberdeen Tramway Extension". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 2 September 1880. Retrieved 19 November 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
6. ^ "The Aberdeen Tramway Extension". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 30 November 1888. Retrieved 19 November 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
7. ^ "Tramway Extension in Aberdeen". Aberdeen Evening Express. Scotland. 24 August 1894. Retrieved 20 November 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
8. ^ "The Extension of Aberdeen Tramways". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 28 April 1894. Retrieved 20 November 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
9. ^ "Presentation to Mr. David Moonie". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Scotland. 9 October 1905. Retrieved 20 November 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ "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.

* v
* t
* e

Historic tramways in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man

England|

| East|

* Cambridge
* Colchester
* Great Yarmouth
* Ipswich Corporation
* Ipswich
* Lowestoft
* Luton
* Norwich
* Peterborough
* Southend
* Wisbech & Upwell

|

East Midlands|

* Alford & Sutton
* Chesterfield
* Derby Corporation
* Derby Company
* Glossop
* Ilkeston
* Lincoln Company
* Lincoln Corporation
* Leicester Tramways
* Leicester Corporation
* Mansfield & District
* Matlock
* Northampton Corporation
* Northampton Street
* Nottingham Corporation
* Nottingham & District
* Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire

London|

* Barking
* Croydon
* Kingsway
* London
* East Ham
* Erith
* Ilford
* Leyton
* London County Council
* London United
* Walthamstow
* West Ham

North East|

* Darlington Corporation
* Darlington Street
* Gateshead
* Hartlepool Electric
* Hartlepools Steam
* Jarrow
* Middlesbrough & Stockton
* Middlesbrough Corporation
* Middlesbrough, Stockton & Thornaby
* Newcastle
* South Shields Corporation
* South Shields
* Stockton & Darlington Steam
* Stockton & District
* Sunderland Company
* Sunderland Corporation
* Sunderland District Electric
* Tynemouth & District
* Tynemouth & District Electric
* Tyneside

North West|

* Accrington
* Accrington Steam
* Barrow-in-Furness
* Birkenhead
* Blackburn & Over Darwen
* Blackburn Corporation
* Blackpool & Fleetwood
* Blackpool Electric
* Blackpool Corporation
* Bolton
* Burnley
* Bury
* Carlisle
* Chester Corporation
* Chester Company
* Colne & Trawden
* Darwen
* Heaton Park
* Lancaster
* Liverpool Corporation
* Liverpool Company
* Lytham St Annes
* Manchester
* Morecambe
* Nelson
* Old Swan
* Preston
* Rawtenstall
* Rochdale
* South Lancashire
* Southport
* St Helens
* Stockport
* Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley & Dukinfield
* Wallasey
* Warrington
* Wigan

South East|

* Brighton
* Brighton & Shoreham
* Brill
* Chatham & District
* Dover
* Folkestone, Hythe & Sandgate
* Gravesend & Northfleet
* Gravesend, Rosherville & Northfleet
* Hastings
* Isle of Thanet
* Maidstone
* Oxford
* Portsdown & Horndean
* Portsmouth
* Reading Corporation
* Reading Company
* Ryde Pier Tramway
* Sheerness
* Southampton Corporation
* Southampton Company
* Wantage
* Wolverton & Stony Stratford

South West|

* Bath Tramways
* Bournemouth
* Bristol
* Camborne & Redruth
* Cheltenham
* Devonport
* Exeter Corporation
* Exeter Company
* Gloucester Corporation
* Gloucester Company
* Plymouth Corporation
* Plymouth, Devonport & District
* Plymouth, Stonehouse & Devonport
* Poole
* Seaton
* Swindon
* Taunton
* Torquay
* Weston-super-Mare

West Midlands|

* Birmingham City
* Birmingham & Aston
* Birmingham Corporation
* Burton-upon-Trent
* Burton & Ashby
* Coventry
* Dudley & Stourbridge Steam
* Dudley, Stourbridge & District Electric
* Dudley, Sedgley and Wolverhampton
* Kidderminster & Stourport
* Kinver
* Leamington & Warwick
* North Staffordshire
* Potteries
* South Staffordshire & Birmingham District Steam
* South Staffordshire Company
* Staffordshire Potteries Street Railway
* Walsall
* Wolverhampton District Electric
* Wolverhampton Corporation
* Wolverhampton Company
* Worcester Electric
* Worcester

Yorkshire and
the Humber|

* Barnsley & District
* Bradford
* Dearne District
* Doncaster
* Grimsby & Immingham
* Grimsby
* Halifax
* Huddersfield
* Hull
* Keighley
* Leeds Company
* Leeds Corporation
* Mexborough & Swinton
* Rotherham
* Scarborough funiculars
* Scarborough
* Sheffield
* Wakefield
* York Corporation
* York Company
* Yorkshire (Woollen District)
* Yorkshire (West Riding)

Wales|

* Aberdare
* Barmouth Junction & Arthog
* Cardiff Corporation
* Cardiff Company
* Cardiff District and Penarth Harbour
* Fairbourne
* Glyn Valley
* Great Orme
* Harlech
* Llandudno & Colwyn Bay
* Llanelly
* Llanelly and District Electric
* Merthyr Tydfil
* Neath & District
* Neath Corporation
* Newport Company
* Newport Corporation
* Oystermouth
* Pontypridd and Rhondda Valley
* Pontypridd Urban District
* Pwllheli & Llanbedrog
* Pwllheli Corporation
* Rhondda
* Swansea & Mumbles
* Swansea Improvements
* Swansea Constitution Hill Incline
* Wrexham District
* Wrexham & District Electric

Scotland|

* Aberdeen District
* Aberdeen Corporation
* Aberdeen Suburban
* Airdrie & Coatbridge
* Ayr
* Carstairs House
* Cruden Bay Hotel
* Dumbarton
* Dundee & District
* Dundee Corporation
* Dundee, Broughty Ferry & District
* Dunfermline
* Edinburgh Street
* Edinburgh & District
* Edinburgh Northern
* Edinburgh Corporation
* Falkirk
* Glasgow Company
* Glasgow Corporation
* Glasgow & Ibrox
* Greenock & Port Glasgow
* Inchture
* Kilmarnock
* Kirkcaldy
* Lanarkshire
* Leith
* Musselburgh
* Paisley
* Paisley District
* Perth & District
* Perth Corporation
* Rothesay & Ettrick Bay
* Stirling & Bridge of Allan
* Vale of Clyde
* Wemyss
* Scottish Tramway and Transport Society

Northern Ireland|

* Belfast Corporation
* Belfast Street
* Bessbrook & Newry
* Cavehill & Whitewell
* City of Derry
* Castlederg & Victoria Bridge
* Clogher Valley
* Giant's Causeway, Portrush & Bush Valley
* Glenanne & Loughgilly
* Portstewart
* Warrenpoint & Rostrevor

Isle of Man|

* Douglas Bay Horse
* Douglas Southern Electric
* Manx Electric
* Snaefell Mountain
* Upper Douglas Cable

Manufacturers
and suppliers|

* British Thompson-Houston
* Brush Electrical Engineering Company
* Dick, Kerr & Co.
* Electric Railway and Tramway Carriage Works
* English Electric
* Thomas Green & Son
* Hurst Nelson
* Kitson and Company
* Lancaster Carriage and Wagon Works
* Maley & Taunton
* Manlove, Alliott & Co. Ltd.
* Merryweather & Sons
* Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon Company
* G.F. Milnes & Co.
* Milnes Voss
* Starbuck Car and Wagon Company
* United Electric Car Company
* William Wilkinson

Group holding
companies|

* Balfour Beatty
* Birmingham and Midland Tramways Joint Committee
* British Electric Traction
* British Thomson-Houston
* National Electric Construction Company
* New General Traction Company
* Imperial Tramways Company
* Patent Cable Tramways Corporation
* Provincial Tramways Company

Trade Fairs|

* International Tramways and Light Railways Exhibition
* First
* Second
* Third

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