York Corporation Tramways

Tramway and trolleybus service in York, England

York Corporation Tramways

Map of York Corporation Tramways

Operation
Locale| York
Open| 20 January 1910
Close| 16 November 1935
Status| Closed
Routes| 6
Owner(s)| York-West Yorkshire
Infrastructure
Track gauge| 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Propulsion system(s)| Electric
Depot(s)| Fulford Cross
Statistics
Route length| 8.49 miles (13.66 km)

The York Corporation Tramways (YCT) provided an electric tramway and trolleybus service in York between 1910 and 1935.[1]

## Trams

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### History

[edit]

In 1909, the City of York Corporation purchased the assets of the York Tramways Company.[2] Initially it took over the operation of the horse-drawn tramway, but put into effect immediate plans for its electrification and extension. The system eventually expanded to six main routes out from the city centre to Acomb, Dringhouses, Fulford, Haxby Road, Hull Road and South Bank. Unlike most other systems in England, it was built to 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge.[3][4]

On 1 April 1934, the network became part of York-West Yorkshire when the YCT merged its operations with those of the West Yorkshire Road Car Company. Following a decision to abandon electric traction, the route to Dringhouses closed on 5 January 1935, the other five on 16 November 1935.[4][5][6]

### Fleet

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The YCT operated a fleet of 45 trams.

* 1–18 Eighteen cars 1910 from British Thomson-Houston
* 19 Water car 1910 from British Thomson-Houston
* 20–23 Four additional cars 1912 from British Thomson-Houston
* 24–27 Four additional cars 1912 from British Thomson-Houston
* 28–31 Four additional cars 1913 from Brush Traction
* 32–35 Four trailer cars 1914 from Brush Traction
* 36–41 Six additional cars 1915 from Brush Traction

Before 1925, the fleet was renumbered and new cars were delivered:

* 1–26 (Original 1–18 and 20–27)
* 27–30 (Original 28–31)
* 31–36 (Original 36–41)
* 37 English Electric Company 1925 single man operated (damaged in a collision in 1925), converted to a sand and salt carrier
* 37–38 Two cars built by the YCT in 1929 using the trucks from the water car, a set of spare trucks and two of the trailer bodies
* 39–41 Three second-hand cars from the Wolverhampton Corporation Tramways (Wolverhampton numbers 46, 50 and 56)
* 42–45 Four second-hand cars from the Burton upon Trent Corporation Tramways (Burton number 21-24)

## Trolleybuses

[edit]

In 1915 YCT purchased four 24-seat battery buses from the Edison and Swan Electric Light Company on services to Clifton and Heworth. They operated from a small depot on Foss Islands Road. Charging points were located at each of the termini. In December 1920, four Railless trolleybuses replaced them on route 4 from the foot of Parliament Street to Heworth. In 1921 all were transferred to YCT's new Piccadilly depot. All were replaced by motor buses in 1929.[4][7]

With a view to resuming trolleybus operation, in January 1931 a double-deck Charles H. Roe bodied Karrier was borrowed from Doncaster Corporation for evaluation, but it was deemed that double-deckers were not suitable and thus three 32-seat single deck Charles H. Roe bodied Karrier-Cloughs were purchased, resuming trolleybus operation on route 4 in October 1931.[4]

On 1 April 1934, all passed to the York-West Yorkshire when the YCT merged its operations with those of the West Yorkshire Road Car Company. Following a decision to abandon electric traction, the trolleybuses were withdrawn on 5 January 1935.[4][5][6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor & Francis
2. ^ Tramway Review, Issue 18, 1955.
3. ^ Important Benefits from Co-ordination at York Commercial Motor 8 February 1935
4. ^ a b c d e Jenkinson, Keith (1984). York City Buses. Bradford: Autobus Review Publications. ISBN 0-907834-06-X.
5. ^ a b York Services to be Reorganized Commercial Motor 11 January 1935
6. ^ a b Transport Moves On History of York
7. ^ A look back at York's original electric powered public transport The Press 12 June 2014

* 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

* v
* t
* e

Historic trolleybus systems in the United Kingdom

England|

* Ashton-under-Lyne
* Birmingham
* Bournemouth
* Bradford
* Brighton
* Chesterfield
* Cleethorpes
* Darlington
* Derby
* Doncaster
* Grimsby
* Halifax
* Hartlepool
* Hastings
* Huddersfield
* Ipswich
* Keighley
* Kingston upon Hull
* Leeds
* London
* Maidstone
* Manchester
* Mexborough and Swinton
* Newcastle upon Tyne
* Nottingham
* Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire
* Oldham
* Portsmouth
* Ramsbottom
* Reading
* Rotherham
* St Helens
* Southend-on-Sea
* South Lancashire
* South Shields
* Stockport
* Teesside
* Walsall
* Wigan
* Wolverhampton
* York

Wales|

* Aberdare
* Cardiff
* Llanelli
* Pontypridd
* Rhondda

Scotland|

* Dundee
* Glasgow

Northern Ireland|

* Belfast

Museums|

* Black Country Living Museum
* East Anglia Transport Museum
* Ipswich Transport Museum
* London Transport Museum
* North West Museum of Road Transport
* The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft

Manufacturers|

* AEC
* Brush
* British Electric Traction
* British United Traction
* Clough, Smith
* English Electric
* Garrett
* Guy
* Karrier
* Railless
* Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies
* Sunbeam
* Tilling-Stevens

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