The Litherland Tramway part 2
FROM HORSE CAR TO ELECTRIC TRAM
CONSTRUCTION:
Trams
did not reach Litherland until late in the nineteenth century - long after
rails had been laid to other localities in the Liverpool area. The
construction of the Bootle lines had been authorised by the Liverpool
Tramways Act of 1871, and by the 10th of July 1882 they were laid and
ready for inspection. A service ran the following day as far as Marsh Lane
and Strand Road. The
tramway was operated by the Liverpool United Tramway & Omnibus Company
and the agreement between the Company and Bootle Corporation was that
the local authority would build the lines and the Company would lease
them. On the 25th August 1883 the section between Marsh Lane and Knowsley
Road was completed. During the winter of 1887-8 these unused lines in
Stanley Road finally opened, following pressure from Bootle Corporation.
(right)
A plan showing the end of the Bootle line at the junction
of Stanley Road and Knowsley Road in 1893.
The Litherland lines, 3/4 of a mile of single track, with loops, from the boundary with Bootle at Alpha Street, to a terminus near Litherland canal bridge, were sanctioned by the Liverpool Tramways Act of 1892. The Company was also authorised to connect the Litherland line to the Bootle lines at Stanley Road - Knowsley Road junction. Bootle decided to build the line and lease it to the Company.
On the 18th April 1894, the Litherland line was inspected by the Board of Trade and that same year, or soon after, the depot at Linacre road was built. By 1895 the extension to Litherland had been completed to a terminus at the end of Linacre Road, at the junction with Bridge Road.(see below)
The original terminus at the end of Linacre Road c.1903-10. The tall building on the left is the Red Lion pub and alongside it Bridge Road rises to cross the Leeds & Liverpool canal via a swing bridge. The Lift Bridge was yet to come, as was the "sausage works" which would be built on the site behind the lamp post on the right.
The same location c.1973 looking from Linacre Road. The Red Lion is in the background, while the grey building on the right is the Richmond "sausage works".
LIVERPOOL CORPORATION TAKE CONTROL:
In 1897 the service was apparently from Litherland to Lime Street and
required 10 cars. On the 1st September of that year, the Liverpool Tramways
& Omnibus Company were taken over by Liverpool Corporation, a move
ratified by the Liverpool Tramways (Transfer) Act 1897, Royal Assent being
granted on 15th July. This Act also enabled Bootle Corporation to electrify
their lines and lease them to Liverpool Corporation. The Company's powers
in Litherland were eventually transferred to Liverpool, despite opposition
from the local council over the rental to be paid, which delayed electrification
until 1903.
ELECTRIFICATION:
At
the turn of the century, Liverpool Corporation embarked on a program of
electrification of the extensive tramway network it had acquired, and in
the summer of 1900, work was under way on the electric car shed on the
site of the horse car shed in Linacre Road. This had been decided in April
and plans approved on the 6th July, but electrification was held up
because of the dispute between Liverpool Corporation and Litherland Urban
District Council. The Corporations of Bootle and Liverpool went to
arbitration. Bootle was awarded more than they had been offered
previously, but agreement with Litherland was deferred.
On the 27th May 1900 the first Bootle electric service ran from the Bootle-Litherland boundary (Linacre) to Old Haymarket (via Stanley Road, Scotland Road, Byrom Street). On the 25th November a service began from Linacre to Pier Head via Stanley Road, Vauxhall Road and Chapel Street, returning via Dale Street and Hatton Garden. On the 1st July 1901 the Linacre to Old Haymarket service was diverted via Strand Road.
THE END OF THE HORSE CAR:
On the 6th December 1902 the Litherland horse car, number 330, became
the only horse car still running on what was once an extensive horse-powered
system. It was a type "J" vehicle of the final batch of 1897 turned out
by the Liverpool Corporation workshops at Lambeth Road. It had five windows
with toplights in the lower saloon, and reversible garden seats on the
top deck. It seated 16 inside and 24 on top. A handful of horses were
also kept on, until the 25th August 1903, when the Litherland horse car
made its final run. Liverpool and Litherland had reached agreement.
LITHERLAND DEPOT (part
1):
When
first erected in 1894, Linacre horse car depot consisted of a 3-road running
shed and stables. With the coming of electrification, a 5-road shed was
added on to the north side of the 3-road shed, and both were given round-topped
arched entrances. The stabling area in the back of the 1894 building was
altered to form both a workshop and an extension to the running shed.
This
8-road depot could now accomodate 44 cars.
a 1907 view of Linacre Road outside the depot.
Other Litherland Tramway pages and links:
INTRODUCTION /
THE HORSE CAR YEARS /
THE ELECTRIC TRAMWAY
ROUTE MAP
for more about Liverpool Trams visit
Ron Smith's Liverpool Tram
Website
and try the database at:
to learn more about Litherland,
try Litherland Town Website
- contains some good photos
as does John Bythell's
Photography Website
for
information on other systems and model tramways try:
The Tramway & Light
Railway Society
The Light Railway Transit Association
Merseyside
Tramway Preservation Society
Merseyside
Transport Trust
Electric
Lines of Southern Ontario
Bibliography:
Liverpool Transport Volumes 1-4
by J.B.Horne & T.B.Maund