Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

In July 1896, it was decided that electric traction trams would be adopted in Dover. Construction was started by March 1897, it was the second tramway system to be built in the UK and the trams ran until 1936. the route is visible on a number of historic OS maps dating to the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• TRAMWAY (Post Medieval to Modern - 1897 AD to 1936 AD)

Full description

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In July 1896, it was decided that electric traction trams would be adopted in Dover. Construction was started by March 1897, and after a Board of Trade inspection of the system between Buckland Bridge and the Harbour Station on 24 August the first driver training runs took place and the official opening ceremony was on the 6 September 1897,

Completion of the Folkestone Road line did not occur until November, and a trial run by tram No.7 took place on 1 December. Following a Board of Trade inspection on 10 December, the line was opened through to Maxton by the end of the month. Initially, ten trams were provided, of which two were trailers. Both of these had been converted to powered trams by June 1898. The system had cost £28,000 to construct, and in its first year of operation 1,794,905 passengers were carried, giving a profit of £1,300.

In November 1901, proposals were put forward to extend the system to River and Martin Mill via St Margarets Bay. Both schemes were approved, but the St Margarets Bay Light Railway was not built. A further new tram was ordered in June 1902. In May 1903, Alderman Adcock suggested that part of the revenue should be set aside to provide for major renewals of track, vehicles and equipment. This request was rejected as it was claimed that the system was in excellent repair and any future renewals would be paid for by a fresh loan. This policy was to cause the system to fall into disrepair in later years. In April 1904, the purchase of a top cover was authorised, and this was fitted to tram No.14. In November 1904 the purchase of four additional trams was authorised, along with the provision of slipper brakes on the eighteen existing trams and new trolley standards for eight trams.The new trams were delivered on 19 May 1905 and the new line at Crabble Hill was under construction by June. By September the line was complete enough for a Board of Trade inspection. The official opening of the extension was on 2 October.

In March 1911, Sunday services were introduced. In 1912, a new siding was constructed at New Bridge to hold trams ready to take passengers after band performances on the Sea Front or at Granville Gardens.

The war led to a shortage of both materials for renewal of the track and spares for the trams. With the start of air raids, the service was cut back so that all trams were in the depot by 10pm. On 19 August 1917, an accident occurred when tram No.20 ran away down Crabble Hill and overturned at the bottom of the hill. Eleven passengers were killed and sixty were injured. As a consequence of the accident, the use of the top deck was banned on Crabble Hill and that section of line reduced to a single line.

The ban on passengers using the top deck of trams on Crabble Hill was lifted in April 1919. The restoration of the double track at River was asked for, as were three new trams and provision of workshop facilities at the Buckland depot.

In July 1928, an evening postal collection was instituted on the 8.30pm tram from River.

In September 1929, Dover Harbour Board announced an alteration of the docks, with the result that some track alterations were carried out in Snargate Street.

In April 1934, discussion of the transport policy in Dover resulted in the decision by the Tramways Committee to run tram services until 31 March 1936 and to promote a bill for the introduction of Corporation bus services within the borough. The result was that East Kent was to provide buses within the borough, with the Corporation receiving 75% of the profits after certain allowable expenses were deducted. The Corporation was free of any liability in the event of a loss being incurred by East Kent. The final trams ran on 31 December 1936, nine months later than was originally planned. The open-top trams were scrapped at River by burning them. The covered trams were disposed of by contract. It is believed that they too were scrapped in this way. (taken from source)(1)

The Tram Route is visible on a number of historic OS maps dating to the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. (2-4)

<1> John Vivian Horn, 1955, The Story of the Dover Corporation Tramways, 1897-1936 (Monograph). SKE32119.

<2> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 2nd Edition, 1897-1900): Landmark Epoch 2 (Map). SKE30965.

<3> Landmark, 1907-1923, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 3rd Edition, 1907-1923): Landmark Epoch 3 (Map). SKE30966.

<4> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 4th Edition, 1929-1952): Landmark Epoch 4 (Map). SKE30967.

Sources and further reading

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