Horse power gave way to electric trams
DESCRIBING something as top notch is a throwback to the days of electric trams. The driver increased speed by pushing a lever through a series of notches, so when the top one was reached you were going as fast as possible.
This didn’t apply to horsedrawn trams, of course.
Gloucester’s first trams were horse rawn and work to lay the four feet gauge tracks began in September 1878.
Public services started on May 24, 1879 and lines radiated out from the Cross to the Fleece Inn at Wotton Pitch, to the junction of Theresa Place and Bristol Road to Kingsholm and to Westgate Bridge.
The Gloucester Journal described the new transport with enthusiasm.
“Vehicles glide rapidly and frequently through the streets where knots of corner men gaze at them with much of the wonder the heathen Chinese bestowed on the first steam engine that entered the celestial empire”.
Lines were extended to travel down Clarence Street and Station Road to the city’s two railway stations and the depot where tram cars were garaged and horses stabled was in India Road.
Trams were popular with the travelling public.
But by the turn of the century official opposition to the inconvenience of horse power was being voiced.
In April 1902 the city council’s tramway committee published a report which declared that horses were “an intolerable nuisance causing much damage to the roads both within and beyond the city”.
In addition, the constant ring of horse shoes on metalled roads was considered a noise that detracted from the tranquillity of city life.
In an effort to overcome this, wooden blocks – forests’ worth of them - were laid between the tracks.
And there was, of course, the niffy irritation of dung-strewn streets.
The last horse tram trotted into Gloucester’s history on March 17, 1904. The major task began of reducing the gauge of the track from four feet to three-feet-six in readiness for electrification.
On May 7, 1904 city centre streets were lined with crowds of people who’d come to cheer the new age of public transport – electric trams.
The honour of driving Gloucester’s first tram at the official opening of the system fell to the Mayor.
His Worshipful took the controls and drove from the Guildhall in Northgate Street to Hucclecote.
“An excellent turn of speed was exhibited” wrote the Gloucester Journal “... three miles being covered in 20 minutes.”
In the evening a tram bedecked with bunting and 500 electric lights plied the tracks inspiring awe from onlookers en route and encouraging more lyrical waxing from the Journal: “It glided, a veritable chariot of fire, into the zone of darkness on the country road beyond Barnwood bridge”.
The initial fleet of 30 open-topped trams had four windows on either side downstairs and passengers perched on wooden slatted seats.
Upstairs the seats were reversible so passengers could always face forward.
Power was drawn from the 500 volt cable overhead and in their first week of operation Gloucester’s electric trams carried 70,000 passengers a total of almost 6,000 miles.
Crimson and cream was the original smart livery, but in 1915 this gave way to dull grey as an expression of wartime austerity.
Gloucester’s trams remained this dull shade until January 11, 1933 when the last one ran from Bristol Road to Hucclecote bringing an era to an end.
» To share your pictures and memories of local people, places and events, please email them to nostechocit@ gmail.com