| Rotherham Tramways | |
|---|---|
 Map of Rotherham Corporation Tramways | |
| Operation | |
| Locale | Rotherham |
| Open | 31 January 1903 |
| Close | 13 November 1949 |
| Status | Closed |
| Infrastructure | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge |
| Propulsion system(s) | Electric |
| Statistics | |
| Route length | 11.55 miles (18.59 km) |
TheRotherham Tramway was atramway system serving theWest Riding town ofRotherham. Service began on 31 January 1903 and ended on 13 November 1949.[1]
The network of six lines spread across the town and was linked to the tramway networks ofSheffield andMexborough & Swinton.[2]
Rotherham tramways ran on six lines joining in the town's centre and servingThrybergh, Silverwood Colliery and Broom Road to the East,Canklow andSheffield to the South,Kimberworth to the West andRawmarsh to the North.
The line to Sheffield was Rotherham's busiest as it served the main steel producing area ofGreat Britain. It required an almost constant flow of tramcars to meet demand. Track was re-laid in 1933 as well as single-endeddouble-decker tramcars purchased to serve on this particular line. Indeed, the line was built with loop termini. The tramcars used for theSheffield-Rotherham service were equipped with only one entrance and staircase and like on traditionaldouble-decker buses, seats were made to be comfortable. Tram service ended on this route in 1948 andSheffield trams ended atTinsley (where the change of owner occurred until 1926 when theSheffield Corporation purchased the line up to Vulcan Road).
An extension of the line to Broom Top toMaltby was opened fortrolleybuses in 1912, this being the third trolleybus line in Great Britain. Trolleybuses were permitted to reach the town centre in 1924 along with trams. Tram routes to Rawmarsh Road, Broom Road,Kimberworth andThrybergh were converted to trolleybuses in 1929 and 1931. The line toCanklow was converted to motorbuses in 1934.
Double-decker trolleybuses were built from the single-deck fleet from 1955. Twenty-three of these were sold in Spain with the last trolleybus running in 1965.
Trams returned to Rotherham in October 2018 when theSheffield Supertram was extended toRotherham Parkgate.[3]
53°25′57″N1°21′49″W / 53.4324°N 1.3636°W /53.4324; -1.3636