Birmingham Corporation Tramways


Birmingham Corporation Tramways operated a network of tramways in Birmingham from 1904 until 1953. It was the largest narrow-gauge tramway network in the UK, and was built to a gauge of. It was the fourth largest tramway network in the UK behind London, Glasgow and Manchester.
There were a total of 843 trams, 20 depots, 45 main routes and a total route length of.
Birmingham Corporation built all the tramways and leased the track to various companies.
Birmingham was a pioneer in the development of reserved trackways which served the suburban areas as the city grew in the 1920s and 1930s.

History

The first trams operated in Birmingham from 1872, and the network expanded throughout the late 19th century. Initially these were horse and steam operated, the first electric trams operated from 1901. Under the terms of the Tramways Act 1870 the Birmingham Corporation owned all of the tracks within the city boundaries, however, they were forbidden from operating the trams themselves, and so various private companies operated them under lease. It wasn't until 1904 that the Birmingham Corporation took advantage of new legislation, which allowed it to operate trams in its own right as the original concessions expired. By 1912, the Corporation had taken over all of the privately operated lines, it also took over other district tramways as the city boundaries were expanded. BCT continued to expand the network into a comprehensive system, and also took over routes extending into the Black Country. The last new route to Stechford was opened in 1928.
Decline set in during the 1930s, when several tram lines were converted to trolleybus operation, as this was seen as being a more economic option than replacing worn out track and rolling stock. Several of the least used lines were also abandoned, and replaced by diesel buses. Reflecting the fact that it now operated buses and trolleybuses as well as trams, BCT changed its name to Birmingham City Transport in 1937.
However, most of the tram network remained in operation until large scale closures began in 1947. The last three lines to Short Heath, Pype Hayes and Erdington were closed simultaneously on 4 July 1953.
Trams eventually returned to the streets of Birmingham on 6 December 2015, after a 62-year gap, when the first part of the Midland Metro city-centre extension was opened to Bull Street tram stop.

Timeline

RouteDescriptionAbandonedShort workings-
2Steelhouse Lane to Erdington4 June 195359 Steelhouse Lane to Gravelly Hill, 60 Steelhouse Lane to Aston Cross, 64 Steelhouse Lane to High Street, Erdington
3Martineau Street to Witton via Six Ways11 September 1939
3xMartineau Street to Witton via Aston Cross31 December 1949
4Station Street to Stoney Lane5 January 1937
5Lozells to Gravelly Hill30 September 1950
6Martineau Street to Perry Barr21 December 1949
7Martineau Street to Nechells
8Martineau Street to Alum Rock30 September 195061 Martineau Street via the Gate Inn, Saltley to Pelham Arms
10Martineau Street to Washwood Heath30 September 19509 Martineau Street to Ward End Fox & Goose Pub, 62 inward working of route 10
15High Street to South Yardley2 October 194813 High Street to Small Heath Park, 56 High Street to Hay Mills
16Station Street to South Yardley6 January 193414 Station Street to Small Heath Park, 57 Station Street to Hay Mills
17High Street to Stratford Road 5 January 193719 High Street to Stratford Road, 58 High Street to Stoney Lane/Stratford Road, 82 High Street to Stratford Road
18Station Street to Stratford Road5 January 193721 Station Street to Stratford Road
20Station Street to Stratford Road
22Station Street to Bolton Road4 February 1930
23Colmore Row to Handsworth1 April 193928 Colmore Row to New Inns, Crocketts Lane, Handsworth
24Colmore Row to Lozells via Wheeler Street 1 April 1939
25Colmore Row to Lozells via Wheeler Street 7 August 1933
26Colmore Row to Oxhill Road1 April 193927 Colmore Row to Stafford Road, Soho Road, Handsworth
29City to Bearwood via Dudley Road30 September 193930 Edmund Street to Windmill Lane, Cape Hill, Smethwick, 55 Edmund Street to Dudley Road/Grove Lane
31Edmund Street to Soho30 September 1939
32Edmund Street to Lodge Road29 March 1947
33Navigation Street to Ladywood30 August 1947
34Navigation Street to Bearwood via Hagley Road9 August 1930
36City to Cotteridge5 May 195246 Navigation Street to Stirchley
37City to Cannon Hill Park1 October 1949
39City to Alcester Lanes End1 October 194938 Hill Street to High Street/Vicarage Road, Kings Heath via Balsall Heath, 49 Navigation Street to Mary Street/Park Road, Balsall Heath, 52 Hill Street to Station Road, Kings Heath via Balsall Heath, 66 Hill Street to Moseley via Balsall Heath
42City to Alcester Lanes End1 October 194943 High Street to Station Road, Kings Heath via Moseley Road, 48 High Street to High Street/Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, 67 Dale End to Moseley via Bradford Street
44Dale End/Albert Street to Acocks Green5 January 193791 High Street to Warwick Road, Tyseley
45Dale End/Albert Street to Sparkbrook5 January 1937
50High Street to Moseley Road depot1 October 194941 Navigation Street to Moseley Road Depot
51Hill Street to Alcester Lane End1 October 194940 Hill Street to High Street/Vicarage Road, Kings Heath via Leopold Street, 65 Hill Street to Moseley via Leopold Street
53Navigation Street to Dogpool Lane
63Steelhouse Lane to Fort Dunlop4 July 1953
68Villa Road to Soho Road, Lozells, Gravelly Hill and Erdington 1923
70Navigation Street to Rednal5 July 195235 Navigation Street to Selly Oak, 54 Navigation Street to Pebble Mill Road, 69 Navigation Street to Northfield, 72 Navigation Street to Longbridge
71Navigation Street to Rubery5 July 1952
74City to Dudley1 April 193974 Livery Street to Carters Green, West Bromwich, 76 Colmore Road to Great Bridge, 77 Colmore Row to Spon Lane/High Street, West Bromwich
75City to Wednesbury1 April 1939
78Steelhouse Lane to Short Heath4 July 19531 Steelhouse Lane to Stockland Green
79Steelhouse Lane to Pype Hayes Park4 July 195363 Steelhouse Lane to Holly Lane/Tyburn Road
81Villa Road to Soho Road, Lozells to Pype Hayes 1930
84City to Stechford2 October 194812 High Street to Bordesley Green via Deritend and Coventry Road
87City to Dudley30 September 193985 Edmund Street to Spon Lane, West Bromwich via Smethwick, 86 Edmund Street to Oldbury via Smethwick, 88 Windmill Lane to Spon Lane, West Bromwich via Smethwick
90City to Stechford2 October 194811 High Street to Bordesley Green via Fazeley Street

Depots and Works

Tramcar fleet

Statistics

Surviving artefacts and infrastructure

Tramcars