Mexborough & Swinton Tramway
Encyclopedia
The Mexborough & Swinton Tramways Company was a tramway system in South Yorkshire
, England
, founded in 1902 and which began services in 1907 linking Rotherham
with the Old Toll Bar, Denaby
. Its routes served Manvers Main Colliery
, Wath upon Dearne and the towns of Rotherham
, Rawmarsh
, Swinton
and Mexborough
.
Although plans were originally put forward in 1876 and again in 1881 it was not until August 1905 that construction of a standard gauge
tramway finally commenced. The system commenced with a connection to that operated by Rotherham Corporation at the borough boundary, the point where the road crossed a small bridge on Earl Fitzwilliam’s Greasbrough Canal
close by Rotherham Road railway station
. The line ran through Parkgate, Rawmarsh, Swinton and Mexborough before terminating at the Old Toll Bar, Denaby
, a point just prior to the crossing of the South Yorkshire Navigation
.
The system was built by the National Electric Construction Company (NEC), which owned other systems in England, using the Dolter system of stud contact power supply (the reason given for this being the unsightliness of conventional overhead wiring) and public services began on Wednesday 6 February 1907 with a route linking College Square, Rotherham and Parkgate, this being extended to the company’s Dale Road depot in Rawmarsh three days later. The remainder of the line opened on 3 August. In the Dolter system the current was supplied from metal studs placed between the rails that became live and rose from the road to energize the motors of the tram passing over, being then supposed to become dead. This proved unsatisfactory since on occasions the studs remained upright and live so that horses following the tram hauling drays could receive an electric shock. In August 1908, following instructions from the Board of Trade, the company converted their system to overhead pick-up.
routes: the first ran from Mexborough town centre to Manvers although failing to reach the main gates of the colliery due to a low bridge below the Midland Railway
line; the second ran from the Old Toll Bar to Conisbrough
, the terminus being two miles away from that of Doncaster Corporation
's tramways. Manvers is the only locality in England
to have had a trolleybus before a tramway.
Mexborough & Swinton's lines were in contact with other tramway companies' line in two localities. It met the Dearne District Light Railways
at Woodman Inn, Swinton, and the Rotherham Tramway
at the borough boundary.
was born, becoming part of the British Electric Traction
Group in 1931.
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, founded in 1902 and which began services in 1907 linking Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
with the Old Toll Bar, Denaby
Denaby Main Colliery Village
Denaby Main is a village situated between Mexborough and Conisbrough in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. It was built by the Denaby Main Colliery Company to house its workers and their families, and originally given the name Denaby Main Colliery Village, to...
. Its routes served Manvers Main Colliery
Manvers Main Colliery
Manvers Main Colliery was a coal mine, sunk on land belonging to the Earl Manvers and was situated on the northern edge of the township of Wath-upon-Dearne, between that town and Mexborough, in the Dearne Valley, South Yorkshire, England...
, Wath upon Dearne and the towns of Rotherham
Rotherham
Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Don, at its confluence with the River Rother, between Sheffield and Doncaster. Rotherham, at from Sheffield City Centre, is surrounded by several smaller settlements, which together form the wider Metropolitan Borough of...
, Rawmarsh
Rawmarsh
Rawmarsh is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England. It is two miles north of Rotherham. It has a population of 18,210. The village also forms part of the Sheffield Urban Area.-Etymology:...
, Swinton
Swinton, South Yorkshire
Swinton is a suburban town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, England on part of the west bank of the River Don...
and Mexborough
Mexborough
Mexborough is a town in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, situated on the north bank of the River Don west of its confluence with the River Dearne...
.
Early history
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
tramway finally commenced. The system commenced with a connection to that operated by Rotherham Corporation at the borough boundary, the point where the road crossed a small bridge on Earl Fitzwilliam’s Greasbrough Canal
Greasbrough Canal
The Greasbrough Canal was a private canal built by the Marquess of Rockingham to serve his coal mining interests in and around the village of Greasbrough, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. It opened in 1780, and the Newbiggin branch was built some time later...
close by Rotherham Road railway station
Rotherham Road railway station
Rotherham Road railway station, named Park Gate until 1 November 1895, was a railway station situated in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England...
. The line ran through Parkgate, Rawmarsh, Swinton and Mexborough before terminating at the Old Toll Bar, Denaby
Denaby Main Colliery Village
Denaby Main is a village situated between Mexborough and Conisbrough in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. It was built by the Denaby Main Colliery Company to house its workers and their families, and originally given the name Denaby Main Colliery Village, to...
, a point just prior to the crossing of the South Yorkshire Navigation
Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation
The Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation is a system of navigable inland waterways in South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, England....
.
The system was built by the National Electric Construction Company (NEC), which owned other systems in England, using the Dolter system of stud contact power supply (the reason given for this being the unsightliness of conventional overhead wiring) and public services began on Wednesday 6 February 1907 with a route linking College Square, Rotherham and Parkgate, this being extended to the company’s Dale Road depot in Rawmarsh three days later. The remainder of the line opened on 3 August. In the Dolter system the current was supplied from metal studs placed between the rails that became live and rose from the road to energize the motors of the tram passing over, being then supposed to become dead. This proved unsatisfactory since on occasions the studs remained upright and live so that horses following the tram hauling drays could receive an electric shock. In August 1908, following instructions from the Board of Trade, the company converted their system to overhead pick-up.
The network
The original Tramways Act also provided for a branch to serve Manvers Main colliery; this was never built. In 1915 the company opened two trolleybusTrolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
routes: the first ran from Mexborough town centre to Manvers although failing to reach the main gates of the colliery due to a low bridge below the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
line; the second ran from the Old Toll Bar to Conisbrough
Conisbrough
Conisbrough is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. It is located roughly midway between Doncaster and Rotherham, and is built alongside the River Don at...
, the terminus being two miles away from that of Doncaster Corporation
Doncaster Tramway
Doncaster Corporation Tramways was an electric tramway network serving the town of Doncaster, England.Tramway services begun in 1902 and ended in 1928-35...
's tramways. Manvers is the only locality in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to have had a trolleybus before a tramway.
Mexborough & Swinton's lines were in contact with other tramway companies' line in two localities. It met the Dearne District Light Railways
Dearne District Light Railways
The Dearne District Light Railway was a tramway linking Barnsley with the towns of Wombwell, Wath, Bolton on Dearne and Thurnscoe. Opened on 12 July 1924, it was the last street tramway to be built in the UK and one of the first to shut....
at Woodman Inn, Swinton, and the Rotherham Tramway
Rotherham Tramway
The Rotherham Tramway was a tramway system serving the South Yorkshire town of Rotherham. Service began on 31 January 1903 and ended on 13 November 1949....
at the borough boundary.
Rolling stock
The tramway passed beneath two low bridges at Parkgate and Swinton. Because of this, the sixteen Mexborough trams and the Rotherham trams used for through joint service to and from the town were fitted with low-height top covers.Conversion
The tramways were closed and the routes became operated by twenty single-deck trolleybuses in 1928 and 1929. The company also removed the word "tramways" from its title and replaced it with "traction" to reflect this change in vehicles. The Mexborough and Swinton Traction CompanyMexborough and Swinton Traction Company
The Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company was the name adopted by the Mexborough & Swinton Tramways Company in 1929 following the introduction of trolleybuses on all its routes...
was born, becoming part of the British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction
British Electric Traction Company Limited, renamed BET plc in 1985, was a large British industrial conglomerate. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but was acquired by Rentokil in 1996, and the merged company is now known as Rentokil Initial.- Early history :The company was founded as...
Group in 1931.