Tynemouth and District Tramways



Owner Tynemouth and District Tramways Company Limited
Opened 30th June 1880 (horse)
Operator Tynemouth and District Tramways Company Limited
Taken over (operation) Early December 1880 (Mr Winby [lessee])
Services ceased 17th December 1880 - following the refusal of the shareholders to ratify the leasing decision
Services recommenced January 1881
Operator Tynemouth and District Tramways Company Limited
Entered voluntary liquidation Summer 1881
Sold (by the liquidator) 30th September 1881 (to Messrs Meston and Bayley)
First steam service February? 1884
Last horse service April 1884
Taken over 23rd April 1884 (North Shields and District Tramways Company Limited)
Entered voluntary liquidation August 1886
Services ceased Unclear exactly when this occurred
Taken over Spring 1890 (North Shields and Tynemouth District Tramways Limited)
Services recommenced 12th June 1890
Taken over 1897 (British Electric Traction Company [BETCo])
Name changed 1899 (to the Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Company Limited)
Closed for electrification 1900
Re-opened 18th March 1901 (electric)
Ownership transferred 1st January 1914 (to the BETCo-owned Northern General Transport Company, along with the Gateshead and District Electric Traction Company Limited and the Jarrow and District Electric Traction Company Limited)
Closed 5th August 1931
Length c1.6 miles (horse); 2.57 miles (steam); 4.23 miles (electric)
Gauge 3ft 0ins (horse and steam); 3ft 6ins (electric)


Button description (horse and steam eras) Uniforms not worn

Button description (electric era) Wheel, magnet and electrical flashes
Materials known Brass; chrome; black horn
Button Line reference [113/16]

Comments The few extant photographs of the steam-worked era, albeit rather late, clearly show that uniforms were not worn (see link); although photographs of the early horse operations have apparently not survived at all, it would seem highly likely, given the impecunious nature of the undertaking, that uniforms were not worn then either. As was the case for most of its other systems, the BETCo appears to have waited for electrification before issuing uniforms, perhaps unsurprising given that the badges and buttons bore the standard BETCo 'Magnet & Wheel' symbol with electrical flashes.