Barnsley and District Tramway
Encyclopedia
The Barnsley and District Electric Traction Co was an electric tramway network serving the town of Barnsley
, South Yorkshire
.
The tramway was a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction and services begun on 31 October 1902. In early 1898, three companies had applied for local tramway systems, the Barnsley Corporation applied in 1900 for a larger network than it finally built. In 1913, the company began to run motor buses to Hoyland
and other points, Electric was dropped form the company name in 1919. the Barnsley company changed its name to Yorkshire Traction Co.
in 1928 and abandoned tramway operation in 1930.
Ignoring Oxford and Bristol, YTC is the largest bus operator to have originated from a tramway company in England
.
The Barnsley electric tramway was a standard gauge line, running from Smithies (near Monk Bretton Colliery) to the south of Barnsley, 2 miles south of the town centre to two termini, at Worsbrough Bridge and Worsbough Dale with a junction at the crossroads of Upper Sheffield Road and Kingwell Road at the Cutting End by the present day Cutting Edge public house. The line ran from the level crossing
on Old Mill Lane, down the Barnsley town centre to Sheffield Road and split in two termini down Park Road (Worsbrough) and High Street. At the road junction south of Market Place, the left fork was occupied by the Dearne & District
. Both networks were virtually next to each other at this point but never connected.
company refused the passing of tramway tracks of its own network, and prevented authorised lines to be built. One of these lines was to push the tramway away from Barnsley towards Carlton Road to the North. Other extensions were to extend the tramway into a loop on Park Road (Barnsley) in Locke Park and south from Worsborough Bridge down Park Road (Worsbrough) to Hoyland Common, this extension was also blocked by the GCR
.
At the end of tramway operations the depot became a bus depot exclusively, passing to Stagecoach Yorkshire
and finally closing for housing development on 20 October 2008. Demolition work started in April 2009.
Very little of the system survives today apart from a few sawn off overhead wire poles in the cutting of Upper Sheffield Road and the occasional piece of track unearthed during roadworks.
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
, South Yorkshire
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...
.
The tramway was a subsidiary of the British Electric Traction and services begun on 31 October 1902. In early 1898, three companies had applied for local tramway systems, the Barnsley Corporation applied in 1900 for a larger network than it finally built. In 1913, the company began to run motor buses to Hoyland
Hoyland
Hoyland is a town near Barnsley in Northern England. The town developed from the hamlets of Upper Hoyland, Hoyland, and Hoyland Common.The town has also been known as Nether Hoyland. That name was given to it when to prevent confusion with High Hoyland. When the urban district council was formed...
and other points, Electric was dropped form the company name in 1919. the Barnsley company changed its name to Yorkshire Traction Co.
Yorkshire Traction
Yorkshire Traction was a bus operator in South Yorkshire. Between 1986 and 2005 it was a key part of the Traction Group. In December 2005 it was sold to the Stagecoach Group.-History:...
in 1928 and abandoned tramway operation in 1930.
Ignoring Oxford and Bristol, YTC is the largest bus operator to have originated from a tramway company 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...
.
The network
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
on Old Mill Lane, down the Barnsley town centre to Sheffield Road and split in two termini down Park Road (Worsbrough) and High Street. At the road junction south of Market Place, the left fork was occupied by the Dearne & District
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....
. Both networks were virtually next to each other at this point but never connected.
Extensions
The Barnsley tramway was to be larger than it actually were but the Great Central RailwayGreat Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
company refused the passing of tramway tracks of its own network, and prevented authorised lines to be built. One of these lines was to push the tramway away from Barnsley towards Carlton Road to the North. Other extensions were to extend the tramway into a loop on Park Road (Barnsley) in Locke Park and south from Worsborough Bridge down Park Road (Worsbrough) to Hoyland Common, this extension was also blocked by the GCR
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
.
Tram depots
Sheffield Road shed
The shed stood next to the 1920s bus garage of the same company to the south of Barnsley town centre. The shed had four running tracks and an extensive yard. Overhaul workshops were situated to the back of the shed.At the end of tramway operations the depot became a bus depot exclusively, passing to Stagecoach Yorkshire
Stagecoach Yorkshire
Stagecoach Yorkshire is an operating division of Stagecoach UK Bus.It was formed in 2005 to take over the former Traction Group fleets in Yorkshire by Stagecoach Group, which took over Traction from Frank Carter on 14 December 2005; Yorkshire Traction, Yorkshire Terrier and Barnsley & District....
and finally closing for housing development on 20 October 2008. Demolition work started in April 2009.
Very little of the system survives today apart from a few sawn off overhead wire poles in the cutting of Upper Sheffield Road and the occasional piece of track unearthed during roadworks.
Rolling stock
The Barnsley & District used two types of vehicle:- 13 four-wheeled double-deck tramcars.
- 1 demi-car.