Dearne District Light Railways
Encyclopedia
The Dearne District Light Railway was a tram
way 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.
A "car barn" was built at Wombwell, which later became Yorkshire Traction
's bus depot, and single deck vehicles were used throughout its nine year life span. Because of mining in the area the track was laid on wooden sleepers and covered over and was all single track with passing loops, which was the reason for its downfall. When motorbuses started to compete on the same route as the DDLR it was found that because the trams had to wait to pass each other, the bus could complete the journey much quicker and so the electric vehicles had to go.
Very few traces of the former DDLR remain now, as the last tram journey reached the end of the line on the 30th September 1933, soon to be replaced by the local bus service. The body of a former DDLR car is still in use as a summer house in a garden on the outskirts of Sheffield.
There is a very interesting book written by C.T Goode, published by Burstwick Print & Publicity Services in 1997 (ISBN 1-870313-18-6 ) containing loads of information about this and some great vintage local photographs.
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
way linking Barnsley
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...
with the towns of Wombwell
Wombwell
Wombwell is a small town near Barnsley, located in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 15,180.Its name's origin may mean "Womba's Well", or "well in a hollow"....
, Wath
Wath-upon-Dearne
Wath-upon-Dearne is a small town on the south side of the Dearne Valley in the historic county of the West Riding of Yorkshire and the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, lying 5 miles north of Rotherham, almost midway between Barnsley and Doncaster. It has a population...
, Bolton on Dearne
Bolton on Dearne
Bolton upon Dearne is a small village in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, in the part of the Dearne Valley through which the River Dearne passes. It is approximately seven miles east of Barnsley, ten miles west of Doncaster and eight miles north of Rotherham.Bolton...
and Thurnscoe
Thurnscoe
Thurnscoe is a village in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. The village is approximately half way between Barnsley and Doncaster, but sufficiently far enough from both to be out of their urban sprawl...
. Opened on 12 July 1924, it was the last street tramway to be built in the UK and one of the first to shut.
A "car barn" was built at Wombwell, which later became Yorkshire Traction
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:...
's bus depot, and single deck vehicles were used throughout its nine year life span. Because of mining in the area the track was laid on wooden sleepers and covered over and was all single track with passing loops, which was the reason for its downfall. When motorbuses started to compete on the same route as the DDLR it was found that because the trams had to wait to pass each other, the bus could complete the journey much quicker and so the electric vehicles had to go.
Very few traces of the former DDLR remain now, as the last tram journey reached the end of the line on the 30th September 1933, soon to be replaced by the local bus service. The body of a former DDLR car is still in use as a summer house in a garden on the outskirts of Sheffield.
There is a very interesting book written by C.T Goode, published by Burstwick Print & Publicity Services in 1997 (ISBN 1-870313-18-6 ) containing loads of information about this and some great vintage local photographs.