Chester Tramways Company
| Chester Tramways Company | |
| Operation | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Chester |
| Open | 10 June 1878 |
| Close | 1 January 1902 |
| Status | Closed |
| Infrastructure | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
| Propulsion system(s) | Horse |
| Statistics | |
| Route length | 2.38 miles (3.83 km) |
Chester Tramways Company operated an horse-drawn tramway service in Chester between 1878 and 1901.[1]
History
Services started on 10 June 1878 with a route from Chester railway station and the Castle. This was extended to Curzon Street, Saltney on 21 June 1879.
The company was required by the Chester Tramways Act, 41 & 42 Vict. c. clxxiv, 1878, to pay to the Dee Bridge Commissioners an annual sum for the use of Grosvenor Bridge. T he Improvement Act of 1884 gave the Company the option of either contributing £1,000 towards freeing the tolls, or paying £85 per annum to Chester Corporation until 1899[2]
Closure
Under the Chester Corporation Act of 1901, the council took up its option to purchase the assets of the company. It did this for a cost of £18,000 (£1,654,598 as of 2014),[ 1] and services continued as Chester Corporation Tramways.