Page:Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham.djvu/341

Rh name from Mr. Outram, who, in 1802, introduced the system of lightening carriage by running the vehicles on rail in the North of England. The first suggestion of a local tramway came through Mr. G. F. Train, who not finding scope sufficient for his abilities in America, paid Birmingham a visit, and after yarning us well asked and obtained permission (Aug. 7, 1860) to lay down tram rails in some of the principal thoroughfares, but as his glib tongue failed in procuring the needful capital his scheme was a thorough failure. Some ten years after the notion was taken u]i by a few local gentlemen, and at a public meeting, on December 27, 1871, the Town Council were authorised to make such tramways as they thought to be necessary, a Company being formed to work them. This Company was rather before its time, though now it would be considered, if anything, rather backward. The first line of rails brought into use was laid from the bottom of Hockley Hill to Dudley Port, and it was opened May 20, 1872; from Hockley to top of Snow Hill the cars began to run September 7, 1873 ; the Bristol Road line being first used May 30, though formally opened June 5, 1876. The Birmingham and District Tramway Company's lines cost about £65,000, and they paid the Corporation £910 per year rental, but in May, 1877, their interest was bought up by the Birmingham Tramway and Omnibus Company for the sum of £25,000, the original cost of the property thus acquired being £115,000. The new company leased the borough lines for seven years at £1,680 per annum, and gave up the out-district portion of the original undertaking. That they have been tolerably successful is shown by the fact that in 1883 the receipts from passengers amounted to £39,859, while the owners of the £10 shares received a dividend of 15 per cent. The authorised capital of the company is £60,000, of which £33,600 has been called up. The Aston line from Corporation Street to the Lower Grounds was opened for traffic the day after Christmas, 1832. The Company's capital is £50,000, of which nearly one-halt' was expended on the road alone. This was the first tramway on which steam was used as the motive power, though Doune's locomotive was tried, Jan. 8, 1876, between Hands worth and West Bromwich, and Hughes's between Monmouth Street and Bournbrook on July 2, 1880, the latter distance being covered in twenty-five minutes with a car-load of passengers attached to the engine. The next Company to be formed was the South Staffordshire and Birmingham District Steam Tramway Co., who "broke ground" July 26, 1882, and opened their first section, about seven miles in length (from Handsworth to Darlaston), June 25, 1883 This line connects Birmingham with West Bromwich, Wednesbury, Great Bridge, Dudley, Walsall, and intermediate places, and is worked with 40-horse power engines of Wilkinson's make. The Birmingham and West Suburban Tramways Co.'s lines, commencing in Station Street run, by means of branches from several parts, to various of the suburbs:—1st, by way of Pershore Street, Moat Row, Bradford Street, and Moseley Road, to Moseley; 2nd, by way of Deritend, Bordesley, Camp Hill, along Stratford Road, to Sparkhill; 3rd, leaving Stratford Road (at the Mermaid) and along Warwick Road, to Acock's Green; 4th. striking off at Bordesley. along, the Coventry Road to the far side of Small Heath Park; 5th, from Moat Row, by way of Smithfield Street to Park Street, Duddeston Row, Curzon Street, Vauxhall Road, to Nechells Park Road; 6th, in the same direction by way or Gosta Green, Lister Street, and Great Lister Street, using "running powers" over the Aston line where necessary on the last-named and following routes; 7th from Corporation Street, along Aston Street, Lancaster Street, Newtown