The British Gas Traction Company was incorporated on 13 July 1896 with an initial capitalisation of £250,000. Its major shareholders were Russell Cummins and
John Fletcher Moulton M.P.
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
The company was set up to operate gas-powered
trams, which it worked initially on the Blackpool, St. Annes and Lytham tramway, the first such tramway in Britain. The early success of the vehicles led to the company being invited to operate similar schemes in other parts of the country, including a newly constructed three-mile stretch of tramway in
Trafford Park. The Trafford Park service opened on 23 July 1897, but it was suspended only a few days later after two women were injured when one of the trams left the rails, and the service did not resume until 8 April 1898. The trams were powered by
town gas, and had a maximum speed of ; their distinctive exhaust smell quickly earned them the nickname "Lamp Oil Express".
By 1899 the company was in serious financial difficulties, and it went into compulsory
liquidation
Liquidation is the process in accounting by which a company is brought to an end in Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and many other countries. The assets and property of the company are redistrib ...
on 1 November that year. It was subsequently administered by the liquidators until 29 August 1914, and removed from the
register of companies on 14 February 1919.
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Tram transport in England
Defunct transport companies of the United Kingdom