Dublin Tram System
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Dublin tramways was a system of trams in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
, Ireland, which commenced line-laying in 1871, and began service in 1872, following trials in the mid-1860s. Established by a number of companies, the majority of the system was eventually operated by forms of the
Dublin United Tramways Company The Dublin United Transport Company (DUTC) operated trams and buses in Dublin, Ireland until 1945. Following legislation in the Oireachtas, the ''Transport Act, 1944'', the DUTC and the Great Southern Railways were vested in the newly formed ...
(DUTC), dominated for many years by
William Martin Murphy William Martin Murphy (6 January 1845 – 26 June 1919) was an Irish businessman, newspaper publisher and politician. A member of parliament (MP) representing Dublin from 1885 to 1892, he was dubbed "William ''Murder'' Murphy" among the Irish ...
. Most of the services ran within the city centre and near suburbs, with the majority of major suburbs served (and many of the remainder handled by mainline rail). Additionally, there were two longer-range services, one reaching the "excursion" destination of Poulaphouca Falls, and two services concerning
Howth Howth ( ; ; non, Hǫfuð) is an affluent peninsular village and outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes ...
. At its peak, with over of active line, the system was heavily used, profitable and advanced in technology and passenger facilities, with near-full electrification complete from 1901. Heavy usage lasted from the late 19th century into the 1920s. The tram system was also central to the
Dublin Lockout The Dublin lock-out was a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers that took place in Ireland's capital and largest city, Dublin. The dispute, lasting from 26 August 1913 to 18 January 1914, is often vi ...
, which caused major distress within the city. Elements of the system went out of service from the mid-1920s, in part overtaken by the bus. The decline of the trams accelerated in the 1940s and the last trams ran on 9 July 1949 in Dublin city and in 1959 on Howth Head, near Dublin.


History


Background and legislation

The tram concept arrived in Ireland in the early years of railway development, and the first related projects concerned attempts to link major city train stations with a ''light railway''. The legislation on this topic was the model for the first of the Irish ''Tramways Acts'' (which differed somewhat from those of England and Wales, or Scotland), the ''Tramways (Ireland) Act, 1860 (c. 152)''. One feature of this law was that each establishment of a tramway operation required approvals including those of the Irish Privy Council, ''and'' an Act of the Imperial Parliament, onerous and expensive provisions. This and other provisions argued to be impractical led to modification by the ''Tramways (Ireland) Amendment Act, 1861 (c. 102)''. The next relevant legislation was the Special Act, the ''Dublin Tramways Company Act'' of 1871, setting up the first company to actually deliver service, and the associated similarly named act of 1872, finalising initial routes and other rules. In parallel the main legislation was modified by the ''Tramways (Ireland) Amendment Act of 1871 (c. 114)''. A further Dublin Tramways Act followed in 1876 (c. 65), and the ''Tramways (Ireland) Amendment Act of 1881 (c. 17)'', provided for the formation of tramway ventures by way of simplified procedures. In the meantime, the ''Relief of Distress Act of 1880'' allowed for local authority support of tramway ventures (previously some provisions existed for such support for railways only). From 1889, a new focus came to legislation on this topic, beginning with the ''Light Railways Act'' of 1889, also known as "Balfour's Act", which aimed to encourage tram-like or light rail systems in poorer areas, and increased the potential for government to support such projects. With more guarantees from local authorities, more light rail systems were developed, with Dublin's extensive network just part of a total of by 1906.


Formation

The first Dublin trams were horse drawn. In the early years, there were several operators, including (with the abbreviations by which they were often known): * The Dublin Tramways Company (DTC), which acquired the rights of the City of Dublin Tramways Co. and the Rathmines omnibuses, and started laying lines in 1871, commencing service to
Terenure Terenure (), originally called ''Roundtown'', is an affluent, middle class suburb of Dublin in Ireland. It is located in the city's D6W postcode area. Location and transport Terenure lies primarily in the administrative area of Dublin City ...
on 1 February 1872; notably, in the run-up to launch and for some time after, there were concerted objectionsDublin, The Irish Times, 30 January 1871, page 5: "Opposition to Tramways in Dublin" – begins "The Citizen's (sic) opposition Committee held its meeting..." to the placing of rails in or on the road, with fears about carriage accidents (a similar process occurred later when steam trams were proposed), and some of these objections were continued duringDublin, The Irish Times, 14 December 1871, page 5: "Before the Dublin Tramways Company..." and after construction * The North Dublin Street Tramways Company (NDST), formed 1875, with a line from
Nelson's Pillar Nelson's Pillar (also known as the Nelson Pillar or simply the Pillar) was a large granite column capped by a statue of Horatio Nelson, built in the centre of what was then Sackville Street (later renamed O'Connell Street) in Dublin, Ireland. ...
to Drumcondra commencing in 1877Dublin: South Dublin County Counci

. Retrieved 1 August 2008
* The Dublin Central Tramways Company (DCT), formed 1878, with authority to build a line from College Green to
Rathfarnham Rathfarnham () is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Counci ...
with branches to
Ranelagh Ranelagh ( , ; ) is an affluent residential area and urban village on the Southside of Dublin, Ireland in the postal district of D06. History The district was originally a village known as Cullenswood just outside Dublin, surrounded by lande ...
,
Rathgar Rathgar (), is a suburb of Dublin in Ireland. It was originally a village which from 1862 was part of the township of Rathmines and Rathgar; it was absorbed by the growing city and became a suburb in 1930. It lies about three kilometres south of ...
,
Rathmines Rathmines () is an affluent inner suburb on the Southside of Dublin in Ireland. It lies three kilometres south of the city centre. It begins at the southern side of the Grand Canal and stretches along the Rathmines Road as far as Rathgar to t ...
and
Clonskeagh Clonskeagh or Clonskea (, meaning "meadow of the Whitethorn"; pronounced ), is a small southern suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district straddles the River Dodder. Location and access Clonskeagh is a townland in the civil parish of Donnybro ...
,Cork, Ireland, 1998: Bielenberg, Andy "Entrepreneurship, Power and Public Opinion in Ireland; The Career of William Martin Murphy", in ''Chronicon 2'', no. 6: 1–35, ISSN 1393-5259 and with a line commencing 22 June 1879, from
Nelson's Pillar Nelson's Pillar (also known as the Nelson Pillar or simply the Pillar) was a large granite column capped by a statue of Horatio Nelson, built in the centre of what was then Sackville Street (later renamed O'Connell Street) in Dublin, Ireland. ...
to
Terenure Terenure (), originally called ''Roundtown'', is an affluent, middle class suburb of Dublin in Ireland. It is located in the city's D6W postcode area. Location and transport Terenure lies primarily in the administrative area of Dublin City ...
via
Harold's Cross Harold's Cross () is an affluent urban village and inner suburb on the south side of Dublin, Ireland in the postal district D6W. The River Poddle runs through it, though largely in an underground culvert, and it holds a major cemetery, Mou ...
By 1880, with many of the major districts of Dublin being served by the above three tram companies,
William Martin Murphy William Martin Murphy (6 January 1845 – 26 June 1919) was an Irish businessman, newspaper publisher and politician. A member of parliament (MP) representing Dublin from 1885 to 1892, he was dubbed "William ''Murder'' Murphy" among the Irish ...
, a founding shareholder of the Dublin Central Tramways Company, founded the
Dublin United Tramways Company The Dublin United Transport Company (DUTC) operated trams and buses in Dublin, Ireland until 1945. Following legislation in the Oireachtas, the ''Transport Act, 1944'', the DUTC and the Great Southern Railways were vested in the newly formed ...
(DUTC) in January 1881, with himself as manager, and his father-in-law as chairman, and arranged the merger of the three companies, uniting 32 "route miles" under DUTC control. * The Dublin Southern Districts Tramways Company (DSDTC), formed 1878 * The Blackrock and Kingstown Tramway (BKT), formed 1883 In 1878, the DSDTC was acquired by the
Imperial Tramways Company The Imperial Tramways Company Ltd (1878 to 1930) was created to bring under common management a number of street tramways. Originally based in London, its headquarters moved to Bristol in 1892 and from then on it shared its senior management with ...
, who in 1893 secured an Act of Parliament allowing them to purchase the BKT, and to use electrical and mechanical power.Dublin, The Irish Times, 5 May 1893, page 6, "The Dublin Southern Tramways Bill" In mid-1896, the combined operation of these two companies, including the recently acquired legal authority to use electricity, was sold to the British Thomson-Houston Company, which almost immediately in turn sold it to the DUTC.Dublin: The Irish Times, 10 August 1896, "Purchase of the Dublin Electric Trams" (statement by Mr George White)


Electrification and peak operation

Discussions towards electrification began in the late 1890s, but this was opposed by
Dublin Corporation Dublin Corporation (), known by generations of Dubliners simply as ''The Corpo'', is the former name of the city government and its administrative organisation in Dublin since the 1100s. Significantly re-structured in 1660-1661, even more sign ...
, among others. An American panel also opposed the overhead line in densely populated areas. The
Dublin United Tramways Company The Dublin United Transport Company (DUTC) operated trams and buses in Dublin, Ireland until 1945. Following legislation in the Oireachtas, the ''Transport Act, 1944'', the DUTC and the Great Southern Railways were vested in the newly formed ...
, with the acquisition of the Dublin Southern Tramways, which had earlier the same year started the first electrical tram line in Ireland, reversed long-standing policy favouring horse-drawn trams, and, having reorganised as the Dublin United Tramways Company (1896) Ltd., proceeded with a rapid electrification. As part of a deal with Dublin Corporation, the DUTC agreed to pay them £500 per route mile for 40 years and a minimum of £10,000 per year when the system was fully electrified. Also included as part of the deal, the DUTC agreed not to charge more than one penny from the Pillar to any city boundary less than away. By January 1901, the entire city system, which covered about to , was electrified and the system has 280 trams, including a special ''Directors tram'' that was used by
William Martin Murphy William Martin Murphy (6 January 1845 – 26 June 1919) was an Irish businessman, newspaper publisher and politician. A member of parliament (MP) representing Dublin from 1885 to 1892, he was dubbed "William ''Murder'' Murphy" among the Irish ...
among others to inspect the system. In 1911 the system had 330 trams. At its peak, the system was known as technically innovative, and was described in 1904 as ''"one of the most impressive in the world"'', so that representatives of other cities from around the world came to inspect it and its electric operation.


The Lockout

In 1913, the Dublin tram system was central to the
Dublin lock-out The Dublin lock-out was a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers that took place in Ireland's capital and largest city, Dublin. The dispute, lasting from 26 August 1913 to 18 January 1914, is often vi ...
, when DUTC members walked off the job over the refusal of
William Martin Murphy William Martin Murphy (6 January 1845 – 26 June 1919) was an Irish businessman, newspaper publisher and politician. A member of parliament (MP) representing Dublin from 1885 to 1892, he was dubbed "William ''Murder'' Murphy" among the Irish ...
to allow some workers to join the
Irish Transport and General Workers' Union The Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU), was a trade union representing workers, initially mainly labourers, in Ireland. History The union was founded by James Larkin in January 1909 as a general union. Initially drawing its mem ...


Decline and closure

The DUTC opened its first bus route in 1925, progressively replacing the trams until the closure of their last route, the No. 8 to Dalkey, on 10 July 1949. According to then
Minister for Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...
Seán Mac Eoin Seán Mac Eoin (30 September 1893 – 7 July 1973) was an Irish Fine Gael politician and soldier who served as Minister for Defence briefly in 1951 and from 1954 to 1957, Minister for Justice from 1948 to 1951, and Chief of Staff of the Def ...
, ''"A force of 60 guards, including 2 superintendents, 1 inspector, 8 sergeants and 3 motor-cyclists were placed on duty over the route,"'' but they were unable to protect the last tram from damage by souvenir hunters. Following the ''Transport Act 1944'', control of the DUTC was vested in the newly formed Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). At the time the DUTC had 113 trams remaining. The
Hill of Howth Tramway The Howth Tram on the Hill of Howth Tramway was a tram which served Howth Head, near Dublin, Ireland. The termini were at Sutton railway station, by the entrance to the peninsula, and Howth railway station by the village and harbour of Howth. ...
was transferred to CIÉ in 1958 and closed on 31 May 1959. It was the last tram to run in Ireland, until the
Luas Luas (pronounced ; Irish for "speed") is a tram/ light rail system in Dublin, Ireland. There are two main lines: the Green Line, which began operating on 30 June 2004, and the Red Line which opened on 26 September 2004. Since then, both li ...
tram system opened in 2004.


Reasons for decline

A number of factors combined in the decline of Dublin's tram system. The advent of buses and large-scale competition meant that buses often ran the same routes as the trams and would jump in front to ''"grab"'' customers, and buses were able to move into Dublin's expanding
hinterland Hinterland is a German word meaning "the land behind" (a city, a port, or similar). Its use in English was first documented by the geographer George Chisholm in his ''Handbook of Commercial Geography'' (1888). Originally the term was associated ...
more quickly and at less cost than the trams, and the belief that trams were outdated and old technology, leading to declining use. Meanwhile, the DUTC's takeover of many bus operators left the DUTC with a large number of buses, which were used and expanded to areas of Dublin with no tram service, and buses eventually became the DUTC's core business. There was a belief that buses were cheaper to run than trams and that the system was in a poor state of repair. Britain's 1930 Royal Commission on Transport similarly actively advised against trams and for their replacement with buses.


After closure

After closure the system was still being discussed in the Dáil until at least 1960 when the issue of removal of the old tram tracks was raised.


Lines and companies

The original tram-related legislation identified proposed lines by number, with a detailed route description, but these numbers were not widely used.


Dublin United Tramways Company

In 1910, there were seventeen
Dublin United Tramways Company The Dublin United Transport Company (DUTC) operated trams and buses in Dublin, Ireland until 1945. Following legislation in the Oireachtas, the ''Transport Act, 1944'', the DUTC and the Great Southern Railways were vested in the newly formed ...
(DUTC) routes, each identified with a different symbol (since 1903), and named for their terminus stations. Route numbers replaced the symbols from 1918, rising from 1 at Ringsend to 30 for Dollymount (and 31 for Howth, shared with another company) in a circuit around the city. Both the original routes and their numbers were the basis of some of the later bus routes and numbers.


Non-DUTC operations

The Dublin region had six other tram companies in the early 20th century, two operating back-to-back lines to Lucan and
Leixlip Leixlip ( or ; , IPA: lʲeːmʲənˠˈwɾˠad̪ˠaːnʲ is a town in north-east County Kildare, Ireland. Its location on the confluence of the River Liffey and the Rye Water has marked it as a frontier town historically: on the border betwee ...
, and two similarly in the direction of
Blessington Blessington, historically known as Ballycomeen (, from the Irish surname ''Ó Coimín''), is a town on the River Liffey in County Wicklow, Ireland, near the border with County Kildare. It is around 25 km south-west of Dublin, and is sit ...
and
Poulaphouca Poulaphouca, officially Pollaphuca (), is the name of a waterfall and bridge on the River Liffey between County Wicklow and County Kildare. It is primarily known for its hydroelectric generating station and the associated artificial lake, k ...
. The remaining two operated lines relating to Howth, one circuiting
Howth Head Howth Head ( ; ''Ceann Bhinn Éadair'' in Irish) is a peninsula northeast of the city of Dublin in Ireland, within the governance of Fingal County Council. Entry to the headland is at Sutton while the village of Howth and the harbour are o ...
and one connecting the DUTC system to Howth village and harbour. The Lucan and Leixlip lines were absorbed by the DUTC in 1927, and the coastal service to Howth was part-DUTC for many years.


Clontarf and Hill of Howth Tramroad

The
Clontarf and Hill of Howth Tramroad The Clontarf and Hill of Howth Tramroad Company (C&HoHTCo) operated a tram service from central Dublin via Dollymount in Clontarf to Howth Harbour in the Dublin area of Ireland from 1900 to 1941. Formed in the 1880s, it was a separate entity ...
(C&HoHT), incorporated by a Private Local Act, having considered both a coastal route and one via
Raheny Raheny () is a northern suburb of Dublin, Ireland, halfway from the city centre to Howth. It is centred on a historic settlement, first documented in 570 CE ( Mervyn Archdall). The district shares Dublin's two largest municipal parks, Saint An ...
, had a single line, from
Dollymount Dollymount (), often known as "Dollyer" to Dubliners, is a coastal suburban area on the north coast of Dublin Bay, within Clontarf, on the northside of Dublin, Ireland, just east of Saint Anne's Park. Dollymount Strand The famous Wooden Bri ...
to
Howth Howth ( ; ; non, Hǫfuð) is an affluent peninsular village and outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes ...
Harbour, which opened on 26 July 1900. It operated as an extension of the DUTC lines and shared operation with the DUTC, providing a route from Nelson's Pillar to Howth. It remained legally independent until closure, being wound-up on 1 July 1941,Dublin, Ireland, 1981, North Dublin Round Table: Howth – McBrierty, Vincent (lead author / editor) – Chapter 7, Transport (chapter author Kilroy, James M.C.) but was operationally integrated with the DUTC, at least from the second decade of the century.


Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway

The
Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway The Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway (DBST), later the Blessington and Poulaphouca Steam Tramway, operated steam-powered trams between Terenure in Dublin and Blessington in Co. Wicklow from 1888 until 1932. History On Wednesday, August 1, 188 ...
(DBST), (1888–1932), which ran from
Terenure Terenure (), originally called ''Roundtown'', is an affluent, middle class suburb of Dublin in Ireland. It is located in the city's D6W postcode area. Location and transport Terenure lies primarily in the administrative area of Dublin City ...
to
Blessington Blessington, historically known as Ballycomeen (, from the Irish surname ''Ó Coimín''), is a town on the River Liffey in County Wicklow, Ireland, near the border with County Kildare. It is around 25 km south-west of Dublin, and is sit ...
, at a length of and with a total journey time of 1 hour and 25 minutes. Although the DBST connected with the DUTC system at Terenure, through-running was not allowed, as
Dublin Corporation Dublin Corporation (), known by generations of Dubliners simply as ''The Corpo'', is the former name of the city government and its administrative organisation in Dublin since the 1100s. Significantly re-structured in 1660-1661, even more sign ...
prohibited the operation of steam trams within the city. The line was actually one of the first proposed in Ireland, as the ''Dublin and Baltinglass Tramway'', but the costs of setting up operation under the early legislation were deemed prohibitive, and it was only after its promoters obtained the ''Dublin Tramways Act, 1881'' (c. 17 of that year) that work really started.
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
and
Wicklow Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has a ...
county councils guaranteed this line,
Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional ce ...
however, despite usage from the direction of Harristown (and
Kilcullen Kilcullen (), formally Kilcullen Bridge, is a small town on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. Its population of 3,473 at the 2011 census made it the 12th largest settlement in County Kildare and the fastest growing in the county, hav ...
and
Ballymore Eustace Ballymore Eustace () is a small town situated in County Kildare in Ireland, although until 1836 it lay within an exclave (a detached "pocket") of County Dublin. It lies close to the border with County Wicklow. The town's name, which is frequ ...
) refused to be involved. It came under the administration of the Dublin
County Surveyor A county surveyor is a public official in the United Kingdom and the United States. United Kingdom Webb & Webb describe the increasing chaos that began to prevail within this same period in field of county surveying in England and Wales, with c ...
in 1916, after years of profitable operation ended in 1914, and later under a committee of management. The potential inclusion of the line into the new Great Southern Railways entity was debated in the Dáil in 1924, but the government successfully opposed the idea. The DBST was closed by the ''Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway (Abandonment) Act, 1932'', after years of being a burden on ratepayers, especially in the much more sparsely populated
Wicklow Wicklow ( ; ga, Cill Mhantáin , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; non, Víkingaló) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. It is located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island. According to the 2016 census, it has a ...
. ''Blessington and Poulaphouca Steam Tramway'' The Blessington and Poulaphouca Steam Tramway (1895–1927), was a extension of the DBST from
Blessington Blessington, historically known as Ballycomeen (, from the Irish surname ''Ó Coimín''), is a town on the River Liffey in County Wicklow, Ireland, near the border with County Kildare. It is around 25 km south-west of Dublin, and is sit ...
to
Poulaphouca Poulaphouca, officially Pollaphuca (), is the name of a waterfall and bridge on the River Liffey between County Wicklow and County Kildare. It is primarily known for its hydroelectric generating station and the associated artificial lake, k ...
, built and operated by a separate company.


Dublin and Lucan Steam Tramway

The Dublin and Lucan Steam Tramway (DLST), authorised by an Order in Council under the Tramways Act, which commenced in 1880, opened, mostly on a roadside reservation, to
Chapelizod Chapelizod () is a village preserved within the city of Dublin, Ireland. It lies in the wooded valley of the River Liffey, near the Strawberry Beds and the Phoenix Park. The village is associated with Iseult of Ireland and the location of Is ...
in June 1881,
Palmerstown Palmerstown (; officially Palmerston, see spelling) is a civil parish and suburb in western Dublin on the banks of the River Liffey. It forms part of the South Dublin local authority and the Dublin Mid-West parliamentary constituency. The area ...
in November 1881, and to Lucan in 1883. In 1900, under a new Order in Council, the DLST was electrified and regauged from
narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...
to and renamed the ''Dublin and Lucan Electric Railway Company'' (D&LER). Legally a railway, it was taken over and supported by the government during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
under the
Defence of the Realm Act The Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) was passed in the United Kingdom on 8 August 1914, four days after it entered the First World War and was added to as the war progressed. It gave the government wide-ranging powers during the war, such as the p ...
(DORA). However, this ended in 1921 and facing increasing competition from the Tower Bus Co., the D&LER's financial position deteriorated. In 1925, after their failure to be amalgamated into the GSR under the ''Railways Act 1924'', the line was closed, going into liquidation. Following discussions, and enabled by two acts of the
Irish Free State The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between ...
, the D&LER was bought up by the DUTC. The lines were regauged to Dublin's only as far as Lucan, a new line was fitted in Chapelizod, and it reopened as a DUTC route in 1928. ''Extensions beyond Lucan'' Lucan and Leixlip Steam Tramway The ''Lucan, Leixlip and Celbridge Steam Tramway Company'' was established to build lines from the Lucan terminus to Leixlip and Celbridge (branching off just outside Leixlip). The ''Lucan and Leixlip Steam Tramway'' (L&LST) extension was built, and operated between 1890 and 1898. After it went into liquidation, its assets were sold at auction on 1 August 1899, including around of rails, two bogie passenger carriages, two other passenger carriages, two goods wagons, a locomotive engine, a water ram in the River Liffey and much other materialDublin, The Irish Times: 1 August 1899, "Auctions", beginning "Sales this day. In the High Court of Justice (Ireland). Chancery Division..." Lucan and Leixlip Electric Railway A new line was laid close to the original steam line, over a decade later, under an Order in Council, the ''Lucan and Leixlip Electric Railway Order, 1910'', by a completely new company. Despite the name, this does not seem to have followed the full distance to Leixlip but rather only the to the Spa Hotel at Doddsborough. This was opened as an electric line in 1910, and was leased to the (D&LER) in August 1911. When the DUTC bought up the insolvent D&LER, they also purchased the L&LER from its shareholders, and although required to refit and reopen it in like manner, following objections from Dublin County Council the extension beyond Lucan was not reopened.Dublin, The Irish Times: 19 June 1929, page 4, "An Irishman's Diary", section "The Lucan Tram" ''Interconnection of the Lucan / Leixlip and city trams'' While not originally connected, the Dublin terminus of the Lucan line was 12 yards from the Park Gate terminus of the DUTC lines, on Conyngham Road, and the two were connected after the purchase by the DUTC.


Hill of Howth Tramway

Operated by the Great Northern Railway (GNR), the
Hill of Howth Tramway The Howth Tram on the Hill of Howth Tramway was a tram which served Howth Head, near Dublin, Ireland. The termini were at Sutton railway station, by the entrance to the peninsula, and Howth railway station by the village and harbour of Howth. ...
comprised a single route, from Sutton railway station to
Howth railway station Howth DART station ( ; ga, Stáisiún Bhinn Éadair), is a railway station in Fingal, Ireland that serves Howth village and one side of Howth Head. History The Station opened on 30 May 1847, The Howth tram ran between here and Sutton railwa ...
over
Howth Head Howth Head ( ; ''Ceann Bhinn Éadair'' in Irish) is a peninsula northeast of the city of Dublin in Ireland, within the governance of Fingal County Council. Entry to the headland is at Sutton while the village of Howth and the harbour are o ...
by way of the Summit. The tramway was opened under the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Act of 1897 (and the Tramways Acts), the first line segment, from Sutton to the Summit, on 17 July 1901, the remainder to Howth on 1 August 1901.


Industrial services


Guinness Brewery tramways

The Guinness Brewery tramways was a system of industrial tramways that operated on and around the site of
St. James's Gate Brewery St. James's Gate Brewery is a brewery founded in 1759 in Dublin, Ireland, by Arthur Guinness. The company is now a part of Diageo, a company formed from the merger of Guinness and Grand Metropolitan in 1997. The main product of the brewery is ...
Two different gauges were used; a narrow gauge tramway and a broad gauge line. Neither were for public use. ''The narrow gauge tramway'' The narrow gauge tramway operated on and around the site of St. James's Gate Brewery. The system was laid between 1873 and 1879 and had a gauge of . The tramway had direct access to the Liffey via a specially constructed quay and made use of a spiral tunnel to overcome a height difference on the brewery site. The tunnel cost £3,000 and construction spanned 1877–1878 ''The broad gauge tramway'' The broad gauge tramway connected the brewery with the goods yards of
Heuston Station Heuston Station ( ; ga, Stáisiún Heuston; formerly Kingsbridge Station) also known as Dublin Heuston, is one of Dublin's largest railway stations and links the capital with the south, southwest and west of Ireland. It is operated by Iar ...
. The system began circa 1880, had a gauge of and was horse drawn but they were replaced by the narrow gauge tramway's locomotives on a special ''haulage wagon''. The broad gauge system closed on 15 May 1965.


Dublin tramways in literature

Dublin tramways, routes, tracks and the DUTC are mentioned several times in Ulysses by
James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...


Today

Around the city it is still possible to see buildings associated with the system such as the Blackrock Depot (later the Mazda Europa Centre, now demolished), Dartry Depot, Clonskeagh Depot, Donnybrook Depot (now part of Donnybrook Bus Garage), Dalkey Yard (some track still in-situ), the Sandymount Depot, the Marlborough Street Depot which still features the lettering DUTC or the Power House in
Ringsend Ringsend () is a southside inner suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Liffey and east of the River Dodder, about two kilometres east of the city centre. It is the southern terminus of the East Link Toll ...
, and other reminders of the system also exist. Meanwhile some trams are preserved in the National Museum of Ireland and the National Transport Museum of Ireland (at
Howth Castle Howth Castle ( ) and estate lie just outside the village of Howth, County Dublin in Ireland, in the administration of Fingal County Council. The castle was the ancestral home of the line of the St Lawrence family (see: Earl of Howth) that had ...
) and at the
National Tramway Museum The National Tramway Museum (trading as Crich Tramway Village) is a tram museum located at Crich (), Derbyshire, England. The museum contains over 60 (mainly British) trams built between 1873 and 1982 and is set within a recreated period vil ...
in the UK. A modern tram system,
Luas Luas (pronounced ; Irish for "speed") is a tram/ light rail system in Dublin, Ireland. There are two main lines: the Green Line, which began operating on 30 June 2004, and the Red Line which opened on 26 September 2004. Since then, both li ...
, opened in 2004.


Gallery


Historic

File:Dublin horse tram.jpg, Horse tram, Lord Edward St. File:Sackville St Horse Trams.jpg, Horse trams on Sackville Street (modern day O'Connell St), 1896 File:Dublin, King Billy1.jpg, Electric trams,
Dame Street Dame Street (; ) is a large thoroughfare in Dublin, Ireland. History The street takes its name from a dam built across the River Poddle to provide water power for milling. First appears in records under this name around 1610 but in the 14th ...
, 1910 File:Tram, Sackville St, Dublin, 1915.jpg, Former horse tram, No. 80, converted to electric, Sackville St., ''ca.'' 1900 File:Lucan Leixlip tram, Spa Hotel, 1892.jpg, The Leixlip extension, 1892 File:Terenure tram.jpg, The route 16 tram (left) & the route 15 tram (centre) at Terenure Cross, c. 1900. The line in the foreground connected with the D&BST's Terenure depot. It was used at night to transfer goods between the two systems. File:Hillofhowthtram.jpg,
Hill of Howth Tramway The Howth Tram on the Hill of Howth Tramway was a tram which served Howth Head, near Dublin, Ireland. The termini were at Sutton railway station, by the entrance to the peninsula, and Howth railway station by the village and harbour of Howth. ...
trams at
Howth railway station Howth DART station ( ; ga, Stáisiún Bhinn Éadair), is a railway station in Fingal, Ireland that serves Howth village and one side of Howth Head. History The Station opened on 30 May 1847, The Howth tram ran between here and Sutton railwa ...
File:Howt Tram.jpg, The Hill of Howth Tramway, 1907 File:Lucan Tram, 1907.jpg, The D&LER terminus, Lucan, 1907 File:Early 20th century O'Connell St Dublin with trams.jpg, Electric trams in Sackville Street in the early 20th century.


Modern day

File:DUTC Power House Ringsend.jpg, The former DUTC Power House, Ringsend File:Sandymount DUTC tram depot, Dublin.jpg, The original 1872 Sandymount horse tram sheds, for the single-decker trams of the No. 4 route File:Sandymount DUTC tram Depot 2, Dublin .JPG, The later Sandymount electric tram shed File:Dublin tram 253.jpg, Restored No. 253 on temporary bogies


See also

*
Dublin United Transport Company The Dublin United Transport Company (DUTC) operated trams and buses in Dublin, Ireland until 1945. Following legislation in the Oireachtas, the ''Transport Act, 1944'', the DUTC and the Great Southern Railways were vested in the newly formed C ...
*
Hill of Howth Tramway The Howth Tram on the Hill of Howth Tramway was a tram which served Howth Head, near Dublin, Ireland. The termini were at Sutton railway station, by the entrance to the peninsula, and Howth railway station by the village and harbour of Howth. ...
*
Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway The Dublin and Blessington Steam Tramway (DBST), later the Blessington and Poulaphouca Steam Tramway, operated steam-powered trams between Terenure in Dublin and Blessington in Co. Wicklow from 1888 until 1932. History On Wednesday, August 1, 188 ...


External sources


Photos of Guinness no. 23 loco & "converter wagon"


Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dublin Tramways 1873 establishments in Ireland Tram transport in the Republic of Ireland Tramways Tramways
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...