Darwen Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Darwen between 1899 and 1946.

History

The Corporation took over the services operated by the

Blackburn and Over Darwen Tramways Company The Blackburn and Over Darwen Tramways Company operated a steam tramway service between Blackburn and Darwen between 1881 and 1898. History The tramway was authorised by the Blackburn and Over Darwen Tramways Act of 1879. The route started in ...

within its boundary on 1 January 1899. Under the leadership of Mr Robert William Smith-Saville (General Manager of the Tramways Dept) a programme of modernisation and electrification was proposed, but in the meantime between January 1899 to October 1900 the old steam trams continued to run services between Darwen and Blackburn operated by

Blackburn Corporation Tramways Blackburn Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Blackburn, Lancashire, England between 1887 and 1949.The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis. History Blackburn Corporation Tramways Company was established in 1 ...

under an agreement with Darwen Corporation. On 31 August 1900 Smith-Saville appointed Mr William Grant (of

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...

) as Tramway Foreman and the first electric service between Darwen and Blackburn ran on 16 October 1900. Through services were operated into Blackburn under an agreement with Blackburn Corporation Tramways. On 12 October 1901 a further extension of the tramway system opened between Darwen and Hoddlesden. William Grant departed to

Rotherham Corporation Transport Rotherham () is a large minster and market town in South Yorkshire, England. The town takes its name from the River Rother which then merges with the River Don. The River Don then flows through the town centre. It is the main settlement of ...

in early 1903 and was replaced on 9 February 1903 by Mr Frederick J S Hosken (of

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...

) - who on 23 December 1912 was promoted to Tramways Manager on a wage of "£200 per annum - without house". On 2 June 1915 Smith-Saville, who Hosken had replaced as General Manager, died aged 48. On 25 March 1918 Hosken's resignation was accepted after he was asked to work for the Ministry of Munitions and the management post was advertised on a wage of £250 per annum. On 6 May 1918 Mr George A Newsome (of Dumbarton) was appointed the new Tramway Manager. Newsome kept the post for over 20 years until 22 December 1938 when he was dismissed (with 3 months salary) for misconduct in office. On 24 April 1939 Mr Lee Wilkes was appointed Acting General Manager. Later that year (13 September 1939) he became General Manager and Chief Engineer and remained in post until he departed in April 1945 to become General Manager at

Chester Passenger Transport Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Local ...

. On 1 June 1945 Mr George Beckett - who had been Traffic Superintendent at Stockport Transport - was appointed the new General Manager and he saw out the last days of Darwen Trams in October 1946 and remained in post at Darwen Corporation Transport until he died in July 1961.

Closure

Services ended on 5 October 1946.

References

Tram transport in England Transport in Blackburn with Darwen Darwen Historic transport in Lancashire 4 ft gauge railways in England 1899 establishments in England 1946 disestablishments in England {{UK-tram-stub