Nottingham and District Tramways Company Limited - Nottingham Tramways Company 1872-1875

Nottingham Tramways Company 1872-1875

Plans for tramways in the town of Nottingham started at least as early as 1870 and sufficient progress was made by several prominent business men to formally establish the Nottingham Tramways Company in 1872. The Corporation Highways Committee reported on 8 January 1872 that the Nottingham Tramways Company Limited has asked for consent to an application to the Board of Trade for a provisional order authorising them to construct tramways to Arnold, Beeston, Bulwell and Carlton. No plans for this proposed network survive in the local archives in Nottingham.

In November 1872 the company issued notice that they intended to submit a Bill to Parliament for the operation of tramways in Nottingham. The proposed network made no mention of Arnold or Beeston but comprised a line from a terminus on Forest Rd at its junction with Mount Vernon Rd, east along Forest Rd, then Mansfield Rd, Melbourne Rd, Milton Rd, Upper Parliament St, Market St, Wheeler Gate, Albert St, and then Carrington St to the junction with Station St. From this junction one line would run along Station St and across London Rd into the forecourt of the Great Northern Railway station and another along Arkwright St to Trent Bridge.

At the same time the company also issued notice that they intended to submit an application to the Board of Trade for a much larger network . These included lines to run along Mansfield Rd to its junction with Broadmere Lane, along Chapel Bar, Derby Rd, Alfreton Rd, Hyson Green Rd, Radford Rd, David Lane and a terminus in Mill St; on Derby Rd to the intersection with the railway crossing at Lenton Station; along Woodborough Rd, Alfred St and Carlton Rd to a terminus at the junction with Oldham St; the whole length of Forest Rd, Basford Rd, Elm Avenue and a terminus in High Church St.

The submission to the Nottingham Corporation was successful, and the plans were approved on the 7 November 1872, but it seems that the application to the Board of Trade failed. In November 1873, the company submitted revised proposals to the Board of Trade for the lines running south of St. Peter's Church. These revisions downgraded the proposals and included single line working for Station St and Arkwright St. The line in Station St was proposed to terminate just before the junction with London Rd, rather than cross it to enter the forecourt of the Great Northern Railway station. The records of the Corporation reveal that at a meeting on 2 February 1874

the Council consent to the Nottingham Tramways order 1874 becoming law". Town Clerk reports that previous application of the company failed; this is a much restricted one, dealing with two lines only: (1) from St Peter's Square along Carrington Street to the east end of Station St. (2) from the junction of Station Street and Carrington Street along Arkwright Street to the Union Inn on London Road. (1) is a partly double line, partly single. (2) is single only. Clauses are included in the order for workmen's fares (2d instead of 3d) before 7am and after 5.30pm