Mexborough and Swinton Tramway - Early History

Early History

Although plans were originally put forward in 1876 and again in 1881 it was not until August 1905 that construction of a standard gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄₂ in (1,435 mm)tramway finally commenced. The system commenced with a connection to that operated by Rotherham Corporation at the borough boundary, the point where the road crossed a small bridge on Earl Fitzwilliam’s Greasbrough Canal close by Rotherham Road railway station. The line ran through Parkgate, Rawmarsh, Swinton and Mexborough before terminating at the Old Toll Bar, Denaby, a point just prior to the crossing of the South Yorkshire Navigation.

The system was built by the National Electric Construction Company (NEC), which owned other systems in England, using the Dolter system of stud contact power supply (the reason given for this being the unsightliness of conventional overhead wiring) and public services began on Wednesday 6 February 1907 with a route linking College Square, Rotherham and Parkgate, this being extended to the company’s Dale Road depot in Rawmarsh three days later. The remainder of the line opened on 3 August. In the Dolter system the current was supplied from metal studs placed between the rails that became live and rose from the road to energize the motors of the tram passing over, being then supposed to become dead. This proved unsatisfactory since on occasions the studs remained upright and live so that horses following the tram hauling drays could receive an electric shock. In August 1908, following instructions from the Board of Trade, the company converted their system to overhead pick-up.