Preston Tramways Company
History
Powers to build 2.4 miles horse-drawn tramway in Preston were granted to the promoters — Sir Wilford Brett, Knight, Archibald Bennie, and John Campbell White — on the 11th August 1876, under the Preston Tramways Act of 1876. The act also incorporated a company — the Preston Tramways Company — intended to build an operate the tramway, as well as setting a date for its completion of just 14 months from the passing of the act.
The tramway, however, was not even started within the permitted timeframe, let alone built, the company failing and its stock being forfeited. New powers were acquired in 1878 under the Preston Tramways Act of 1878, and a new company — of the same name — was incorporated.
The new company was more successful than its predecessor, opening the tramway, which was built to a gauge of 3ft 6ins ( primarily due to the narrowness of the central thoroughfares in the town) on the 20th March 1879. Although owned by the PTCo, the company did not operate the system itself, instead contracting a local horse omnibus operator — W. Harding & Company — to provide the horses and probably the drivers; whether Harding also provided the conductors is unclear.
The PTCo's horse tramway comprised a 2.4-mile single line with loops, the town terminus being opposite the Town Hall, from where it ran northwards along Lancaster Road, North Road and Garstang Road, then eastwards along Victoria Road and Watling Street to a terminus at Fulwood Barracks.
Preston Corporation, however, had aspirations of its own for a tramway within the town, obtaining powers on the 2nd August 1880 — under the Preston Improvement Act of 1880 — to build 5.5 miles of tramway, to be operated by horse or mechanical power. Just ten days later, on the 12th August 1880, the PTCo were authorised — under the Preston Tramways Act of 1880 —to lease any new lines built by the corporation, strongly suggesting that an agreement had been reached between the two, as at this time, municipal authorities were prevented from operating tramways under the provisions of the Tramways Act of 1870.
Construction of the corporation-owned tramway, which was also built to a gauge of 3ft 6ins, began on the 14th April 1882, the first services commencing during Preston Guild Week (September 1882). For reasons that are unclear, the corporation did not lease operation of the system to the PTCo, but to W. Harding & Company. The two tramways appear to have been worked completely independently, and may not even have been connected (this is unclear).
The corporation was, however, not content to share the town with a private tramway operator, but was instead keen to have all the town's tramways under municipal control. A price was eventually agreed with the PTCo for the corporation to purchase the company line and tramway assets, the company running its last tram on the 31st December 1886, and Hardings taking over operation the next day (as the lessee of the corporation).
Uniforms
Unfortunately, not a single photograph appears to have survived that shows a horse tram of this company, let alone a driver or conductor. However, the large body of photographic evidence from the corporation horse-tram era (1882 to 1903) clearly shows staff wearing informal attire (see link), which suggests that this was probably also the case for PTCo tramway staff (1879-1886).
Further reading
For a history of Preston's tramways, see: 'The Tramways of Preston' by G W Heywood, in the Tramway Review, Nos 67 (p67-77/92), 68 (p99-124), 69 (p131-146), 70 (p163-167/181-191), 71 (p207-212) and 77 (p154-160); Light Railway Transport League (1971, 1972, and 1974).