Portsmouth Street Tramways



Owner Portsmouth Street Tramways Company (a subsidiary of the Provincial Tramways Company Limited)
Opened 11th September 1874 (horse)
Operator Portsmouth Street Tramways Company
Amalgamated August 1883 (with the General Tramways Company of Portsmouth, the Gosport Street Tramways Company, and the Landport and Southsea Tramways Company - all subsidiaries of the Provincial Tramways Company Limited); all operated thereafter as the Portsmouth Street Tramways Company
Took over July 1892 (Portsmouth [Borough], Kingston, Fratton and Southsea Tramways Company)
Taken over 1st January 1901 (Portsmouth Corporation - excepting lines of the former Gosport Street Tramways Company)
Length 13.41 miles
Gauge 4ft 7¾ins

Button description Uniforms not worn

Comments Several good quality photographs have survived from the 1880s and 1890s (see link), and these indicate that neither drivers nor conductors wore uniforms, the only badges of office being licences, along with a kepi-style cap issued to conductors.

The Provincial Group (Provincial Tramways Company Limited) was established in 1872 in London and at various times, also owned the following companies: Cardiff Tramways Company Limited; General Tramways Company of Portsmouth; Gosport and Fareham Tramways; Gosport Street Tramways Company; Great Grimsby Street Tramways; Landport and Southsea Tramways Company; London Southern Tramways; Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways; Portsdown and Horndean Light Railway; and the Portsmouth (Borough), Kingston, Fratton and Southsea Tramways Company.

The unusual gauge was to allow for the running of railway wagons over the system.