Portsmouth Street Tramways
Owner Portsmouth Street Tramways Company (a subsidiary of the Provincial Tramways Company)
Opened 19th May 1873 (horse)
Operator Portsmouth Street Tramways Company
Amalgamated 1st September 1883 (with the General Tramways Company of Portsmouth, and the Gosport Street Tramways Company - both subsidiaries of the Provincial Tramways Company); all operated thereafter as the Portsmouth Street Tramways Company (a newly incorporated company)
Took over (operation) 26th March 1888 (Borough of Portsmouth, Kingston, Fratton and Southsea Tramways), as the lessee
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 that conductors were required to purchase themselves.
The Provincial Group (Provincial Tramways Company) was established in 1872 in London, and at various times, either owned, controlled or operated the following systems: Borough of Portsmouth, Kingston, Fratton and Southsea Tramways; Cardiff Tramways; Cardiff District and Penarth Harbour Tramways; General Tramways of Portsmouth; Gosport and Fareham Tramways; Gosport Street Tramways; Great Grimsby Street Tramways; Landport & Southsea Tramway; London Southern Tramways; Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways; Portsdown and Horndean Light Railway; and Portsmouth Street Tramways.
The unusual gauge was to allow for the running of railway wagons over the system.