Highgate Hill Cable Tramway
History
The Highgate Hill Cable Tramway was the first cable street tramway in Europe, the technology being based on that used by Andrew Hallidie in San Francisco, where the city's steep hills prevented the use of horse traction.
The early history of the tramway is a complex one, with a whole series of companies being formed in quick succession to construct, operate and manage the tramway, as well as companies that were associated with it, but which were more focused on deploying the cable technology involved (across Britain and elsewhere). Many of these companies shared the same address in London, and the individuals involved in their creation and management were either the same people, or were close associates of one another, making the precise chronology very difficult to unpick.
The first of these companies was the Steep Grade Tramways and Works Company, which was incorporated on the 23rd December 1881. It successfully obtained powers to build the cable tramway on the 3rd July 1882 under the Highgate Hill Tramways Order, which was passed into law by the Tramways Orders Confirmation (No 2) Act, 1882.
The SGT&WCo only ever had a few shareholders, and no attempt appears to have been made to raise the capital necessary to build the line. Instead, in December 1882, the directors agreed to transfer their assets (including their powers) to a new company — the Hallidie Patent Cable Tramways Corporation — which was incorporated on the 21st December that month. Around the same time, another company, the Highgate Hill Tramways Company, was set up to operate the tramway, though there is no evidence to suggest that it ever did so.
There were clearly problems raising the capital, such that the HPCTCorp had to seek an extension of the time allowed for construction from the Board of Trade. Construction eventually started in October 1883, and was undertaken by the City of London Contract Corporation, a company that was intimately involved with Henry Osbourne O'Hagan, an unscrupulous London businessman who would be instrumental in parting numerous tramway investors from their money. Whether the involvement of the CofLCCo had any effect on the finances of the Highgate companies is unclear, though it certainly did elsewhere across the country.
The 3ft 6ins-gauge tramway was ceremonially opened on the 29th May 1884, public services proper commencing the following day. The line was just 0.71 miles long, running up Highgate Hill from a terminus near the Archway Tavern, and along Highgate High Street, where it terminated just short of Southwood Lane. Services were operated by three tractor cars and three trailers, as well as two self-contained bogie tramcars, the latter being joined by two more before the year was out.
Meanwhile, the HPCTCorp had changed its name to the Patent Cable Tramway Corporation (on the 5th March 1884), though this did little to alter the financial situation, both it and the SGT&WCo being placed into trusteeship on the 8th October 1884, a move that was presumably agreed with the creditors. The following year, on the 19th June 1885, the PCTCorp was restructured, presumably in an attempt to give the company a new start. However, and in spite of decent passenger numbers, the financial woes continued, with the SGT&WCo suffering a petition for winding up on the 27th June 1885 from one of its major creditors, the Falcon Engine and Car Works Limited. The SGT&WCo appears to have survived this, but suffered another winding-up petition the following year, this being confirmed on the 5th June 1886, with an official liquidator taking over on the 7th July 1886.
The PCTCorp struggled on, but was itself the subject of a winding-up petition on the 17th December 1887, this being confirmed on the 14th January 1888, with a liquidator taking over on the 21st April 1888. Its assets, including the Highgate Hill Tramway, were sold on the 11th August 1888 to Dick Kerr and Company, the well-known Scottish engineering and tramway contracting company. Although DK&Co were certainly interested in the cable technology (they were involved in the construction of several cable tramways), they appear to have been less interested in operating them, the Highgate Hill Tramway being sold to a new company — Highgate and Hampstead Cable Tramways Limited — which had been set up on the 6th June 1889 to acquire the tramway.
The H&HCTL struggled along until the 14th April 1892 when, at an Extraordinary General Meeting, with its creditors circling, it voted to wind itself up, and to appoint a liquidator. It is not clear exactly what happened next, but eight months later, agreement was reached (on the 20th December 1892) to form a new company — Highgate Hill Tramways Limited — to take over the tramway. Unfortunately, barely two weeks beforehand, on the 5th December 1892, the main cable had snapped causing a traction unit and it's trailer to run away, and to collide with another unit at the bottom. Whilst there were no fatalities, the accident resulted in the Board of Trade temporarily closing the tramway. Although the new company was duly formed (on the 9th June 1893), and the tramway was repaired, attempts to reopen it came to naught, primarily due to objections from Hornsey Local Board.
The tramway remained closed for over four years, and eventually ended up in the hands of E D Oppert, who was well known for buying up insolvent tramways and reselling them at a profit. Another new company, also titled Highgate Hill Tramways Limited — was duly incorporated on the 11th May 1896, the tramway being formally handed over to the new company on the 14th August 1896. Work was again put in hand to set the tramway in order, and after inspection, it was formally reopened on the 19th April 1897.
Although the tramway was subjected to a couple of short-term closures by the Board of Trade, it now led a much-less eventful existence than hitherto, HHTLtd even trying to obtain powers during 1906 and 1907 to reconstruct and expand the line. These attempts failed, presumably due to the opposition of the local authorities, one of whom, London County Council, had significant tramway aspirations of its own.
In 1908/9, the company was approached by London County Council to see whether it would be willing to sell the undertaking. A price was duly agreed, with the council subsequently obtaining powers to acquire the tramway on the 16th August 1909, under the London County Council (Tramways and Improvements) Act, 1909. The LCC took possession of the tramway just over a week later on the 24th August 1909, closing it the same day. The LCC lost little time in regauging and reconstructing the line for electric-conduit operation, the replacement services, operated by London County Council Tramways, commencing on the 25th March 1910.
Uniforms
A single photograph taken in the year of opening (1884) shows a conductor wearing a single-breasted jacket with stand-up collars and epaulettes; whilst these garments were piped, it is unclear whether they bore any insignia. Conductors also wore a bandolier-type cash-bag strap diagonally across one shoulder. Caps were of the drooping-peak variety; they bore a large oval cap badge, probably of embroidered cloth, which possibly bore company or system initials, a number and the grade. Drivers on the other hand, were issued with longer, double-breasted coats with lapels and epaulettes, again piped; the collars appear to have borne three embroidered initials on each side, possibly system or company initials. It is unclear what caps drivers wore, as the one surviving photograph shows the subject wearing an informal hat. These uniforms were virtually identical to those used on Bath Tramways between 1884 and 1888, when it was owned by the Patent Cable Tramways Corporation.
Photographs taken in the late 1880s and early 1890s clearly show both conductors and drivers wearing smart but informal attire, namely, jackets, shirts and ties (and sometimes a waistcoat) and the fashionable headgear of the day, invariably the bowler hat.
Photographs taken between the re-opening of 1897 and final closure in 1909, which show staff, are few and far between, but do suggest that drivers continued to wear informal attire. Conductors on the other hand may have been issued with jackets and soft-topped caps, though this is based on a single photograph that may not be representative.
Drivers and conductors always wore enamel Public Carriage Office licence badges (see link) when working on the trams.
In view of the extreme shortness of the line, it is likely that the company did not see fit to employ inspectors.
Further reading
For a history of the Highgate Hill Cable Tramway, see: 'London County Council Tramways Volume 2, North London' by E R Oakley; The London Tramways History Group (1991).
Images
Cable tram drivers and conductors
Bogie Cable Tram No 9, evidently brand new, posed for the camera at the top of the line in August 1884, the year the line opened. Photograph courtesy of the National Tramway Museum.
An enlargement of the above photograph showing the driver (standing on the platform). Although he has a trilby-style hat, i.e., informal headgear, he is clearly wearing a uniform jacket; this is edged in a different material than the main body of the jacket, and has three initials embroidered on the collars. The conductor (on the left) has a bandolier-like cash-bag strap, and is clearly wearing a drooping-peak cap with what would appear to be an embroidered cloth cap badge.
Tractor Car No 6 and a pristine trailer standing at the top of the line, possibly taken in the later 1880s or early 1990s given that the latter does not bear the name of the first owner, the Steep Grade Tramways and Works Company. As there are no passengers, this is in all likelihood a proving run, potentially taken after one of the many forced closures. Photo courtesy of the Tramways and Light Railway Society, with thanks to David Voice.
An enlargement of the above photograph showing the conductor (possibly but not certainly) and another unidentified individual, both of whom are wearing informal attire. The conductor's PCO badge can just be made out hanging from his cash-bag strap at the bottom of his jacket.
Tractor Car No 5 and trailer — photo undated, but judging by the slightly faded paintwork and the tall bowler hats, probably taken in the late 1880s. Both the driver and the conductor (the latter stood on the trailer platform) are wearing informal attire with bowler hats; the sole nod to officialdom being the Metropolitan Police-issued PCO licence badges, which both men are wearing. Photo courtesy of Dave Jones.
Tractor Car No 5 and Trailer No 3 stand at the Archway Tavern terminus — photo purportedly taken around the turn of the century. Photo in the public domain.
An enlargement of the above photograph showing the driver and the conductor. Whilst the driver is wearing informal attire, the conductor would appear to be wearing a uniform, along with a soft-topped cap, though this is by no means certain. Once again, both men are wearing enamel PCO licence badges.