South Lancashire Tramways Company



Owner South Lancashire Tramways Company (a subsidiary of the South Lancashire Electric Traction and Power Company Limited)
Opened 20th October 1902 (electric)
Operator South Lancashire Tramways Company
Entered receivership July 1904
Taken over (ownership) 2nd January 1906 (Lancashire United Tramways Limited ) - from receivership
Took over (operation) 1st April 1906 (Farnworth Council Tramways [electric]) - including tramcars, but not the track
Took over (operation) 1st April 1906 (lines owned by Kearsley UDC, previously leased to Farnworth Council Tramways)
Took over (operation) 28th February 1907 (newly built line to Pendlebury, owned by Barton-upon-Irwell Rural District Council)
Taken over (operation) 1913 (Salford Corporation) - Winton to Worsley service
Owning company name changed 1928 (to Lancashire United Transport and Power Company Limited)
Company name changed 10th May 1929 (to South Lancashire Transport)
Taken over (operation) 16th December 1933 (Bolton Corporation) - 1.01 miles of SLT-owned track on the Moses Gate - Black Horse - Walkden route
Closed 16th December 1933 (with the exception of the lines leased to Salford and Bolton Corporations, which ceased operation on the 7th October 1936 and the 12th November 1944, respectively)
Length 39.1 miles
Gauge 4ft 8½ins

Button description Title (‘SOUTH LANCASHIRE TRAMWAYS COMPANY’) within a border, surrounding a monogram of interwoven initials, ‘SLT
Materials known Nickel; brass
Button Line reference [114/67]

Comment By acquiring the South Lancashire Tramways Company’s parent company (the South Lancashire Electric Traction and Power Company Ltd), Lancashire United Tramways Limited also gained control of the Lancashire Light Railways Co Ltd (the owners of the Liverpool and Prescott Light Railway), as well as the moribund South Lancashire Electric Supply Company Ltd. The LUTL also went on (in October 1906) to acquire a controlling interest in the New St Helens and District Tramways Company, with which it shared several board members. The NStH&DTCo was the operator of both the Liverpool and Prescott Light Railway and the St Helens Corporation system (until 1st October 1919).