Ilkeston Corporation Tramways
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On Saturday 16th May 1903 the Ilkeston Corporation Tramways opened their
3 foot 6 inch gauge system to the public. Ilkeston was the first town in Derbyshire to have adopted and operated a fully electrical tramway system. Construction should have begun in August 1900 and scheduled for completion by August the following year. In the event, work did not begin until November 1901. When work was finally completed, the system consisted of 3.85 miles of track and overhead cable, nine tramcars (as opposed to the originally intended eight) and the tram depot and offices on Park Road. The townsfolk of Ilkeston could now look forward to travelling with comparative ease - from Church Street in Cotmanhay - along Cotmanhay Road to the bottom of Bath Street - up Bath Street to the junction of Station Road, from where a change of tramcar would take the passenger down to Ilkeston Junction. From Bath Street the traveller could then continue to the Market Place - along South Street - down Nottingham Road and eventually through to Hallam Fields. Each tramcar could carry a maximum of 48 seated passengers and initially, the ticket price was set at 1d, though this would rise over the years to 3d for the full journey from Cotmanhay to Hallam Fields. On the 16th May 1903, all nine of the Corporation’s vehicles, painted in maroon and cream and heavily festooned with bunting and other decorations, trundled out of the Park Road depot for the first time and out onto the streets of Ilkeston. Eventually 13 open top 48 seat tramcars would be operated on the system. |
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Cotmanhay
Ilkeston Corporation Tramways tramcar No. 13 at the Church Street, Cotmanhay Terminus, with a damaged dash panel, pictured in early 1915.
The motorman is J.D. Turton.
The motorman is J.D. Turton.
A worse-for-wear Ilkeston Corporation Tramways tramcar No. 8, with sagging platforms and other signs of hard use, waits at the Cotmanhay Terminus in 1917.
The headlamp has a wartime hooded cover. Note: the tree in the previous picture has been cut down.
The headlamp has a wartime hooded cover. Note: the tree in the previous picture has been cut down.
Bath Street
Saturday 16th May 1903, a fully laden tramcar No. 5 bedecked with flags, bunting and other decorations makes its way slowly down the Bath Street incline.
The picture was taken from the upper deck of tramcar No. 6 which was following behind.
The picture was taken from the upper deck of tramcar No. 6 which was following behind.
Ilkeston Corporation Tramways tramcar No. 1, having left Cotmanhay, waits on the loop at the bottom of Bath Street as it prepares to climb the steep incline in to Ilkeston's centre.
Ilkeston Corporation Tramways tramcar No. 6 is seen climbing the Bath Street incline, circa 1914. In the foreground can be seen the Ilkeston Junction branch line curving right into Station Road. In the distance a further tramcar is on the far loop.
An unidentified former Ilkeston Corporation tramcar, now in Notts & Derby livery, descends Bath Street on its way to Cotmanhay, post-World War I.
Market Place
Ilkeston Corporation Tramways tramcar No. 1 waits at the Market Place in mid-May 1903 just after the opening of the system.
A timetable has been pasted on the lower deck centre window.
A timetable has been pasted on the lower deck centre window.
Former Ilkeston Corporation tramcar No.8, now in Notts & Derby livery, waits at the Ilkeston Market Place stop in 1928.
South Street
Ilkeston Corporation Tramways tramcar No. 8 turns into South Street from White Lion Square as it heads towards the Market Place.
The 'COTMANHAY' destination board can be seen displayed at the bottom of the lower deck centre window.
The 'COTMANHAY' destination board can be seen displayed at the bottom of the lower deck centre window.
Thurman Street / Corporation Road
Ilkeston Corporation Tramways tramcar No. 4 coming off the Thurman Street loop on to Corporation Road as it makes its final approach to the Hallam Fields Terminus.
Hallam Fields
Saturday 16th May 1903, Ilkeston Corporation Tramways tramcars No. 6 and No. 5 stand alongside each other at the Hallam Fields Terminus on their inaugural run with their trolleybooms already swung, ready for the return journey to Ilkeston.
The picture shows the clumsy cow-catcher lifeguards: open and running along the track on small wheels (tramcar No. 6) and folded (tramcar No. 5).
The picture shows the clumsy cow-catcher lifeguards: open and running along the track on small wheels (tramcar No. 6) and folded (tramcar No. 5).
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The novelty of the new system soon wore off and almost from the outset, the trams lost money, reaching peak in 1913 of £3,300 and debts eventually reaching £32,495. On the 15th November 1916, the Council finally sold off the business to the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Tramways Company (NDT) for £28,150 plus stock at cost price. Just prior to the sale, the Chairman of the Finance Committee had stated that the track was in a shocking state and all the trams were cripples, with four off the road! In 1919, Balfour Beatty & Co. Ltd., who ownwed the NDT, refurbished all thirteen of the Ilkeston tramcars at their Langley Mill depot. Five tramcars were sent to other Balfour Beatty systems whilst the remaining eight were given direct stairs and re-painted in the NDT company colours of light green (later dark green) and cream. With a reduced fleet of just eight tramcars, the system ran for another 15 years before closing on the 8th January 1931. The following day motorbuses took over the route whilst the tram rails were lifted and the overhead wires converted for trolleybus operation. The first Notts & Derby trolleybuses commenced services between Bridge Street, Cotmanhay and Hallam Fields, Ilkeston on the 7th January 1932. |
Ilkeston Corporation Tramways 1d (one penny) token which was ordered for Corporation officials and others for travel on the tramway in 1911
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