Plymouth, Plymouth Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways Company

PLYMOUTH
DATA

The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

PLYMOUTH, STONEHOUSE AND DEVONPORT TRAMWAYS COMPANY

ELECTRIFICATION

During 1900-1901 the Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Tramway was reconstructed for electrical operation, during which the gauge was reduced to 3ft 6ins.

A new depot was built in Market Street, Stonehouse.

Two PS&D electric trams pass in Union Street »

Two PS&D trams pass in Union Street, near Bank of England Place

By the authority of the Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport Tramways Act 1900, the tracks within Plymouth were transferred at no charge to Plymouth Corporation. The lines within Devonport were sold to that Corporation, leaving only the part that lay within Stonehouse in the Company's ownership. They then leased back the two municipal sections for a period of 21-years from June 30th 1901. The same Act gave authority to lay double track between Bank of England Place and the junction with Manor Street and from the junction with Market Street, Stonehouse, in to Devonport, leaving only the portion within Stonehouse as single with passing loops.

Power was obtained from the Devonport Corporation Electricity Works in Newport Street, Stonehouse, for the western end of the line and from the new Plymouth Corporation Works at Prince Rock for the Plymouth end.

The opportunity was taken to remove the terminal spur in Fore Street from the top of St Aubyn Street towards Marlborough Street. It was felt that as traffic in this section was very heavy it would be a nuisance to have tramcars stopped in the middle of the roadway. Under the new system the trams stopped at the top of St Aubyn Street to set down passengers and again at the top of Chapel Street to pick up passengers for Plymouth. This was the opposite way round to the way the horse-trams had run.

Twelve new electric tramcars joined the fleet and the electrified tram service commenced on Monday November 18th 1901.