Matlock Cable Tramway

File:Matlock Tramway - Depot 02-12-06.jpg

File:The street railway review (1891) (14573088257).jpg

The principal purpose was to serve the Hydro Spa Hotels, bringing customers from the railway station near the River Derwent. One of the tramway's directors, Job Smith got the idea for a steep-gradient tram for Matlock while in San Francisco in 1862. The original plan for the tramway was to run between Matlock railway station and the Hydro Spa Hotels of Smedley's and Rockside. The risk of flooding forced the terminus to be set up on Crown Square.

The tramway was financed by locally born newspaper owner Sir George Newnes, at a cost of £20,000History of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish. Benjamin Bryan. 1903. London. Bemrose & Sons Ltd, p 238. ({{Inflation|UK|20000|1893|r=-3|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} The tram depot was designed by the architect James Turner, with a chimney {{convert|100|ft|m}} high. The engine-house was {{convert|60|ft|m}} by {{convert|38|ft|m}}, the boiler-house {{convert|54|ft|m}} by {{convert|25|ft|m}}, a car pit {{convert|74|ft|m}} by {{convert|33|ft|m}}, a waiting room {{convert|16|ft|m}} by {{convert|16|ft|m}} with ladies’ and gentlemen's retiring rooms, and two warehouses as lock-up shops. This was all erected for the sum of £2,600.{{cite news |author= |title=Matlock Trams. Motion for their abandonment rejected |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000228/18930401/054/0008 |newspaper=Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald |location=England |date=1 April 1893 |access-date=24 March 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} The boilers were by L. T. Wildgoose, the building contractor was W. Knowles and Sons, the sub-contractors were Soter and Derbyshire. The cable machinery, tramway and vehicles were supplied by Dick Kerr and Company. The engineer for the line was George Croydon Marks, 1st Baron Marks, the consulting engineer W. R. Colan, and the resident engineer was Edward C. R. Marks.

The line was inspected by Major General Charles Scrope Hutchinson of the Board of Trade on 1 March 1893 and services started on 28 March 1893.{{cite news |author= |title=Matlock’s Cable Tramway. he Inauguration |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000250/18930329/126/0008 |newspaper=Sheffield Daily Telegraph |location=England |date=29 March 1893 |access-date=24 March 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} It was the steepest tramway in the world on public roads, featuring a 1 in 5½ grade slope (18%).Kelly's Directory of the Counties of Derby, Leicester, Rutland & Nottingham. 1908. Kelly and Co., London. p. 321 The tramcars had no independent power but were pulled by a cable situated below and between the tracks.

The depot was situated on Rutland Street and contained a boiler and a stationary steam engine, which pulled the cable and lifted the trams 300 feet up Bank Road. Fares used to be Tuppence up, Penny Down. Bank Road was not wide enough for two tracks, so a single track was used, with a passing place where the trams met. The up and down cables had to run in the same tube between the rails. The trams averaged 5½ mph, and had the advantage of the down-tram balancing the up-tram, and saving power in the depot steam engine. A spare tram was kept in the depot.

In 1898 Sir George Newnes gave the tramway as a gift to Matlock District Council.{{cite news |author= |title=Gift to Matlock |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000313/18980312/055/0003 |newspaper=Louth and North Lincolnshire Advertiser |location=England |date=12 March 1898 |access-date=24 March 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}

File:Matlock Tramway - Crown Square tram stop 06-08-06.jpg

The tram shelter and clock tower in Crown Square were the gift of R. Wildgoose JP and opened on 12 December 1899.{{cite news |author= |title=Matlock’s Tram Shelter |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000181/18991214/060/0009 |newspaper=Sheffield Independent |location=England |date=14 December 1899 |access-date=24 March 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}

In the calendar year 1900, it was reported that the receipts were £1,139 12s 11d, and the expenses were £1,191 14s 0d, a loss of £52 1s 1d.{{cite news |author= |title=The Cable Tramways. Its financial status |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000228/19001222/057/0006 |newspaper=Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald |location=England |date=22 December 1900 |access-date=24 March 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}

In 1912 the service was suspended for three days because of a break in a strand in the cable. One of the tramcars had failed to take the points of the loop at the bottom of the line, and was derailed. The driver of the following tram pulled up at the Crown Hotel and alighted from his tram. The tram restarted on its own account and crashed into the derailed car. During the subsequent investigation it was discovered that a strand in the cable had snapped.{{cite news |author= |title=Car Service Suspended |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000395/19120120/218/0011 |newspaper=Derbyshire Courier |location=England |date=20 January 1912 |access-date=24 March 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}

In the 1920s the losses sustained by the tramway were reported as 1921 - £2,920 ({{Inflation|UK|2920|1921|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}),{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} 1922 - £1,260 ({{Inflation|UK|1260|1922|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}),{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} 1923 - £205 ({{Inflation|UK|205|1923|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}),{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} 1924 - £1,120 ({{Inflation|UK|1120|1924|r=-2|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}{{cite news |author= |title=Matlock Trams. Motion for their abandonment rejected |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000327/19260518/007/0002|newspaper=Derby Daily Telegraph |location=England |date=18 May 1926 |access-date=24 March 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} The council decided in 1927 to replace the tramway with motor bus operation, and tramway services ended on 30 September 1927. The council agreed in February 1928 to put the tramway up for sale.{{cite news |author= |title=Wednesday, Feb 15th - Matlock’s Tram Depot Sale |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001084/19280203/013/0001 |newspaper=Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal |location=England |date=3 February 1928 |access-date=24 March 2018 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}

The tram shelter from Crown Square has been preserved, and is now standing at the head of Hall Leys Park.

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Matlock

Category:Rail transport in Derbyshire

Category:Cable car railways in the United Kingdom

Category:1893 establishments in England

Category:Matlock, Derbyshire