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Kidderminster and Stourport Electric Tramway

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The '''Kidderminster and Stourport Electric Tramway''' ran between the two named towns as an isolated subsidiary of the Birmingham and Midland Tramways, which was itself owned by the British Electric Traction Company Ltd.
Construction work began in 1897 and was undertaken by the local company George Law of Comberton Hill,<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 9.</ref> who also built the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway and many years later would build [[The Engine House]] for the SVR. The tramway was built to a gauge of 3'6" and subject to a speed limit of 5mph in town and 12mph in open country.<ref>[https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MWR7562&resourceID=1035 Kidderminster and Stourport Electric Tramway on the Heritage Gateway web site]</ref> Unusually for a tramway, the majority of the main line outside the urban areas was on sleeper track at the side of the road.<ref>Great British Tramway Networks, Wingate H. Bett & John C. Gillham, 1940</ref> Services were initially provided by six power cars, with a carrying capacity of 24 passengers, and three trailer cars with a capacity of 40 passengers.<ref> The Engineer, June 24 1898</ref>
Services were advertised to begin on Monday 23 May 1898, although a last minute decision that more test running was required meant that passengers were not carried until Wednesday 25 May 1898.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 12.</ref> Traffic levels peaked in 1908,<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 57.</ref> after which a slow decline took place up the the First World War. The decline continued after the War, and the last tram ran on the short Comberton Hill route on 31 December 1923, after which time they were replaced by buses. Services to Stourport continued, but by 1928 the tramway Company was seeking permission from the Ministry of Transport to close the tramway altogether, as competition from buses meant they could not raise the necessary capital to maintain and upgrade the route. While MoT permission was still awaited, services ended unannounced on 2 April 1929 with a 'temporary' bus replacement service being instituted. The closure became official later that month<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 97.</ref>.

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