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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. Operating between 1898 and 1929, it competed with the GWR for local passenger traffic.

Construction work began in 1897 ==History==The Kidderminster and was undertaken by the local company George Law of Comberton HillStourport Electric Tramway Bill received Royal Assent on 5 August 1896,<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 9.</ref> who also built allowing the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway Kidderminster and many years later would Stourport Electric Tramway Company to be formed to build [[the tramway. The Engine House]] for Bill authorised the construction of the SVRtramway in three parts:*Tramway no. The 1 (the main tramway was built ) began at a terminus in Vicar Street opposite the Town Hall buildings, briefly passing along Oxford Street and Bridge Street to join New Road and thence south to Stourport.*Tramway no. 2 (a gauge of 3'6" and subject shorter tramway running to the east) left Tramway no 1 at the Bridge Street junction, continuing along Oxford Street past Worcester Cross, up Comberton Hill, crossing Chester Road North to a speed limit terminus at the Junction of 5mph in town Comberton Road and 12mph in open countrySomerleyton Road.*Tramway no.<ref>3 connected New Road to the depot via a bridge over the [[https://wwwRiver Stour]].heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MWR7562&resourceID=1035 Kidderminster and Stourport Electric Tramway on A power station next to the depot provided the Heritage Gateway web site]</ref> Unusually power for a the tramway, . The parapet of the bridge and the majority chimney of the main line outside the urban areas was on sleeper track at power station can be seen in the side picture of the road.<ref>Great British Tramway Networks, Wingate H. Bett & John Cdepot (top right). Gillham, 1940</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.<refgallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 12OS_Kidderminster_1924_1.</ref> Traffic levels peaked in 1908,<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications jpg| Voice (2017)]] p. 57.</ref> after which a slow decline took place up 1924 OS Map showing the route of the First World War. The decline continued after tramway from the War, and the last tram ran on the short Kidderminster Terminus to Comberton Hill route on 31 December 1923and New Road, after which time they were replaced by buses. Services including access to Stourport continued, but by 1928 the tramway Company was seeking permission from Depot.OS_Kidderminster_1924_2.jpg|1924 OS Map showing the Ministry continuation of Transport to close the tramway altogether, as competition from buses meant they could not raise the necessary capital Comberton Hill to maintain and upgrade the routeterminus on Comberton Road. While MoT permission was still awaited, services ended unannounced on 2 April 1929 with a 'temporary' bus replacement service being institutedTramway plan. jpg |The closure became official later that month<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 97.</ref>route and elevation profile.

==Competition with </gallery> Construction work began in 1897 and was undertaken by the GWRlocal company George Law of Comberton Hill,<ref name==From its introduction, Voice9>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 9.</ref> who also built the tram service competed Bridgnorth Cliff Railway and many years later would build [[The Engine House]] for the GWRSVR. The tramway was built to a gauge of 3's passenger traffic, especially as it provided 6" and subject to a direct connection between 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 while Electric Tramway on the journey by rail required Heritage Gateway web site]</ref> Unusually for a change tramway, the majority of the main line outside the urban areas was on sleeper track at Bewdley or Hartleburythe side of the road,<ref>Great British Tramway Networks, Wingate H. Bett & John C. Gillham, 1940</ref> running on its own right of way with a macadam surface. This was one rural part of the factors that led the GWR system was referred to introduce as a "tramroad" as opposed to the "tramways" of the urban road sections.<ref>[[GWR Steam RailmotorBibliography#Other Publications |steam railmotor serviceVoice (2017)]] in January 1905 in p. 8.</ref> Services were advertised to begin on Monday 23 May 1898, although a bid to improve local serviceslast minute decision that more test running was required meant that passengers were not carried until Wednesday 25 May 1898.<ref>Marshall [[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 14312.</ref> An advertising booklet published by The fare from Comberton Hill, near Kidderminster Station the Tramway Company Stourport river bridge was 3d.<ref>[https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001005/18980528/095/0007 Dudley Herald - Saturday 28 May 1898 on the following year proclaimed "''EasterBritish Newspaper Archive]</ref> Services were initially provided by six single-deck 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> The first six power cars were Brush-built and were an unusual design, 1906being fully enclosed and the first tramcars with windscreens to operate in Britain. 20The open-sided trailer cars proved unsuitable and were converted to independent power cars around September 1899. Later various other new and second-hand rolling stock was used,000 passengers travelled by Tram with several of the power cars being converted to Stourportdouble-deck.''"<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] pAppendix 1 – ''The Tramway Fleet''</ref> <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Tram drawings. 7jpg |Drawings of the trams and trailer carsBrush_Tram_Car_Advertisement.jpg|Brush Company advertisement featuring one of the first Kidderminster tram cars. </refgallery>

==Connections Intersections between the Tramway and the Severn Valley Branch==

The tramway crossed the Severn Valley Branch at two locations; via the level crossing at [[Stourport]] and via the [[Stourport Road Bridge]] at [[Foley Park]]. The tramway also ran up Comberton Hill, passing the present day entrance to the SVR and crossing the GWR opened [[Foley Park Halt]]'s Kidderminster to Stourbridge line via the road bridge next to the main line station. During the construction of the tramway, next the GWR required a number of conditions to be met, in particular to ensure that stray currents from the tramway did not cause a safety hazard by interfering with the low-voltage signalling equipment used on the railway. The railway's rails at the entrance to Stourport Road Bridgestation had to be cut to allow the tram rails to pass through them, at and the GWR insisted that the same time Tramway Company install and pay for the Railmotor service beganlevel crossing. <ref name=Voice9/>

The tramway also ran up Comberton Hill==Competition with the GWR==From its opening in 1898, passing the present day entrance to the SVR and crossing tram service competed for the GWR's passenger traffic, especially as it provided a direct connection between Kidderminster and Stourport while the journey by rail required a change at [[Bewdley]] or [[Hartlebury]]. By 1901 authorisation had been given to extend the tramway from Kidderminster to Stourbridge line via Bewdley (see below) which would have further increased this competition These were among the factors that led the road bridge GWR to introduce a [[GWR Steam Railmotor|steam railmotor service]] in January 1905 in a bid to improve local services. The GWR opened [[Foley Park Halt]], next to the main line station[[Stourport Road Bridge]], at the same time the railmotor service began.<ref>Marshall p. 143.</ref> An advertising booklet published by the Tramway Company the following year proclaimed "''Easter, 1906. 20,000 passengers travelled by Tram to Stourport''"<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 7.</ref>.

In December 1899 proposals were first made for an extension of the tramway from Kidderminster to Bewdley.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 24.</ref> On 26 May 1900 the Tramway Company made an application under the Light Railways Act to bring this about.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 28.</ref> However On 8 October 1901 the Board of Trade authorised its construction under the '''Kidderminster and Bewdley Light Railways Order 1901''', although a section of track through the Bull Ring at Kidderminster was only to be used for empty tramcar movements in the early morning and late evening and prohibited to trams at other times.<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 32.</ref> Having received authorisation, the Company then made no attempt to begin the work never began despite pressure from the Town Councils, and the proposal was eventually abandoned in March 1905,<ref>[[Bibliography#Other Publications | Voice (2017)]] p. 46.</ref> just 2 months after the GWR introduced the rail motor service.  <gallery mode=packed heights=250px style="text-align:left">Bewdley_Tramway_Extension.jpg|The route of the proposed extension in blue, with the existing system in red (see also map above) </gallery> ==Decline and closure==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. 4697.</ref> . ==Gallery==The Tramway appeared in a number of postcards, two examples of which are shown below. <gallery mode=packed heights=200px style="text-align:left">Tramway_Postcard_01.jpg|Tramcar No 8 approaching StourportTramway_Postcard_02.jpg|Tramcar No 9 in Oxford Street, Kidderminster</gallery> The first postcard shows Tramcar No 8 approaching Stourport. The houses on the left can still be seen opposite the present-day location of the Wharf Care Home on the A451 Minster Road. The second postcard shows Tramcar No 9 in Oxford Street, Kidderminster. The Kidderminster terminus is a short distance behind the photographer, who was standing on the Bridge Street junction where the main route to Stourport branched to the right, while the tram is on the short branch leading to Worcester Cross, Comberton Hill and Somerleyton Road. Both No 8 and No 9 were delivered as unpowered trailer cars for the opening in 1898 but converted into powered tramcars the following year.

*[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2eAFhE-m0yhblMxekdSQnh6RmM/view Public Tramway Shelter, Oxford Street, Kidderminster on the Kidderminster & District Archaeological & Historical Society web site] [[Category:Featured articles]]