Wolverton and Stony Stratford Tramway
| Locale | England |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1887–1926 |
| Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
| Length | 4½ miles |
| Headquarters |
Wolverton Coordinates: 52°03′36″N 0°50′13″W / 52.060°N 0.837°W |
The Wolverton and Stony Stratford Tramway was a narrow gauge street tramway between the London and North Western Railway's (LNWR) Wolverton railway works and Wolverton railway station and Stony Stratford in Buckinghamshire, two miles to the east, and (briefly) onwards to Deanshanger, Northamptonshire.
History
The tramway opened in 1887.[1] A 2½ mile long extension opened in 1888 to Deanshanger, to the west of Stony Stratford, but the tramway company quickly ran into financial trouble and declared bankruptcy in 1889. The line was purchased by a syndicate of Bedford businessmen, which reopened the Wolverton to Stony Stratford section in 1891. The Deanshanger extension never re-opened.
In the early 1920s the line was taken over by the LNWR, which purchased a new Bagnall tram locomotive. After the LNWR merged into the London Midland and Scottish Railway the line was closed, in 1926.
The line was unusual for a British street tramway in being entirely worked by steam locomotives; it was the last steam street tramway in the Great Britain.
Locomotives
| Builder | Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krauss | 0-4-0 tram | 1886 | |
| Green | 0-4-0 tram | ||
| Brush | 0-4-0 tram | ||
| W.G. Bagnall | 0-4-0ST | 1922 |
Memorabilia
One of the carriages (significantly larger than a Routemaster double-decker bus) is on display at the Milton Keynes Museum on Stacey Hill (southern edge of Wolverton) with a variety of memorabilia.
References
- ↑ Milton Keynes Heritage (map). Milton Keynes Development Corporation 1983
Other sources
- Prideaux, J.D.C.A. (1978). The English Narrow Gauge Railway. David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-7511-3.
- "Milton Keynes museum".
