from Hockley to top of Snow
Hill the cars began to run September 7, 1873; the Bristol Road line
being first used May 30, though formally opened June 5, 1876. The
Birmingham and District Tramway Company's lines cost about L65,000, and
they paid the Corporation L910 per year rental, but in May, 1877, their
interest was bought up by the Birmingham Tramway and Omnibus Company for
the sum of L25,000, the original cost of the property thus acquired
being L115,000. The new company leased the borough lines for seven years
at L1,680 per annum, and gave up the out-district portion of the
original undertaking. That they have been tolerably successful is shown
by the fact that in 1883 the receipts from passengers amounted to
L39,859, while the owners of the L10 shares received a dividend of 15
per cent. The authorised capital of the company is L60,000, of which
L33,600 has been called up. The Aston line from Corporation Street to
the Lower Grounds was opened for traffic the day after Christmas, 1882.
The Company's capital is L50,000, of which nearly one-half was expended
on the road alone. This was the first tramway on which steam was used as
the motive power, though Doune's locomotire was tried, Jan. 8, 1876,
between Handsworth and West Bromwich, and Hughes's between Monmouth
Street and Bournbrook on July 2, 1880, the latter distance being covered
in twenty-five minutes with a car-load of passengers attached to the
engine. The next Company to be formed was tha South Staffordshire and
Birmingham District Steam Tramway Co., who "broke ground" July 26, 1882,
and opened their first section, about seven miles in length (from
Handsworth to Darlaston), June 25, 1883. This line connects Birmingham
with West Bromwich, Wednesbury, Great Bridge, Dudley, Walsall, and
intermediate places, and is worked with 40-horse power engines of
Wilkinson's make. The Birmingham and West Suburban Tramways Co.'s lines,
commencing in Station Street run, by means of branches from several
parts, to various of the suburbs:--1st, by way of Pershore Street, Moat
Row, Bradford Street, and Moseley Road, to Moseley; 2nd, by way of
Deritend, Bordesley, Camp Hill, along Stratford Road, to Sparkhill; 3rd,
leaving Stratford Road (at the Mermaid) and along Warwick Road, to
Acock's Green; 4th, striking off at Bordesley, along the Coventry Road
to the far side of Small Heath Park; 5th, from Moat Row, by way of
Smithfield Street to Park Street, Duddeston Row, Curzon Street, Va