Southend-on-Sea Corporation Tramways
| Locale | England |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1901–1942 |
| Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
| Length | 9.22 miles (14.84 km) |
| Headquarters | Southend-on-Sea |
Southend-on-Sea Corporation Tramways served the town of Southend-on-Sea in Essex from 19 July 1901 until 8 April 1942.
Until the 19th century, Southend-on-Sea did not exist as a place, and the established centres of population were at Leigh-on-Sea to the west and Prittlewell to the north. However, it was developed as a bathing resort in the 18th century, and the first pier was constructed in 1830. This allowed passenger-carrying steamers to visit the town, but only at certain times. Consequently, the pier was extended to reach deep water in 1846, so that the steamers could visit at all states of the tide. A narrow gauge horse tramway was constructed along the pier in 1851, and the arrival of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway in 1854 let to the development of Southend as a holiday resort for Londoners and a dormitory town for people who worked in London. The pier tramway was electrified in 1890, with current supplied by a conductor rail, and the gauge of the tracks was 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm).
As the town expanded, there was a need for public transport, and so a 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge electric tramway, using overhead wires to supply the power, was constructed, and opened for business on 19 July 1901. Lines ran from Victoria Circus, at the top of the High Street, to Leigh-on-Sea and Southchurch. A branch ran from Southend Victoria railway station along Southchurch Avenue to reach the beach, while a circular route ran northwards along Victoria Avenue to Prittlewell, where it turned west along West Road, and then southwards along North Road to reach the Cricketers Hotel, where it rejoined the route to Leigh-on-Sea. The initial rolling stock consisted of three batches of trams, all built by the Brush Electrical Engineering Company. Cars 1 to 10 were four-wheel vehicles, with a wheelbase of 5.5 feet (1.7 m) and an open upper deck. Cars 11 and 12 were 8-wheel vehicles, again with an open upper deck, while cars 13 and 14 had a single deck, and a wheelbase of 5.5 feet (1.7 m). The Corporation ordered three more 8-wheel trams from Brush's in 1902. Cars 15 to 17 had open upper decks. The next batch of five trams, cars 18 to 22 were of a similar design, but were ordered from G.F. Milnes & Co.
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