Tram Networks
There
were
two
passenger
tramway
networks
in
Aberdeen.
From
the
GNSR
point
of
view,
these
were
both
its
competitors.
If
things
had
happened
otherwise,
though,
there
might
have
been
a
degree
of
integration
between
railway
and
passenger
tramways
and/or
between
passenger tramways and the harbour rail network.
The
city
tram
network
started
in
August
1874
with
horse-drawn
trams,
which
were
superseded
by
electric
operation
from
December
1899
onwards.
The
network
-
shown
left,
at
its
maximum
extent,
in
1922
-
was
initially
a
private
company,
but
was
taken
over
by
Aberdeen
Corporation in August 1898. (Click on image to view).
Because
the
Corporation
believed
that
it
did
not
have
the
power
to
operate
trams
beyond
the
then
City
boundaries,
it
encouraged
the
creation
of
a
private
company
to
operate
the
“Suburban”
network.
This
extended
the
city
network
south-westwards,
operating
two
routes
-
from
Woodside
to
Bankhead
and
from
Mannofield
via
Cults
to
Bieldside
Church
-
with
depots
at
Mannofield
and
Bankhead.
For
most
of
its
operating
life
(1904
to
1927),
the
trams
also
ran
onwards
over
the
Corporation
tracks
from
Mannofield
to
Castlegate
and
from
Bankhead
to
St
Nicholas
Street,
although
there
were
occasions
when disputes and unpaid bills intervened.
A
narrow
gauge
railway
(the
Strabathie
Light
Railway)
was
constructed
in
1899
from
Blackdog
to
Bridge
of
Don,
to
the
north
of
Aberdeen
(4
miles).
Initially,
this
was
a
freight
line,
exporting
bricks,
tiles
and
drainage
pipes
southwards
from
the
Strabathie
Brick
Works.
There
was
discussion
of
a
transhipment
link
to
the
tram
network
at
Bridge
of
Don,
but
press
and
public
opinion
prevented
this.
Following
the
opening
of
the
Murcar
Links
Golf
Club
in
1908,
a
purpose-built
petrol
railcar
was
operated,
to
carry
golfers
from
Bridge
of
Don
to
the
clubhouse.
With
the
closure
of
the
Brick
Works
in
1924, the golf club itself operated the line until its closure in 1950.
Another
scheme
promoted
under
the
1896
Light
Railways
Act
was
the
independent
Aberdeenshire
Light
Railway
from
Aberdeen
to
Echt
(17
miles).
This
line
was
to
have
had
its
own
roadbed
as
far
as
the
city
outskirts,
but
then
connect
to
the
harbour
and
existing
railways
along
public
roads.
GNSR
counter-proposed
the
Echt
Light
Railway,
along
the
same
countryside
route,
but
using
the
existing
street
tramways
to
reach
the
city
and
the
GNSR
main
line.
It
was
even
proposed
that
GNSR
acquire
the city tramway system (then still a private company).
Objections
were
lodged
to
the
laying
of
tracks
in
city
streets
and
to
the
carriage
of
goods
on
tramways.
The
promoters
of
the
Aberdeenshire
Light
Railway
withdrew
their
scheme,
but
GNSR
persisted and, in 1897, were granted permission for a light railway from Echt to the city outskirts.
GNSR
then
proposed
to
extend
the
Echt
Light
Railway
three
miles
northwards,
to
join
its
main
line
at
Kittybrewster.
An
Order
was
granted
in
1898
for
this
extended
scheme,
but
it
became
clear
that
the
costs of land and overbridges would be excessive and the scheme was dropped.
In
1904,
a
3
foot
gauge
electrified
line
from
Echt
to
the
city
boundary
was
proposed
by
the
Aberdeenshire
County
Council.
The
tramways
had
recently
been
acquired
by
Aberdeen
Corporation
and
it
was
again
hoped
that
through
working
of
passengers
and
goods
would
be
approved.
However,
the cost of laying mixed gauge track killed this scheme.
Shortly
after
the
promotion
of
the
Echt
Light
Railway,
GNSR
tried
again,
proposing
a
light
railway
between
Aberdeen
and
Newburgh
(15
miles).
This
would
have
presented
no
difficulties
north
of
Bridge
of
Don,
but
access
to
the
harbour
and
the
railways
would
again
have
had
to
depend
upon
the
street tramways. This led to the scheme being shelved.
Thus, in the end, Aberdeen railways and tramways remained independent of each other.
