Ilkeston Corporation Tramways 1903-1931
Ilkeston Council obtained powers under the Ilkeston Tramways Order of 1899 to operate its own tramway, and four years later, in 1903, the system opened.
The short line was just 3.78 miles long and consisted of a main single-line track from Cotmanhay to Hallam Fields Road, travelling along Cotmanhay Road to the town centre, where it served both the Great Northern Railway’s station and the Midland Railway’s station, then on via Granby Street, Bath Street, South Street, Nottingham Road to Hallam Fields.
A short ½-mile branch line along Station Road served the Midland Railway’s Ilkeston Junction station.
The tramway was not a success and was offered for sale to the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Tramways Company, who took over the line in 1916, along with the Corporation’s electricity undertaking.
The tramway was eventually closed by the N&D concern in favour of its own motorbuses in 1931.
FLEET SUMMARY
| Fleet No. | Type | Trucks | Builder | Seating |
1903
| 1-9 | Double-deck open-top | Brill | ERTCW | 22/26 |
| 10-13 | Double-deck open-top | Brill | Milnes | 22/26 |
No. 7 was rebuilt as single-deck in 1916.
In producing this history reference has been made to the following sources;
The Directory of British Tramways (Keith Turner, PSL 1996); Trams in the North West (Peter Hesketh, Ian Allan 1995).