Huddersfield Trolleys & Buses

In the early days of Tram operations, the local borough or corporation would lay (and provide maintenance for) tracks that would carry the trams, while the cars would be operated by private enterprise. All this changed on 11 January 1883 when Huddersfield Corporation was given government dispensation to operate its own system after failing to acquire any tenders to operate tram cars along its tracks. This was the first municipality to be allowed this. Although the steam system expanded, by the early 1900s the decision was taken to eventually abandon steam and electrify the system. The last tramcar operated to Brighouse on Saturday 29 June 1940 and no vehicle survived into preservation. In 1919 meanwhile, the local family firm of Hanson (now Hanson plc) had purchased some charabancs for excursion work, prior to setting up a full bus service a year later. This was to be one of the Corporation's largest competitors. Michael Berry looks at the history and demise of the Huddersfield system.