The Wantage Tramway

The Wantage Tramway, part tramway, part light railway, had many claims to fame. It was Britain’s first tramway to use steam traction and had a fascinating and eclectic collection of locomotives and rolling stock throughout its life which gave the company a look all of its own. The unique company had its origins in the nineteenth century when the Great Western Railway’s route to Bristol bypassed Wantage and local people gathered together to form a company to build a link to the local main line. The company was an important addition to Wantage’s transport network although not everyone agreed! This new history of the company explores how the company was formed, tells the stories of some of the people who worked for the tramway, and its working relationship with the Great Western Railway. It looks at the tramway’s eclectic rolling stock, its operations and the company’s relationship with its customers. It also reveals the true reasons for its closure in 1946 and its relationship with the United States Army.