TRAMS IN DARWEN
In 1881 the Blackburn and Over Darwen Tramways Company opened the first Steam Tram system to be run in the United Kingdom. Darwen Corporation took over the running of the Tram system in Darwen and developed a new line joining Darwen Circus to Hoddlesden. There were even plans at one stage to take the line further and join up with Bolton but this came to nothing. In the end the trams lost out to the bus, and if it had not been for the Second World War the trams would have ended sooner than they did. The last tram ran in 1946 and Souvenir tickets were issued for the last ride.
SOME KEY DATES
15th August 1879
Blackburn & Over Darwen Tramways Co. set up by Act of Parliament
9th April 1881
Experimental run of Steam Tram between Balckburn and Darwen took 27 minutes each way.
13th April 1881
Board of Trade Inspection Trip permitted 30 minutes each way.
9th August 1899
Darwen Corporation buys the Darwen portion of the Tram system to
convert to an electrical system.
16th October 1900
First Electric Tram ran.
11th October 1901
Hoddlesden line opened to the public.
23rd September 1926
Omnibus services started in Darwen.
13th October 1937
Hoddlesden line closed.
1st January 1939
Bus Depot on Blackburn Road opened.
31st March 1940
Whitehall to Circus service stopped.
5th October 1946
Tramways abandoned in Darwen