Weymouth Harbour Tramway
Weymouth, Dorset, England had an unusual railway feature, a goods and passenger railway constructed entirely on the town's streets along a route from the main station to the harbour.
History
Opened in 1864 by the Great Western Railway, the harbour tramway ran from a junction beyond the main station, through the streets adjacent to the Backwater and the harbour, to the quay. Passenger trains begun in 1889, transporting persons to the Channel Island ferries.
In 1938-9 the former tight curve between The Backwater and harbour was supplanted by a new curve on a newly infilled section of the quayside.
The regular goods traffic ceased in 1972, though fuel oil was transported to a new facility at the pier until 1983.
Regular passenger services ceased in 1987.
The tramway today
The last known use of the branch was on 30 May 1999 for a special railtour. The tramway (sometimes known as 'The Quay Branch' or 'Harbour Line') still exists, in remarkably good condition, and could in theory be used again, though the short reserved section from King Street to the junction is somewhat overgrown.
There were some experiments in the late 1990s with a flywheel powered vehicle, but this has not resulted in permanent traffic on the tramway.
The Dorset Echo reported in 2002 that the tramway may be removed soon, but as yet it remains, a wonderful British anachronism.
External links
References
- Lucking, J.H. (1986). The Weymouth Harbour Tramway, Poole: Oxford Publishing. ISBN 0-86093-304-0
- Beale, G. (2001) The Weymouth Harbour Tramway, Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 1-874103-67-4
