Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Tramway

The Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Tramway operated 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge, horse-drawn tramway services between Warrenpoint and Rostrevor, County Down, Ireland from 1877 to 1915.[1]

Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Tramway
Tramcars at Rostrevor
Operation
LocaleWarrenpoint, Rostrevor
OpenJuly 1877
CloseFebruary 1915
StatusClosed
Infrastructure
Track gauge3 ft (914 mm)
Propulsion system(s)Horse
Statistics
Route length3.3 miles (5.3 km)

History

The Warrenpoint and Rostrevor Tramway offered passengers a connection from its canopied terminus platform at Warrenpoint railway station through to Rostrevor. The company was established in 1875 and services started in 1877. It was promoted by Francis Needham, 3rd Earl of Kilmorey. It was the first tramway service in Ireland. The Earl sold the tramway in 1884 for £4,000 (equivalent to £420,029 in 2019).[2] [3] In 1910, the manager was Bernard Reilly.[4]

Fares

In 1890 the fares[5] were

  • 1st Class single 6d (equivalent to £2.77 in 2019) [2]
  • 1st Class return 9d (equivalent to £4.16 in 2019) [2]
  • 3rd Class single 4d (equivalent to £1.84 in 2019) [2]
  • 3rd Class return 6d (equivalent to £2.77 in 2019) [2]

Extension plan

In 1908 plans were made to purchase the tramway, electrify it and extend it as far as Newcastle, County Down,[6] however, these plans came to nothing.

Closure

Early in 1915 a storm washed away part of the line and following this, the service never resumed.

References
  1. The Golden Age of Tramways. Published by Taylor and Francis.
  2. UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  3. The British architect: a journal of architecture and the accessory arts, Volume 21 1884
  4. Belfast and Ulster Towns Directory for 1910
  5. Ireland (part I.): Northern counties, including Dublin and neighbourhood. Mountford John Byrde Baddeley. Dulau, 1890
  6. The Electrical engineer 1908
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