Lost Tramways of England- Southampton

During the late 19th century the port and city of Southampton expanded rapidly and, to cater for the growing population, a network of trams, horse initially but latterly electric, grew up. Expanding through until the late 1920s, the next decade saw the system begin to decline but, given a reprieve by the onset of World War II, the remaining trams, many of which were open-top, soldiered on into the years of post-war austerity. It was only in December 1949 that the city finally bade farewell to its last trams but, through the preservation of No 45, Southampton was to play a pivotal role in the development of the tramcar preservation movement. Now, little remains to remind people of this once important form of transport other than historic photographs.