Hull Street Tramways

Hull Street Tramways was a tramway system serving the city of Hull in East Yorkshire, England.
Hull Tramways' line followed five main roads out of town. Two routes went West, two East and the fifth to the North. Several local routes filled the Northwest of the city, linking two larger lines. A short route linked the city centre and Corporation Pier.
The tramway network of lines was 21 miles long, all of which was electrified and only a few yards were single tracked. Routes to Holderness Road, Beverley Road, Spring Bank, Anlaby Road and Hessle Road were on reserved sleeper track. Extension projects existed but never materialised; the route to Hessle Road was to extended to Hessle Village and a deviation of the route to Ings Road built towards Stoneferry. The latter was partially built but never opened.
Tramway operation were slowed down by seven level crossings with the LNER. In 1925, the LNER, the Corporation and the Ministry of Transport proposed to eliminate these level crossing at a price of £1¼ million. Unfortunately, work only saw fruition in the 1960s when some freight railway lines closed and road bridges built.
The Hull Street Tramways possessed a fleet of 179 four-wheel double-decker which were all enclosed.
The route to Corporation Pier was changed to motor bus operation in 1931 as well as the Hedon Road route in 1932.
In 1934, all routes outside of the Hull municipal boundaries were ceded to the East Yorkshire Motor Services, with the routes to both Anlaby and Hessle roads shortened. Remaining routes were converted to trolleybus operation between 1937 and 1945 with the last trolleybus running in 1964.
Hull was unusual in using centre-groove rail, with running surfaces symmetrically arranged on either side of each rail. This was thought to give a smoother passage through junction work (but necessitated re-tyring of wheels on trams sold for use elsewhere).
The trolleybus fleet included the particularly advanced "Coronation" class with dual entrance, dual staircase bodies having an exit door ahead of the front axle. Most unfortunately, no example survives.
==See also==
* Tramcars of the Hull Street Tramways
==References==
* The Tramways of South Yorkshire and Humberside by W.H. Bett and J.C. Gilham
Tramway
Hull
Category:Rail transport in the East Riding of Yorkshire
Category:Hull Street Tramways
Category:Hull Trams
Category:UK Trams