In this edition of “Picture in Time” we take a look at Horwich Tram Depot – and there’s not a tram in sight!
In the early days of various tram museums across the UK they managed to use infrastructure from first generation tram systems. The East Anglia Transport Museum was no different and that included track from Horwich Tram Depot. EATM volunteer Tim Major takes up the story…
Track recovery from the depot took place over the weekend 13th/14th November 1976
As can be seen in the interior shot there was a crossover from the third road into the shed to a siding and stub end. Adjoining the car shed, to the left, is a waiting room and adjoining that the inspectors house.
In order to remove/collect the tram rail it was necessary to drive overnight from East Anglia on the Friday after work and arrived at 06.30 on the Saturday and start work removing the track. All the track was loaded on Sunday afternoon and we returned the museum, quite late.
From what I understand trams ceased to run past the depot in October 1946 though the depot ceased to be used by trams many years before.
The rail lifted in Horwich was re-used in the winter of 1978/9 to relay the Chapel Road terminus with two roads, as exists today. As part of that relay the depot fan was reconfigured using the two points removed from inside Horwich depot.
Both Photographs by Tim Major, November 1976
A really interesting piece of history, especially as I was at EATM last weekend
I used to drive past Horwich tram depot frequently on my way to work. I think I even took a few photos. of the exterior.
It says Bolton corporation shed on the front ?
It says ‘Bolton Corporation car shed’; since that is what it was, why do you query it?
It would have been more helpful to explain that the Horwich Depot was actually an outstation depot for the Bolton Corporation system used by cars operating between the two towns. To me Kevin was asking a simple sensible question and didn’t deserve such an offhand answer.
With respect, Steve, my comment was not ‘offhand’, but merely sought to understand the reason for Kevin’s query.
The depot was at the end of Bolton Corporation’s Horwich route, and had a capacity, I believe, of eight cars. I think that it was intended to be used by the last cars on the route each evening, which then became the first cars the following morning, of course!
Not quite to be compared with the 252 car capacity of Manchester’s Queen’s Road!!