An Aerospace Museum is probably the last place you would expect to find an old horse tram but that is exactly where the sole surviving Bristol Tramways horse can be found with in a partially restored condition.
The Bristol Tramways system was operated by a private company throughout its over 65 year history and whilst it ended in 1941 with a network of electric tram routes, in 1875 when it opened it was operated by a fleet of horse trams. The first horse tram route started running on 9th August 1875 and ran for around 1.5 miles from Perry Road to Blackboy Hill, Redland. The network expanded over the years and its horse tram years saw it reach 9.1 miles with extensions opening in 1876, 1879, 1880 and 1892. It wasn’t solely horse trams though as there were experiments with steam power. Electrification started in 1895 with the final routes closing in 1941 after bomb damage during the Second World War.
The horse tram at the Bristol Aerospace Museum is not identified and is a half and half restoration with one side being fully cosmetically restored and the other is as found condition. This is the side that has been restored in the Bristol blue and white livery. Note that the tram does not stand on a truck and that unlike in many museums across the land there is no fake horse for company!
And this is the unrestored side. The tram was constructed by Milnes in the 1890s. (Both Photographs by John Moore, 12th June 2023)
Is it not an electric trailer not a Horse tram? I’m sure it was identified as such when discovered.
It is a horse drawn tram as shown at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cisioX31uvc, but the museum cannot accurately tell visitors its number. Believed to be ODT–/18 built by Wilkes possibly in 1895
There’s plenty of examples of horse cars used as trailers with electric trams, though the text in Ken’s second link suggests the other way around in this case – bought as a trailer but used as a horse tram because it was too heavy for the motor cars.
So, I reckon you’re both right!
Being used the other way round wasn’t common but did happen. Blackpool had 2 trailers which weren’t permitted to be used so ended up as horse cars briefly and there was a period where all the Conduit trams ended up being pulled by horses, sans motors.
you may also like the horse tram at https://museums.bristol.gov.uk/details.php?irn=139059 which was used as a trailer
So I was correct, its an electric trailer as built. Its much too large to be an original Horse car. Is your second link the same vehicle or another one? Trailers converted to Horse power. One wonders how the poor horses coped if they were too heavy as electric trailers!
Having been off line for a week and now catching up, the 2 Bristol trams are different ones within 1 each of 2 of the city’s museums