| Walsall Corporation Tramways | |
|---|---|
 Power station on Darlaston Road | |
| Operation | |
| Locale | Walsall |
| Open | 1 January 1904 |
| Close | 30 September 1933 |
| Status | Closed |
| Infrastructure | |
| Track gauge | 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) |
| Propulsion system(s) | Electric |
| Statistics | |
| Route length | 13.51 miles (21.74 km) |
Walsall Corporation Tramways operated a tramway service in Walsall between 1904 and 1930.[1]
Faced with a likely takeover of the South Staffordshire Tramways Company by British Electric Traction, Walsall Corporation made their own agreement with the South Staffordshire Tramways company, and on 1 January, 1901, for the sum of £18,500 (equivalent to £2,136,727 in 2021),[2] Walsall Corpopation became owners of the tramway system. They leased the tramway back to the former company who operated for the next 3 years.
From 1901, contracts were awarded for the modernisation, electrification and extension of the system.
On 3 December, 1903, Lieutenant Colonel Sir Horatio Arthur Yorke carried out an inspection of the new extensions and passed them fit for service. The official opening ceremony took place on 31 December, 1903, when the Mayor, the Council, officials and Justices of the Peace were conveyed in four special cars, covering most of the routes of the new network.
Fifty drivers and fifty conductors were employed to start the corporation services which began on 1 January, 1904.
In June 1905, an agreement was made with the Wolverhampton District Electric Company whereby Walsall Corporation tramcars would be allowed to work over their tracks into the Market Place at Willenhall. A junction was constructed at the Willenhall Board Schools, and Walsall tramcars first ran through to Willenhall Market Place on 19 July, 1905.[3]
1 May, 1907 through running to Wednesbury and Darlaston was begun.
Reduced services were operated in the evenings in 1916 after the Zeppelin raids. In one of these raids by LZ 61 (Zeppelin 'L 21') on 31 January, 1916 tramcar 16 was on Bradford Street with the Mayoress, Mrs. Mary Julia Slater on board. In Bradford Place, a bomb fell and the glass in the car was shattered. The Mayoress was severely injured and died from her injuries on the 20th of February.
In 1920–21, the route from Pinfold to Bloxwich was doubled at a cost of £14,313 (equivalent to £675,554 in 2021).[2] In 1922, the corporation took over responsibility for the lines from Pleck to Wood Green and James Bridge.
The first abandonment took place on 1 April, 1928 when the route to Walsall Wood was converted to motor bus operation.
In 1928 the Wolverhampton District Company routes were sold to the Wolverhampton Corporation Tramways.
The Birmingham Road route was abandoned on 30 September 1928, and the Willenhall route on 4 February 1929. The routes to Darlaston and Wednesbury were abandoned on 5 March 1931.
The last tram operated on 30 September 1933 when No 44 left the Bridge for Bloxwich at 11.15pm. On 1 October 1933 the Walsall trolleybus service opened to the public.