The Andrews Pages Images Index> Images, Elsewhere> This page Bank Road and the Tram At the beginning of the twentieth century Matlock proudly boasted that it had the steepest tramway in the world. For 34 years between 1893 and 1927 a cable tramway connected Crown Square with Smedley Street and Rutland Street. The single line tramway - with one passing place by the Gate Inn - went straight up Bank Road and on to the junction of Rutland Street and Wellington Street. Bank Road, or 'The Bank' as it is now often referred to, was known as Dob(b) Lane before 1891. The gradient is approximately 1 in 5½ and the tramway rose 300 feet along its course.   The following onsite info may also be of interest About Matlock Biographies Find a Name Images of Matlock Newspaper Cuttings A postcard of Bank Road dating from about 1920, looking down the hill towards Crown Square. This shows the tramlines and a tram is just visible at the bottom of the hill. The road is wider here, but was not a passing point for the trams. The idea of the tramway came from San Francisco. A local man, the stetson wearing Job Smith, had seen the tramway in San Francisco in 1862 when he was visiting California. A few years later when he returned to Matlock he tried, unsuccessfully, to interest John Smedley in the idea. It was not until 1892 that Sir George Newnes of Matlock Bath, who had built a cliff railway in Lynton, North Devon, offered to finance the project. A limited company was formed and the directors were: Sir George Newnes Mr. Robert Wildgoose of Matlock Mr. Job Smith of Matlock Mr. Charles Rowland of Matlock Dr. W. Bell Hunter of Matlock Mr. Charles Hill of Bridge House, Cromford Mr. G. Croydon Marks of Birmingham Biographies of Job Smith & Sir George Newnes Information about Robert Wildgoose & his wife   'The tramway from Crown square, near the Bridge, to Matlock bank, constructed, with the assistance of Sir George Newnes bart. under the provision of the "Tramways Act, 1870," was opened 28 March, 1893 ; the tramway, worked by a single cable, is three-quarters of a mile in length and the gradient probably the steepest in the world.' "Kelly's Directory of the Counties of Derby, Leicester, Rutland & Nottingham" (1908), pub. Kelly and Co., London (p. 321) The trams were double deckers, with open tops and external stairs to the upper deck. The driver wore a uniform although it didn't include the provision of a winter coat, so his job wouldn't have been much fun in cold or wet weather. As for the seating, apparently one tramcar had seats that ran the length of the tram, rather than going from side to side across the width. This caused some interesting mishaps for the passengers who slid to the rear of the coach on the way up and to the front on the way downhill! Needless to say, this design quirk was modified! It cost double to travel uphill, but then it is easier to walk down. So passengers were charged a penny to go down, but the price of a ticket rose to tuppence for the return. Needless to say, there were fare dodgers (and children) who clung on to the outside and the tram also proved to be an excellent way for the youngsters to get back up to the top of the sledging run in snowy conditions, as they tied their sledges to the back for the journey up the hill. The sledgers took a different route down to central Matlock, going down from outside the Duke of Wellington pub via the Chesterfield Road (Lime Tree Hill) and Steep Turnpike. No sense in colliding with one of the trams. This 1903 postcard of Crown Square shows the tram and tram shelter, with the Crown Hotel behind the shelter. The shops on the left are (from the left) Richard Hilton's tailors and drapers and next door is that of Hodgson Genn Hartley who was a saddler and cycle agent Although the project was clearly still successful in 1903, the tram started to lose money when cars, buses and lorries came into use. The war years did not help the town's economy either. So the pride of Matlock turned into a bit of a millstone, though it struggled on until 1927. There was quite a heated exchange of opinions through the letters pages of "The Derbyshire Times" newspaper about the Council's decision to close down the Tram.   'Two engines were erected, each of a sufficient power to work the line, the motive cable of which is driven by large wheels worked from the engine crank shaft. ... Its cost was £20,000. It has proved a source of profit and income to the district.' Bryan, Benjamin (1903) "History of Matlock - Matlock, Manor and Parish" London by Bemrose & Sons, Limited, p. 238 A Mr. Skidmore, a London solicitor who had been born in Matlock and often visited the town, used some fairly strong words to voice his opposition to the council's proposals. His was not a lone voice. Mr Charles White, however, clearly did not like someone he considered to be an outsider expressing his view and robustly defended their decision. Once the Council had voted to discontinue running the tram and underwriting the cost through the rates - on 23rd Sep 1927 - the matter resolved itself within a week. On Friday 30th Sep 1927 the story persists that the cable broke.   The tram lines are no longer visible, but some of the company's buildings are still to be found in Matlock. The stone built tram depôt, engine house and waiting room is just below Rockside (the old Hydro), on the corner of Rutland and Wellington Street and is now a garage. The tram shelter with the clock on top, which was given to the town by Robert Wildgoose in 1899, is also still a notable presence. The building was originally in the middle of Crown Square - as shown on the postcard above - but was moved to the side of the Square into Hall Ley's Park once the trams had ceased to run. The photograph on the left, taken on an October afternoon, shows the shelter as it is now. If you can find a copy to read, M. J. Arkle wrote an interesting booklet entitled "Tuppence Up, Penny Down", pub. M. J. Arkle (1983), printed by Geo. Hodgkinson (Printers) Ltd. There are also photos of the tram in several picture books about Matlock. More details of this book are onsite In the 1901 census some people connected with the tram were living on the Bank: Chas. Foster was a Mechanical and Electrical Tramway Engineer and living on Wellington Street Charles Killick, described as a Cable Train Driver on the Tram, was in New Street George Hallam was also a Driver and lived on Matlock Bank John Parker, a Conductor on Tram, was also living in New Street Teenager Percy Ballington was also a Conductor and lived with his family on Matlock Bank Claremont, Matlock, and Mr. Rowland - Charles Rowland was one of the company directors See the onsite extracts/refererences from the London Gazette about the tram 1890 and 1892 in 1898 Postcard scans © Ann Andrews and part of my private collection. Information researched by and © Ann Andrews Tram shelter photograph kindly provided by and © Paul Kettle. Intended for personal use only © 1996 - Ann Andrews (click link to contact). All Rights Reserved. Last Update: 27 February, 2008 About and Conditions of Use | Site Map, Matlock | Part of The Andrews Pages - www.andrewspages.dial.pipex.com