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Trams
The Reading Tramways Company was formed in 1878 to build and operate
two and a half miles of tramway between Wilson Road and Cemetery Junction.
The Tramway was opened in 1879 using horse drawn Trams. Six single deck
cars were at first used with twenty minutes between services, but there
were many passengers that more cars were soon bought and some given
an open top deck. Some 31 horses were needed for the service: although
only 1 horse pulled each car the horses had to be regularly rested.
Later more cars were bought and it became common for 2 horses to pull
each car, especially when some cars were given seating on the roof,
making them open top double deckers.
In 1899 Reading Council bought the tramway after deciding to convert
the system to electric trams. More routes were also planned. The Council
took over the running of the horse trams, with The Reading Corporation
Tramways painted on the side.
In the final days of the horse trams, in 1903, the brakes of a tram
failed going down King Street.The tram rolled down Kings Road, over
Crown Bridge, past Huntley and Palmers factory and was only halted by
the steep climb of Factory Bridge next to Huntley and Palmers. It then
rolled backwards down the bridge finishing at Watlington Street.
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