Gateshead and District Tramways

The Gateshead and District Tramways Company began operating steam hauled trams in 1883. The company was taken over by British Electric Traction in 1897 [1] and began the electrification and modernisation of the system a couple of years later. Electric trams began running in 1901. One major problem with the network was a low bridge near Gateshead station which precluded the use of double decker trams on some of the routes. Thus over half the eventual electric fleet of sixty seven cars were single deckers.

As normal single bogie single decker trams struggled with demand the company began to operate extra long double bogied single decker trams, similar to the adjacent Newcastle network, which could carry forty eight passengers seated and officially up to forty standing passengers (though more were carried in practice!)

Information for home built single deckers
Built:	1923-1928
Builder:	Gateshead and District Tramways
Motor:	2 Dick Kerr DK31A electric motors (DC OHLE)
Power:	100 hp (75 kW)

After buying earlier trams from elsewhere the company began building their own trams with Dick Kerr electrical equipment in the 1920s at their Sunderland Road Works. These cars remained in service until 1951 when the system was shut down. Nineteen cars were sold to the British Railways owned Grimsby & Immingham Electric Railway and continued working until that system was closed in 1961. Two of the home built tramcars were preserved after being withdrawn by British Railways and have been restored to their Gateshead and District Tramways Company livery.

Gateshead No. 5 preserved at Crich

The tram was restored back to Gateshead livery in the 1960s

[1] Charles Klapper, The Golden Age of Tramways (David & Charles, 1974) p. 130