Northampton Tram System

The first trams in Northampton were horse drawn and were inaugurated in 1881. The 3ft 6in gauge tramway was ran from the town centre at All Saints and headed up Abington Street and along Kettering Road to the Kingsley Park Hotel. It ran west down Gold Street and on to St James' End heading out of the town.

Northbound the route followed St Georges Terrace, Kingsthorpe Hollow and into Kingsthorpe. This part of the system was extended around 1883 and in 1884 the St James' route was extended along the Weedon Road heading out towards what is now Sixfields. A further extension was incorporated an 1893 along the Wellingborough Road out towards Weston Favell.

In 1897 the Town council took over the Tram system for the sum of £38,700. This included a delivery of 21 tramcars, 3 buses and 100 horses and associated land and buildings.

By 1904 the four main routes had been electrified and the St James depot (now the bus depot) was also built at that time. A fifth route out to Far Cotton was opened in 1914 and the trams ran through to 1934.

The demise of the trams is largely due to the steady introduction of buses from around 1929.

There are two Tram stops in Northampton that have been preserved which are rare examples. One is one corner of the Racecourse near the White Elephant pub and the second on central grass area on Kingsthorpe Grove near to Waitrose and Asda.