Reading’s Trams
Prior to the advent of buses, there was a different mode of transport. A group of innovative local businessmen launched a horse bus service, which, though rudimentary, marked the town’s first foray into public transportation. Then in 1878 the Reading Tramways Company was established. This provided what we would now call an urban mass transit system, better known as the tramway. This talk will explore the origins of the company and the tram routes it established. You will learn about the routes’ locations and their role in offering a novel and affordable means of transportation in Reading, transforming the lives of its residents. The talk will also delve into the connection between the Reading Tramways Company and the Wantage Tramway, which was, in fact, a light railway.
This is the last of three talks in the Transport Talks Series. The other talks take place on 9th March and 13th February. You may book tickets for individual events or for all three talks in the series for a reduced price.
After the talk, tea/coffee and cake will be available (included in the price). Pre-booking is preferred, but you can pay on the door, if there are spaces available.
Image: RCT1 – Walton Adams 1903, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
To book, scroll down.
Date
- Thu 13 Mar 2025
Time
- 14:00 - 15:30
Tickets
- £5.00
Location
- 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3BQ
Organiser
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The Centre - Berkshire FHS
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Email
booking@berksfhs.org.uk -
Website
https://berksfhs.org/branches/
Speaker
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Dr Richard MarksRichard is a published historian based in Berkshire who specialises in industrial, military, and railway history and also the history of science. His current areas of research are industrial development in the Victorian period, the development of the railway and canal systems in Britain in the mid to late 19th Century and the history of British Rail. He has a PhD in economic history. Richard’s book about British Rail Engineering was published by Pen and Sword in early 2024 and a new book is due out later in 2024 about the Wantage Tramway Company.