Catalogue description Tramways Inspection: Registers

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Details of MT 94
Reference: MT 94
Title: Tramways Inspection: Registers
Description:

This series consists of records of the Railway Inspectorate of the Board of Trade and, from 1919, the Ministry of Transport. They contain summary details of inspections of sections of urban tramways arising out of orders under the Tramways Act 1870 and the Light Railways Act 1896.

The records consist of registers of three tramways and two light railways (i.e. urban tramways) Each contains the name of the tramway or light railway inspected and the date of the relevant order; a description of the section inspected; the signature of the inspecting officer and date and paper number of related correspondence.
Date: 1871-1949
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Board of Trade, Railway Inspectorate, 1870-1919

Light Railways Commission, 1896-1922

Ministry of Transport, Railway Inspectorate, 1919-1941

Ministry of Transport, Railway Inspectorate, 1946-1953

Ministry of War Transport, Railway Inspectorate, 1941-1946
Physical description: 5 volume(s)
Immediate source of acquisition:

In 1980 Department of Transport
Administrative / biographical background:

The Light Railways Act 1896 attempted to facilitate the construction and working of light railways and came increasingly to be used for tramways in urban areas because their construction was less costly than tramways and the promoters' obligations were less burdensome under this Act than under the Tramways Act 1870. Application for power to construct light railways might be made by county, borough or district councils to the Light Railway Commission, which was established under the 1896 Act and authorised to issue the requisite orders.

Under the Tramways Act 1870, provisional orders authorising the construction of tramways could be obtained either by the local authority or by persons or companies with the consent of the local authority. Final approval of the order lay with the Board of Trade. Tramways in general were to be constructed and maintained in the middle of the road and were to be flush with the road surface and have a minimum distance between the outside edge of the pavement and the nearest tram rail.

Under the Ministry of Transport Act 1919, the powers of the Board of Trade with respect to tramways were transferred to the Ministry of Transport; the powers of the Light Railway Commission with respect to light railways were similarly transferred by the Railways Act 1921.

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