The Lancashire United Transport Society is a Registered Charity No. 1125835
LANCASHIRE UNITED TRANSPORT
1905 - 1981
On the 6th August 1900, the Royal Assent was given to a private Bill, which saw the incorporation of the South Lancashire Tramways Company. The Bill authorised the Company to construct over 62 miles of tramway lines in the South Lancashire area, but construction was never started, due to difficulty raising the necessary capital. On 29th November 1900 the South Lancashire Electric Traction and Power Company Ltd was registered to acquire the shares of the South Lancashire Tramways Company, and also the shares of the Lancashire Light Railways Company and the South Lancashire Electric Supply Company. The new Company had, itself, an issued share capital of £850,000. Although the Company had intended that the major part of the tramway would be in operation by the end of 1901, construction had only just begun when the year ended, and the first section, from Lowton, via Leigh and Atherton, to Four Lane Ends (where there was a connection with the Bolton system), did not open until 20th October 1902. Five days later, a branch from Atherton to Tyldesley was opened, extended through Hindley Green and Hindley on the 7th February 1903. The northern part of the system was completed on the 4th April 1903 when the line was further extended from Hindley to Haydock, where it connected with the St. Helens system.
By 1905, however, the financial position of the South Lancashire Tramways was dire. In over three years of operation it had receipts of just less than £10,000 and the parent Company, the South Lancashire Electric Traction and Power Company, had gone into voluntary liquidation and was subsequently wound up. On the 29th December 1905, a new company, Lancashire United Tramways Ltd, was registered, and, on 2nd January 1906, purchased the shares of both the South Lancashire Tramways, and the Lancashire Light Railways companies, along with the dormant South Lancashire Electric Supply Co. Ltd.
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