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'''Colombo Tramways, Ceylon'''


The Electric Tramway in Colombo initially covered two routes of 3½ miles(5.6km) each on the [[Rail_gauge|3 feet 6 inch ((1066cm) Gauge]], and operated on double lines on the roads in the town. Five routes in total were planned converging from all parts of the town to a point within the Fort of Colombo ''(see '''Note''')'' .
<br> In 1903 it was recorded that  :-
<br>''“the cars are neat and convenient and are well patronized, the people taking readily to this considering that only two routes in the city are so far served, it is remarkable that a maximum of 25,000 passengers a day has been attained out of a total population of 150,000”'' <ref name=Furg>[https://archive.org/stream/cu31924050044159#page/n406/mode/1up  Archive.com  “Ceylon in 1903 – the progress of the Island since 1803” by John Furguson C.M.G. Vice-President of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society page cxxii pdf407]; Retrieved 21 May 2018</ref>. 
<br>The record states that
<br>''“in 1905 the number of passengers carried was 6,555,338 compared with 6,599,059 during 1904. It seems the tramcars were very popular among the people ”''<ref name=Sunday>[http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2017/10/29/heritage/tramcars-and-trolley-buses-old-colombo Sunday Observer ‘ Tramcars and Trolley Buses in Old Colombo, 29 Oct 2017 Edition]; Retrieved 21 May 2018</ref>. 
[[File:Colombo_City_Tram_c.1899.jpg|thumb|Colombo City Tram – 1899 <br>Artists impression from ‘The Graphic’, 10 Jun 1899.]]
==History==
In 1892 the Colombo Municipal Council called for tenders for the construction of tramways in the city. Three years later a contract was signed with a private sector firm, ‘Boustead Brothers’.
<br>The Colombo Electric Tramways were opened for traffic on January 11, 1900 with the ‘Grand Pass Route’ being the first section to open, followed by the . the ‘Borella (Maradana) Route’. Later most parts of the city was covered  ''(see '''Note''')''  and it became a convenient mode of transport to city dwellers <ref>[http://www.sundaytimes.lk/070902/FunDay/heritage.html ‘Our Tramway Heritage’ Sunday Times, Sri Lanka, 2 Sep 2007 ]; Retrieved 21 May 2018</ref>.
The '''Colombo Electric Tramway and Lighting Co Ltd''' was formed in 1901 to operate the Tramways and generating  electric current for street lighting and other purposes. Between 1927 and 1928 the supply of electricity was taken over by the Government <ref name=lawnet>[https://www.lawnet.gov.lk/1977/12/31/colombo-electric-tramways-and-lighting-co-ltd-appellant-and-commissioner/  Lawnet Sri Lanka “Colombo Electric Tramway and Lighting Co Ltd”]; Retrieved 21 May 2018</ref> .
In 1903 it was recorded that:-
<br>''“A large and rapidly-increasing lighting business is being worked from the power-house through a small sub-station within the Fort of Colombo. A feature of this business is a considerable day load caused by the use of slow speed oar bladed fans, which have entirely superseded the punkah. Arc lamps are now being erected along the main tramway routes, and alternating plant is being put down at the Power Station to serve the Galle Face Hotel, the Club, and the various residential portions of Colombo. When the remaining routes are opened to traffic ''(see '''Note''')'', a possible good business developed along the tramway routes, and the lighting mains extended throughout Colombo, the undertaking will be far the largest and most complete thing of its kind in the East. ”'' <ref name=Furg/>[
In 1929 a tramcar strike occurred and 225 workers including drivers stopped the tram service:-.
<br>''“ A strike by Tramcar Workers on 23 January 1929. The anti-strike measures adopted by Whittal Bousteads which owned the Tramcar Services, resulted in the strikers appealing to the public not to patronise tramcars or purchase goods marketed by the Company. The appeal received the support of the consumers, and the students too joined in support of the workers (a gesture that cannot be expected today). As the strike progressed and especially due to Police harassment of the strikers (not different to what is happening today) the strike spread to other institutions and demonstration followed, resulting in clashes between the Police and the demonstrators. That forced the employers to come to the negotiating table and the strike started by 150 tramcar employees, ended with a negotiated settlement after 13 days.”''<ref>[http://www.dailymirror.lk/28824/father-of-the-labour-movement  ‘Daily Mirror of Sri Lanka, 30 Apr 2014’ “A.E. Goonesinghe – father of the labour movement”]; Retrieved 21 May 2018</ref> .
On 31 Aug 1944 the running of electric tramcars was acquired by the Municipal Council of Colombo <ref name=lawnet/>, and the system was phased out by 1960 <ref name=wiki>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_transport_in_Sri_Lanka#Trams_in_Colombo Wikipedia ‘Trams in Colombo’]; Retrieved 21 May 2018</ref>.
'''''Note''''' Despite the statements that ‘five routes were planned’ and that ‘most parts of the city would be covered’, no records have been found to substantiate further expansion of the Colombo Tramway''
==Tramcars==
The initial Tramcars were single deck and ‘toast-rack’ trolley poles were first used  to pick up the electric power from the overhead cables <ref name=wiki/>, these can be seen in the  image in ‘The Graphic’, 10 Jun 1899. ''Fibis Comment - this is an artist’s impression pre dating the opening of the Tramway'' <ref>[http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00routesdata/1800_1899/dailylife_drawings/ilnviews/tramway1899.jpg Columbia.edu ‘Western Civilisation in the East – The first Tramway in Ceylon” image from  ‘The Graphic’, 10 Jun 1899]; Retrieved 21 May 2018</ref>.  Later ‘closed centre-entry’ trolley poles were used <ref name=wiki/>, ''it seems likely this change was made due to the number of incidents of de-coupling and some accidents''.
[[File:Colombo_City_Tramway.png|thumb|Colombo City Tramway System, as shown on 1914 map]]
==Tramway System==
The original two Tramway Routes are '''shown on map as an ORANGE line''' and graphically described by Henry Cave in his 1910 Illustrated Guide
<ref >[https://archive.org/details/cu31924023977659 “The Ceylon Government Railway: A Descriptive and Illustrated Guide”, 1910, by Henry W Cave M.A., F.R.G.S. Pages 10, 12, 13]; Retrieved on 21 May 2018</ref> as :-
<br>''' ‘Grand Pass Route’'''
*Fort Terminus (opposite Grand Oriental Hotel)
*Coal Depot
*Pettah Market
*Main Street
*St Pauls Church
*New Moon Street
*Messenger Street
*Grand Pass Road
*St Joseph’s College
*Grand Pass
*River Kelani
''' ‘Borella Tramway’'''
*Fort Terminus (opposite Grand Oriental Hotel)
*York Street
*Chatham Street
*North Road
*Fort Railway Station
*Lake and Royal College
*Ferry terminal to Captain’s Garden
*Railway Goods Station
*Technical College
*Pass over railway at Maradana Junction (connection with [[Ceylon Government Railway]] - ‘Coast Route’ and ‘Kelani Valley Route’)
*Police Headquarters
*Maradana Road
*Borella
== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Railways]]
[[Category:Tramways]]

Latest revision as of 17:57, 30 December 2020

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