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<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 impressionfrom ‘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’.
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 ''(see Note)'' 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of this business is a considerable day load caused by the use of slow speed oar bladed fans, which have entirely superseded the punkah.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:-.
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 1914map]]
==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
