The photograph shows a Oldham Corporation steam tram of 1889,

I did a quick web search but found very little information on this type

of tram.

Can anybody help out with any info on the maker, spec or anything

else that may be of interest.

Thanks,

Bert.

Edited By BERT ASHTON on 23/03/2013 09:39:40

Hello Mr Ashton

Thank you for sending through the copy of the image, it was very helpful in working out what type of steam tram it was.

The steam tram in your picture was one of the Manning, Wardle & Co, engines supplied to the Manchester, Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramways Company in 1885. Manning, Wardle & Co. only supplied three engines to the company and they were numbered 52 – 54. This type of steam tram was considered to have a bit of clumsy appearance due to the large water tank on the roof, in which the exhaust steam was condensed. The engine was also known to have a horizontal boiler and inside cylinders 8 ½ in by 14 in, Stephenson shifting link gear, regulator, reversing gear and hand brakes at each end.

The steam tram engine in your picture was paired with what looks like one of the cars built by the Falcon Car and Engine Co. (later Brush Electric Engineering) and was one of the ones which was fitted with a canopy cover to the upper deck.

As a side note Manning , Wardle & Co are credited with having been the first company to build an independent tramway locomotive, when they built two tramway locomotives in 1867 for the Pernambuco tramways in Brazil. They were ordinary locomotives with a horizontal boiler and two cylinders, but the difference was that they enclosed the whole machine in a cab and exhaust steam was condensed by admission to a saddle tank, hence the form of steam tram which can be seen in your photograph, of separate engine cab, with connecting tramcar vehicle.

I hope the information is helpful for you.

Kind Regards

Laura Waters