| Administrative History | Aberdeen District Tramways Company first placed an advertisment of its proposed tram services in the 'Aberdeen Journal' in 1871. It was unable to raise the required capital locally and secured backing from the London tramway agent, Ashurst, Morris & Company. In return for this investment the London company gained the right to nominate half the directors. The tramways opened to the public in August, 1874. Aberdeen tramcars were first run on Union Street etc. from St Nicholas Street to Queen's Cross. The George Street line to Calsayseat Road opened in 1880, Great Western Road and Mannofield in 1883. All these were originally single lines, but all were doubled in 1883. In 1898 the Town Council decided to run tramway cars by electricity. Electric cars were tested on the Woodside route on November13th 1899 and the electrified service on the route was opened on December 23rd, 1899. The electrification of the entire system was completed on June 2nd, 1902.
The Board of Directors of the District Tramways Company originally had eight members, which was reduced to 5 in 1898. The Company was largely the creation of Lachlan MacKinnon Sr (1820- 1899 ), who was Company Secretary from 1872 to 1894, and Director from 1894 to 1898. Day-to-day management was under the remit of the Tramways Superintendent, the longest serving of whom was David Moonie, who also continued in his post with the Aberdeen Corporation. From January 1893 the Superintendent was assisted by a traffic inspector. The list of first directors was as follows:
Alexander M. Ogston of Ardoe (Chairman)
John Cook (Shipowner)
John Moir Clark (Merchant)
J.C. Couper of Craigiebuckler
James Chalmers of Westburn
Thomas Douglas of Airyhall
George Jamieson of Drumgarth
James Walker (Merchant)
The terms of purchase of the Company by the Corporation were embodied in the Aberdeen Corporation Tramways Act of 1898.
For further details see 'The Aberdeen District Tramways' by M.J. Mitchell & I.A. Souter (N.B. Traction, Dundee), 1983. |