 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transport |
| Founded | 1880 |
Key people | John Greenwood |
The Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company was incorporated in 1880, the result of a merger of the Manchester Suburban Tramways Company and the Manchester Carriage Company, to provide horse-drawn tram services throughout Manchester and Salford, England, and surrounding districts.[1] Although the Tramways Act 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. 78) authorised local authorities to construct tramways, it prevented them from operating tram services, so the tramways were leased out to private companies who operated them on their behalf.[2] Those companies also had the right to construct their own tramways.
At its greatest extent, in 1900, the Manchester Carriage and Tramways Company operated services over 140 route miles, using 515 trams and 5,244 horses housed in 19 depots across the region. The company continued to operate tram services until the end of March 1903, shortly after which it went into liquidation.