The Barrow-in-Furness Tramways Company operated a steam-powered tram service from 11th July 1885 until electrification in 1904. Using a 4 ft (1.219 m) gauge, the tramway reached Ramsden Dock by 1886 and continued expanding through the electric era to locations such as Bigger Bank. Ultimately, on 5th April 1932 the tramway network was closed in favour of buses. [1]
From 1876 to 1901 the Kitson built over 300 steam tram engines and steam railmotor units, which were developed from a design by W. R.Rowan. [6][7]
The tramway network connected the town centre with areas like Ramsden Dock (1886) and eventually extended to Biggar Bank on Walney Island in 1911. After the network was bought by British Electric Traction, the company embarked on a modernisaton programme and the network saw its first electric service in 1904. [1]
Barrow-in-Furness Corporation took over operation of the service on 1st January 1920 at a cost of £96,250 (close to £5 million in 2026). Technological advancements in the form of petrol and diesel powered buses resulted in the closure of the tramway, with the last service running on 5th April 1932. [1]
The Network in 1899/1890
The steam tram network appears on the 1889/1890 6″ Ordnance Survey which was published in 1895. Three element can be identified:
1. Priors Lea to Ramsden Dock Station
One axis of the steam tramway appears to have run from Priors Lea in the North to Ramsden Dock in the South via Ramsden Square. … The route appears on the next eight extracts from the 6″Ordnance Survey of 1889/1990 which was published in 1895.
At the Priors Lee terminus, Top-right a tram engine had to run round its carriage. [5]The same length of Abbey Road in the 21st century, as shown above. [Google Maps, February 2026]Looking South on Abbey Road approximately at the location of the old tramway terminus. [Google Streetview, November 2024]Trams ran up and down Abbey Road. [5]The same length of Abbey Road in the 21st century, as shown above. [Google Maps, February 2026]A Methodist Chapel and Congregational Chapel sat to the West of the line. [5]A similar length of Abbey Road. [Google Maps, February 2026]Travelling South down Abbey Road. [Google Streetview, November 2024]The line crossed Abbey Road Bridge, with the Station a short distance away to the Northwest. [5]A similar length of Abbey Road in the 21st century. [Google Maps, February 2026]Looking Southwest along Abbey Road. Ahead is the bridge carrying the road over the railway. [Google Streetview, November 2024]At Ramsden Square the tramway turned Southeast along Duke Street. [5]Abbey Road, Ramsden Square, Duke Street and the very top of Michaelson’s Bridge Road. [Google Streetview, February 2026]The approach to Ramsden Square along Abbey Road. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Having turned left into Duke Street, trams continued in. Southeasterly direction. [Google Streetview, May 2022]A roundabout now sits at the top end of Michaelson Road. Trams would have been confined by the road layout of earlier time and swept round to the right on the near side of the modern roundabout. [Google Streetview, May 2022]It then turned Southwest along Michaelson Bridge Road [5]Michaelson Road Bridge carried the Tramway across the Devonshire & Buccleuch Docks. [Google Maps, February 2026]Looking South along the line of the old tramway across Michaelson Bridge. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Further South down Michaelson Road trams turned to the left into Ramsden Dock Road. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Trams ran along Ramsden Dock Road from its right-angle junction with Michaelson Road. [5]Approximately the same area in 21st century. [Google Maps, February 2026]Trams followed Ramsden Dock Road sweeping round to the South. [Google Streetview, May 2022]A relatively sharp curve to the right followed Ramsden Dock Road after the road had bridged the dock railways. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Ramsden Dock Road has now been closed to traffic. This photograph in 2009 appears to have been taken as the work to close the road was underway. [Google Streetview, April 2009]The steam tram served Ramsden Dock Station at its Southern terminal, where a loop was provided to obviate the need for the steam tram to run past its carriage. [5]The same length of the route of the old tramway as is shown on the above map extract. [Google Maps, February 2026]This final photograph faces South along the line of the old tramway towards the location of Ramsden Dock Station. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
2. A Line to Roose Station
A line left the route to Ramsden Dock Station at the North end of Michaelson Road, continuing Southeast on Duke Street and then along Strand to Cambridge Hall Mechanics Institute where it turned Northeast.
This tramway route ran along Duke Street and Strand to Cambridge Hall Mechanics Institute and the old Strand Station where it turned Northeast at St. George Square. [5]The roads mentioned above still remain – Duke Street, Strand. St. George’s Square still exists but Salthouse Road now runs through it to meet Strand. [Google Maps, February 2026]Duke Street immediately beyond the roundabout. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Duke Street meets Strand, the tramway ran round to the left, almost straight on. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Further along Strand with the old railway station in the distance. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Trams turned from Strand onto Salthouse Road. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
The tramway then ran along Salthouse Road on the North side of the Furness Railway Works.
From St. George’s Square the line ran along Salthouse Road on the North side of the Railway Works. [5]The area of Furness Railway Works appears to be underdevelopment in this image. Salthouse Road runs across the top of the site. [Google Maps, February 2026]Salthouse Road with the old Furness Railway Works on the right. The rod curves round to the right. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Further East on Salthouse Road. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Close to the Vulcan Foundry was a tramway depot on the South side of Salthouse Road. The tramway then passed under the viaduct carrying the line Northwest from St. Luke’s Junction to Barrow Central Station. [5]The same area in the 21st century. A housing estate sits on the site of the Vulcan Steel & Forge Works. [Google Maps, February 2026]The tramway depot on the South side of Salthouse Road, as it appears on the 1910 25″ Ordnance Survey. [8]The Viaduct carrying the railway from what was St. Luke’s Junction, Northwest towards Barrow Central Station. Google Streetview, May 2022]St. Luke’s Junction is bottom left of this next map extract, St Luke’s Church is at the right side of the image. The tramway continues Northeast up Roose Road. [5]The same location in the 21st century. [Google Maps, February 2026]Further East, the old tramway ran ahead along Roose Road. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Further East the tramway continued along Roose Road. [Google Streetview, May 2022]The tramway continued East on Roose Road. [5]The same area in the 21st century. [Google Maps, February 2026]Continuing along Roose Road. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Approaching Roose Station and the terminus of the tramway, the road and tramway turned Northeast before bridging athe railway at the South end of Roose Railway Station. A loop was provided to allow a steam tram to run round its carriage. [5]The final length of the tramway was on Roose Road. The terminus was to the East of the railway line and Roose Station. [Google Maps, February 2026]Roose Road bends round towards the Northeast. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Approaching the location of Roose Station, the road curves back towards the East a crosses a railway bridge. Google Streetview, May 2022]The location of the tramway terminus, the photograph is taken facing away from Barrow in an East-northeast direction. Google Streetview, May 2026]
3. A Short Line Serving the Steelworks
Just two map extracts are all that is needed to cover the length of this short line which ran along Duke Street between the Steelworks and Ramsden Square.
A triangular junction was formed at the Northwest end of Duke Street. A short length of tramway with its mid-point at the junction with Duke Street, ran North-South on Walney Road outside the Steelworks. From there the line ran Southeast along Duke Street. [5]The line continued Southeast on Duke Street and met the wider tramway network at Ramsden Square. [5]
The full length of the line is shown on modern mapping below. ….
The old tramway ran from Walney Road to Ramsden Square along Duke Street. [Google Maps, February 2026]The View Northwest along Duke Street towards the junction at Walney Road. In times past this view would have been dominated by the Steelworks and no doubt shrouded in a pall of smoke. Google Streetview, May 2022]A view along Duke Street, facing Southeast towards Ramsden Square. [Google Streetview, May 2022]Looking Southeast along Duke Street close to Ramsden Square. [Google Streetview, May 2022]
Changes Immediately After Electrification
The short line along Duke Street serving the Steelworks does not feature on the 1910/1911 25″Ordnance Survey published in 1911/1913.
A new tramway line left Michaelson Road at its junction with Bridge Road. The surface of Bridge Road was littered with a whole series of different lines. The tramway sat on the North side of the road and ran on Northwest into Ferry Road, terminating opposite the Walney Bridge Approach Road.
Summary
Steam powered trams in Barrow-in-Furness, like elsewhere we’re a relatively short-lived phenomenon which last only until electrical technology had advanced sufficiently to be used on street networks.
“Kitsons entered the steam tramway locomotive field in 1876 building some combined steam cars to W.R. Rowan’s design. In 1878 they built three to their own design with vertical boilers, four coupled wheels and inclined outside cylinders. Motion was by means of a modified version of Walschaerts valve gear. All was enclosed in bodywork and the wheels and motions were surrounded by protective plates. The condensing system was placed on the roof and consisted of a series of copper tubes through which the exhaust steam passed, the surrounding air cooling the steam and the condensate returning to the feed water tank. After many trials it was decided to replace the vertical boiler by a horizontal type and this was standardised for future steam trains. Various types of condensers were tried and the final type was a series of arched transverse tubes which were a great improvement.
In Kitson’s patent valve-gear, a modification of Walschaert’s valve gear, the ends of a floating lever are linked to the crosshead, the valve-spindle, and intermediately at a point near the valve-spindle; the lever is pinned to the radius-link, which receives its rocking movement through an arm linked to the coupling rod. The motion of the valve and its spindle is a compound of two movements: one, a movement directly the inverse of that of the piston, on a reduced scale, for the lead; the other a reduced duplicate of the vertical movement of the coupling rod, to open the port for steam” (D. K. Clark Tramways, their construction and working, 2nd Ed., 1894).
More than 300 units were built and besides supplying many to the tramway systems of the British Isles, others were sent to New Zealand. Australia and the continent. The last one built was in 1901 for the Portstewart Tramway (Works No. T302). Work numbers for tram locomotives were kept separate and bore a prefix T.”, via, https://steamindex.com/manlocos/kitsons.htm, accessed on 16th February 2026.
Roger Farnworth 
