385:, England was awarded the contract for construction of the Madras Tramway in 1893, but several problems were encountered. Charles Herbert Gadsby took over the tramway in Dec 1894 and remained until Apr 1896. Trial runs began in Feb 1895 and public service started on 7 May 1895 with seven cars . On 31 May 1900 the ‘Electrical Construction Company’ as contactor-turned-operator bought out other shareholders and placed William Thom as Manager. He turned the business round and on 16 Mar 1904 a new company ‘Madras Electrical Tramway(1904)’ was formed. At this point there was 9¼ miles(15 km) of route, 3 acre depot site, 45 cars. By 1905 the route had risen to 13.25 miles(21 km) and
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In the late 1940s, the company which ran the system claimed a loss of Rs 50,000 every month. The government took over the electricity company and raised the charges, nullifying a 50-year-old contract. On July 29, 1949, the company had submitted a petition to the
Minister for Public Works, complaining
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The letter also pointed out how the company had begun to work at a loss, was unable to pay any dividend and how its financial condition had deteriorated progressively. The government disagreed. so due to uncontrollable losses on 12 April 1953, Madras
Electric Tramways co. was closed and to cater one
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for carrying road materials from St Thomas Mount. No costing was submitted and the Madras
Gazette of 4 May 1836 had enquired why this project was taking place. The reply dated 19 September 1838 dismissed the proposal as a quotation was not attached and as there was no savings to be made. The scheme
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so was a fair trial. It was useful with the public facilitating the haulage across what was in some parts a heavy bed of sand". The cost quoted differed at Rs1539 for the length of track. This meant a calculated Rs11,880 per mile (1.6 km). There was evidence that the sets had moved and over a
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By 1886 the line was assessed as a dismal failure and narrowly escaped being scrapped. In that year ‘The Indian
Engineer’ reported moves to construct an electric tramway. Nothing happened until 1891 when Madras Municipality offered a concession to Messrs Hutchinson of London, who registered the
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In the reply the
Directors requested a report from the Military Board on the feasibility of the experiment. In the engineer's report Lieutenant Robertson says the engineer escorted the Superintendent of Roads to review the tramway. A length of stone tramway 684ft (0.12Km) had been built
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from 1837 to 1842. The proposal was to construct a stone tramway on the existing bridge, presumably to convey carts pulled by bullock and extended over existing roads. A short length was constructed but in 1843 the experiment was abandoned.
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First tramway in Madras which was many years later in 1892 with the formation of The Madras
Electric Tramway Co Ltd. The construction of the first track commenced in 1894 and the first tramway section opened for use in May 1895.
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Trams in Madras (Chennai) were operated between the docks and the inland areas, carrying goods and passengers. At its height in 1921, there were 97 cars running on 24 km of track. However, the tram company went
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longer route would be costly to maintain. A suggestion that causeways would be cheaper and more easily maintained . These facts unfortunately put an end to the experiment and the
Directors declined to continue.
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The Madras
Electric Tramway Co Ltd was formed in 1892. The construction of the first track commenced in 1894 and the first tramway section opened for use in May 1895. it was the first
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were operated by the government and finally the tram tracks were not dismantled, later they were being vanished by successful laying and replacement of roads.
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It would appear that Madras were experiencing problems in crossing unstable ground and river beds and were developing solutions using temporary tracks.
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in 1857 for ‘experiments for using tramways instead of common roads were being carried out in the Madras
Territories and may be used in the
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By 1842 a letter to the Court of
Directors of the East India Company requested payment of Rs1817.15 for the construction of the tramway.
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about the increased charges, and pointing out how it had been carrying one lakh citizens of Madras daily at cheap rates for years.
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Please help improve this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed.
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In 1842 a proposal was put forward to provide a stone tramway to connect south Madras to the outlying districts of
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https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2020/04/26171320/1227022/The-day-the-trams-stopped-chugging-for-Madrass-one-.vpf}
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track was opened for passenger service. The line of patent modular design was laid by J E & A Dawson.
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In 1936 a submission was made from the Government in Madras to the Directors of
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525:"The day the trams stopped chugging for Madras's one lakh daily commuters"
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was the former organization that was responsible for building the first
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607:"The Vanished 'Gentleman' of the Road — Remembering the Madras Tram"
582:"Memories of bygone days when chiming trams meandered Madras roads"
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362:‘Madras Electrical Tramway Company’ in London on 2 April 1892. The
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An image of an electric tram operated by Madras Electric Tramways
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to 51 and by 1924 the system had grown to 26 miles(42 km).
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concerning two projects. One was the project to build a
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entered service in Madras when 11 miles(17 km) of
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The Madras Tramway Proposals were put forward by the
397:about 1950 and the system closed on 12 April 1953.
309:had been constructed about 1840 during the time of
632:"When Chennai Travelled at 7 kmph | Chennai Memes"
378:system in India. Its activities expanded in 1904.
780:Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST)
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555:"Remembering tales of trams' days in Chennai"
489:"When trams on rails dominated Chennai roads"
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330:Madras Electric Tramways Ticket with Routes
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836:Tram, urban railway and trolley companies
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381:The ‘Electrical Construction Company’ of
57:Learn how and when to remove this message
831:Metropolitan transport agencies of India
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851:Indian companies disestablished in 1953
366:proposed 18 miles of track to be laid.
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580:Mohapatra, Samhati (11 August 2019).
846:Indian companies established in 1874
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405:lakh public needs, additionally 50
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99:Madras Electric Tramways Co Ltd.
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785:Calcutta Tramways Company (CTC)
531:. 26 April 2020. Archived from
487:Kolappan, B. (25 August 2013).
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790:Cochin State Forest Tramway
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841:Companies based in Chennai
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259:Proposal for Madras Trams
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370:Madras Electric Tramways
251:in India in the city of
172:Madras Electric Tramways
816:Tram transport in India
29:Some of this article's
559:The New Indian Express
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611:www.madrasmusings.com
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821:Transport in Chennai
535:on 27 September 2021
419:Transport in Chennai
463:"TramViews of Asia"
634:. 19 February 2016
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315:Governor of Madras
307:Elphinstone Bridge
279:East India Company
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438:"Trams in Madras"
265:Madras Government
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120:Madras Presidency
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203:Electrification
161:Ended operation
153:Began operation
140:Daily ridership
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734:Chennai Tram
713:Kolkata Tram
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636:. Retrieved
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614:. Retrieved
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533:the original
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130:Transit type
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759:Nashik Tram
754:Mumbai Tram
744:Kanpur Tram
586:The Federal
356:metre gauge
303:Adyar River
213:Trolleypole
196:Metre gauge
191:Track gauge
169:Operator(s)
104:Area served
34:may not be
810:Categories
764:Patna Tram
749:Kochi Tram
739:Delhi Tram
425:References
364:prospectus
350:In 1874 a
313:, who was
305:named the
223:System map
47:March 2021
773:Companies
529:dtNext.in
501:0971-751X
493:The Hindu
207:550 V DC
177:Technical
148:Operation
638:18 March
616:18 March
591:18 March
565:18 March
539:18 March
506:18 March
472:18 March
447:18 March
413:See also
395:bankrupt
340:monsoons
299:Mylapore
295:Santhome
249:tramways
91:Overview
36:reliable
722:Defunct
706:Current
322:History
287:tramway
499:
407:Busses
283:London
269:Punjab
253:Madras
116:Madras
112:Locale
107:Madras
652:{url=
124:India
96:Owner
640:2021
618:2021
593:2021
567:2021
541:2021
508:2021
497:ISSN
474:2021
449:2021
297:and
185:24km
156:1874
134:Tram
281:in
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