Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transport |
| Predecessor | Mexborough & Swinton Tramways Company |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Fate | Merged into Yorkshire Traction in 1969 |
| Headquarters | West Riding of Yorkshire , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | West Riding of Yorkshire (including Manvers Main Colliery, Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham, Rawmarsh, Swinton, Mexborough, Conisbrough, Conanby) |
| Products | Tramway and trolleybus services |
| Parent | British Electric Traction Group (from 1931) |
The Mexborough and Swinton Traction Company was the title adopted in 1929 by the Mexborough & Swinton Tramways Company following the comprehensive introduction of trolleybus services across all routes. Operating within the West Riding of Yorkshire, its network served locations such as Manvers Main Colliery, Wath upon Dearne, and towns including Rotherham, Rawmarsh, Swinton, Mexborough, Conisbrough, and the residential area at Conanby.
Originally opened in 1907, the tramway was owned by the National Electric Construction Co. It later became a component of the British Electric Traction Group in 1931.
History
Parliament authorised a tramway connecting Rotherham, Mexborough, Swinton, and Denaby through the Mexborough and Swinton Tramways Act 1902 (2 Edw. 7. c. ccxxx). The National Electric Construction Co Ltd built this line, with operations managed by its subsidiary, the Mexborough and Swinton Tramways Company, commencing in 1907. Trams ran over Rotherham Corporation’s tracks at the Rotherham terminus. An initial attempt to operate without rails occurred in 1910 using a hired Thornycroft charabanc between Mexborough and Denaby Main Colliery Village, extending to Wath via Manvers Main Colliery; however, objections from Mexborough Council terminated this service.
In 1912, the company pursued "rail-less traction" by proposing a bill for five trolleybus routes connecting major local areas. Due to opposition from local authorities, only two routes received approval under the Mexborough and Swinton Tramways (Railless Traction) Act 1913 (3 & 4 Geo. 5. c. lxvii): one from Denaby tram terminus to Conisbrough and another westwards from Mexborough to Manvers Main. Both lines commenced operation on 31 August 1915 but remained physically isolated from each other. Vehicles were initially housed at a newly constructed depot at Old Toll Bar; trolleybuses accessed their routes via a combination of overhead wiring and tram tracks to complete circuits.
The route to Manvers colliery was unable to reach the colliery gates due to a low railway bridge; interestingly, Manvers was the only location in England where trolleybuses operated before trams. Locally referred to as the "Trackless," these services stopped after only a few months because of staff conscription during World War I. Despite efforts to sustain vital colliery transport, operations were irregular; in 1917, a second-hand vehicle was acquired from Stockport to augment the fleet. Full service resumed on the Manvers route in 1921 and on the Conisbrough route in 1922. Between 1922 and 1924, new vehicles with enhanced seating were procured, and motor bus services began that same year as considerations were made about converting trolleybus routes back into tramways. Plans also included potential connections with Doncaster Corporation's system and the Dearne District Light Railway.
The company’s expansion strategy evolved toward replacing tramways with trolleybus lines. Demonstrator vehicles from Richard Garrett & Sons (1925) and Ransomes (1926) were trialled. Although Rotherham Corporation had operated trolleybuses since 1912, it initially opposed Mexborough & Swinton vehicles entering its town centre. A mutual access agreement reached in 1926 permitted cross-operation: Rotherham converted its tramway for trolleybus use allowing Mexborough vehicles into town, while Rotherham’s trolleybuses ran on Mexborough routes. The Mexborough and Swinton Tramways Company (Trolley Vehicles) Order Confirmation Act 1927 (17 & 18 Geo. 5. c. liii) granted powers for system extensions.
At the eastern terminus, overhead wires were extended from Dale Road terminus along Low Road to Brook Square ("Conisbrough Low"), anticipating future linkage with Doncaster’s wiring infrastructure. Another route climbed to Conanby estate ("Conisbrough High"). Discussions with Dearne District Light Railway considered establishing a connection between Bolton on Dearne and Manvers Lane.
The Conisbrough trolleybus line was temporarily closed on 1 January 1928 for wiring improvements; subsequent testing involved a borrowed double-deck vehicle from Doncaster. Connections between Manvers and Conisbrough Low allowed through services; southern extensions to Woodman Inn at Swinton opened on 11 November 1928 following Ministry of Transport approval. By March 1929, trolleybuses replaced trams on the Swinton-to-Rotherham section, including a Kilnhurst Road branch facilitating short workings to Ryecroft.
After acquiring new Garretts vehicles in 1929, the company rebranded as Mexborough & Swinton Traction Co to reflect its full transition to trolleybus operations. A turning circle replaced an extended loop at Conisbrough High in February 1931; an Adwick Road branch launched in June that year but no further northern expansions followed. In February 1932, wires north of Rawmarsh were realigned; by October 1934, the Kilnhurst Road branch was converted into a loop for Rotherham services operated by company vehicles.
Under the agreement allowing reciprocal town centre access, Rotherham Corporation operated services reaching Kilnhurst, Conisbrough Low, and Adwick Road termini. Mexborough & Swinton identified their routes using letters while Rotherham assigned numbers except for an unnumbered Templeborough route. Certain roads saw both companies running separate services concurrently.
Fleet enhancements included six second-hand English Electric vehicles acquired from Notts and Derby Traction Co in 1937; six three-axle Guy Motors vehicles sourced from Hastings in 1942 (though not all entered service); six wartime utility-bodied Sunbeam vehicles introduced in 1943; followed after World War II by three batches totaling thirty-three additional Sunbeam buses that fully replaced pre-war stock.
Demise
Following the conclusion of World War II, the company adopted a fresh green and cream color scheme, replacing the long-standing red and brown palette. The initial fleet featuring this updated livery was introduced in 1947. Plans for route modifications included a proposed extension to the Windhill estate, which ultimately did not come to fruition, and a new connection along Station Road in Conisbrough designed to alleviate congestion; this latter adjustment became operational by March 1948.
The trolleybus network began its decline in 1953 when an order was placed for ten Leyland Tiger Cub motor buses, which were delivered the subsequent year. To accommodate new residential developments for miners at Sandhill, Rawmarsh, and the Monkwood estate, additional routes were created and existing ones extended. On 27 September 1954, motor buses replaced trolleybuses on the Rotherham to Kilnhurst corridor.
In 1960, legislative authority was granted under the Mexborough and Swinton Traction Act 1960 (8 & 9 Eliz. 2. c. xxiv) allowing the company to phase out trolleybus operations in favor of motor buses. This transition commenced on 1 January 1961 with the Manvers to Conisbrough High service; the final trolleybus ran on 26 March 1961 between Conisbrough Low and Rotherham. A procession of four trolleybuses marked this event, notably including vehicle No.29 which had its roof partially removed to accommodate a brass band performance. Leyland Atlantean double-deck buses then replaced the trolleybuses, increasing seating from 32 to 72 passengers while enhancing operational productivity. Remarkably, Mexborough & Swinton was both Britain’s first private operator of trolleybuses and the last to discontinue their use.
During the late 1960s, Mexborough & Swinton Traction Company developed closer connections with Yorkshire Traction; both entities were under British Electric Traction’s ownership, with British Rail holding minority shares in Yorkshire Traction. On 1 January 1969, both companies became part of the National Bus Company; subsequently, Mexborough & Swinton was merged into Yorkshire Traction on 1 October 1969, concluding more than sixty years of independent service in the Don Valley.
After deregulation in 1986, Yorkshire Traction reinstated the Mexborough & District brand and introduced a green YTC-inspired livery at its Rawmarsh depot. Although still operated by Yorkshire Traction legally, this branding appeared on services throughout the Dearne Valley as well as routes extending into Rotherham and Barnsley. Similar revivals occurred with other historic brands such as 'County' from Yorkshire Traction’s Huddersfield depot—these strategic moves prevented competitors from adopting these well-known legacy names following deregulation.
Preservation
The withdrawal of vehicles did not occur simultaneously across the fleet. Six Sunbeam trolleybuses built in 1943 were sold to Doncaster in 1954 and subsequently fitted with double-deck bodies. Twelve of the final vehicles were transferred to Bradford; seven of these were re-bodied with new double-deck structures in 1963 and returned to service, while two may have been sold on to Teesside, although documentation is inconclusive.
Vehicle No.34, a Garrett single-deck model from 1927, was repurposed after World War II as a caravan and hay storage before being acquired by preservationists in 1974 for £35. It is currently held at The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft in an unrestored state, with aspirations for future restoration despite significant body repairs required and missing electrical components. Four vehicles sold to Bradford have also been preserved: No.39 (renumbered 847), withdrawn in 1972; Nos.37 and 38 (renumbered 845 and 846), which operated on Bradford’s final day of trolleybus service in March 1972; all three are stored at Sandtoft awaiting restoration work. Notably, No.845 was the first trolleybus to run under Sandtoft’s overhead wires in 1972. Additionally, No.30 (later renumbered 844) is part of the Keighley Bus Museum Trust collection; it is distinguished for carrying VIPs during Bradford’s last trolleybus journey and is recognized as Britain’s final trolleybus vehicle.
Fleet
The initial fleet consisted of three single-deck trolleybuses constructed by Brush on Daimler CC chassis, incorporating Brush electrical systems and body designs. These vehicles were part of Brush’s second trolleybus contract, which also included Phondda, both companies under the National Electric Construction Co. umbrella. Their objective was to operate trolleybuses on tramway routes, a task complicated by patent limitations on under-running trolley poles held by RET Construction Co. To overcome this, Brush developed a unique solution involving two vertically mounted under-running trolley poles, a configuration patented in 1912.
Due to the presence of low bridges, only single-deck vehicles were utilized; the initial service to Manvers was curtailed temporarily pending road improvements beneath a railway overpass. These early units had limited deployment and were phased out by 1922 following the introduction of three AEC chassis trolleybuses between 1922 and 1924. AEC leveraged their petrol bus manufacturing expertise to pioneer trolleybus chassis production, launching the easily serviceable model 602 equipped with a single 33.5 hp British Thomson-Houston motor and rheostatic control; six units were produced, half allocated to Mexborough.
Richard Garrett & Sons briefly ventured into trolleybus production from 1925 to 1931, delivering four three-axle, 60-seat models to Doncaster in 1927 after showcasing them at the Commercial Motor Show. The first Garrett vehicle underwent trials on the Mexborough system in 1928. Between 1928 and 1930, Mexborough acquired 30 Garrett type O trolleybuses fitted with BTH electrical gear and Garrett bodywork, all featuring central passenger entrances and seating for 32.
In 1937, six second-hand English Electric vehicles from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire arrived, notable for their front entrances which differed from typical designs. An additional six units came from Hastings in 1943; however, only three entered public service until the conclusion of World War II. These represented Mexborough’s sole three-axle fleet members; all other vehicles operated on two axles.
A set of six utility-bodied Sunbeam trolleybuses was delivered in 1943 but later sold to Doncaster in 1954. There, they continued operation into the early 1960s after being refitted with new double-deck H34/28R bodies by Charles H. Roe. From 1948 to 1950, pre-war models were retired following the acquisition of 33 new Sunbeam vehicles; twelve were transferred to Bradford at system closure—seven of which were rebodied by East Lancashire Coachbuilders—with the remainder cannibalized for spare parts. Two units reportedly sold to Teesside likely served as donor vehicles.
| Fleet numbers | Type | In service | Withdrawn | Chassis | Electrical equipment | Bodywork |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21–23 | 2-axle | 1915 | 1922 | Daimler/Brush | Brush | Brush B28R |
| 24 | 2-axle | 1917 | 1922 | Daimler/Brush | Brush | Brush B28R |
| 25–26 | 2-axle | 1922 | 1929 | AEC 602 | Brush | Brush B36R |
| 31 | 2-axle | 1924 | 1929 | AEC 602 | Brush | Brush B36R |
| 34–39 | 2-axle | 1928 | 1945–50 | Garrett O | BTH | Garrett B32C |
| 40–48 | 2-axle | 1928 | 1945–50 | Garrett O | BTH | Garrett B32C |
| 49–60 | 2-axle | 1929 | 1945–50 | Garrett O | BTH | Garrett B32C |
| 61–63 | 2-axle | 1930 | 1945–50 | Garrett O | BTH | Garrett B32C |
| 64–69 | 2-axle | 1937 | 1945–50 | English Electric | English Electric | English Electric B32F |
| 70–75 | 3-axle | 1942 | 1945 | Guy BTX | Rees Stevens | Ransomes B32C |
| 1–6 | 2-axle | 1943 | 1954 | Sunbeam W | BTH | Brush B32C |
| 7–24 | 2-axle | 1947 | 1960 | Sunbeam W | BTH | Brush B32C |
| 25–36 | 2-axle | 1947–48 | 1961 | Sunbeam F4 | BTH | Brush B32C |
| 37–39 | 2-axle | 1950 | 1961 | Sunbeam F4 | BTH | Brush B32C |
Bibliography
- Commemorative handbook marking the company's 60th year, (1962).
- Chas C. Hall, "Buses Illustrated," covering The Mexborough & Swinton Traction Co., (Nov. 1961–Jan. 1962).
- PSV Circle Fleet History publication, (1984).