South Town, Cheltenham - 200 Years of Local Trading History
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  • South Town
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    • Tivoli map >
      • An Introduction to Tivoli
      • Tivoli Triangle >
        • 2a) Severn Furnishing
        • 3a) ATC Floors and Doors
        • 4) Tivoli Stores
        • 5) Tivoli Butchers
        • 6) W. L. Langsbury
        • 7) The Tivoli Pub
      • Tivoli Street >
        • 8) Patrick Oliver Antiques
        • 9) St. Stephens Sports and Social Club
        • 10) W.A. Williams clock repairs
        • 11a) Nick's Barber Shop
        • 11b) Helene Hair and Sun
      • Andover Road (West side) >
        • 12a) Catherine Colebrook
        • 12b) Cheltenham Hot Tubs and Spas
        • 13) Tivoli Trading
        • 14) Hard Pressed for Time
        • 15) Read Maurice Estate Agents
        • 16) Century 21 Cheltenham
        • 17) Maison Chaplais
        • 18) Vale Kitchens
        • 19) Tivoli Wines
      • Lypiatt Street Area >
        • 20) Tivoli Glass
        • 21) Groves Batteries
        • 22) Prinbox Works
        • 23) The Royal Union
        • 24) St. Stephen's Anglican Church
        • 25) www.glos.info
    • The Suffolks map >
      • An Introduction to The Suffolks
      • Suffolk Parade area >
        • 1) The Beehive
        • 2) Roylan Cycles
        • 3) Ebury Interiors
        • 4) 5 Suffolk Parade
        • 6) Once
        • 5) Moss Prints
        • 7) Suffolk Rock
        • 8) Gorgeous Hair
        • 9) The Retreat
        • 10) Charlie Allen's Canine Comforts
        • 11) Zizzi
        • 12) India Lounge
        • 13) Vallenders
        • 14) Sorella Hair Boutique
      • Suffolk Parade (Daffodil Street to Suffolk Road) >
        • 16) Timber Windows of Cheltenham
        • 17) Cheltine
        • 18) Falcon Estates
        • 19) Suffolk Coffee
        • 20) The Daffodil
        • 21) Chef's Pantry
        • 22) The Copy Shop
        • 23) Triton House
        • 24) True Tone Music
        • 25) David Hayward Design
        • 26a) The Giltwood Gallery
        • 26b) David John Barbers
        • 27) 32 Suffolk Parade
        • 28) 33 Suffolk Parade
        • 29) Bodega
      • Suffolk Road (Suffolk Parade to Bath Road) >
        • 30) RJ Spicer Jewellery
        • 31) Atelier 19
        • 32) Centrepiece
        • 33) Paco Delgado
        • 34) Daniel Keenan Interiors
        • 35) Cheltenham Computer Centre
        • 36) Signature Barber's
        • 37) Cotswold Physiotherapy Centre
      • Suffolk Road, south side (east of Suffolk Villas) >
        • 38) HSBC
        • 39) 2 Suffolk Road
        • 40) My Face
        • 41) Ko Hairdressing
        • 42) B Ten Tandoori
        • 43) Siam Smile
        • 44) Antique Restoration
        • 45) Mo22 Gallery/Turtle Framing
        • 46) The Guild Hairdressing
        • 47a/b) QEC Militaria and Cotswold Dental Lab
        • 48) Le Champignon Sauvage
        • 49) The House Clearance Shop
      • Suffolk Road, west of Suffolk Villas (south side) >
        • 49a) 32-38 Suffolk Road
        • 50) The Suffolk Arms
        • 51) El Barbero
        • 52) Eden Health and Beauty Spa
        • 53) Newcombe Residential Lettings
        • 54) Baker & Graze
        • 55) Fifty Lounge Bar
        • 56) bhoomi
        • 57) Armada Exports
      • Great Norwood Street (Suffolk Rd. to Bath Terr.) >
        • Part 1 >
          • 58) 2 Great Norwood Street
          • 59) Baby Face
          • 60) Cygnini
          • 61) Cafe Boho
          • 62) Tea at Ten
        • Part 2 >
          • 63) Revamp
          • 64) Bloomers
          • 65) Mint
          • 66) Hounam
          • 67) Gilchrist
      • Great Norwood St (Bath Terr. to Andover Rd.) >
        • Part 1 >
          • 68) The Shoe Repairer
          • 69) MacDonald vets
          • 70) Leckhampton Chiropractic Clinic
          • 71) Antique & Modern Fireplaces
          • 72) ShoeMed
          • 73) Sam Oldfield Photography
          • 74) Graeme Wright Hairdressing
        • Part 2 >
          • 75) Wonder Food
          • 76) Llewellyn-Smith & Co.
          • 77) Goose Chase Quilting
          • 79) The Jolly Brewmaster
          • 80) The Stick Club
          • 81) Cleevely Motors
          • 82) Ecctis Ltd
          • 83) Falcon Residential Lettings
    • Bath Road map >
      • Bath Road (North) >
        • Suffolk Road to Victoria Place >
          • 80) Thirlestaine House
          • 1) Christian Science Reading Room
          • 2) Moran's
        • Kew Place to Clare Street >
          • 3) Perry Bishop
          • 4) Subway
          • 5) Cheltenham Independent Eyecare Centre
          • 6) Indian Brasserie
          • 7) Andy's and Co.
          • 8) The Natural Grocery Store
        • Victoria Retreat to Bath Terrace >
          • 9) V.W. Lane
          • 10) Cheltenham Nutrition Centre
          • 11) Sainsbury's
          • 12) Rowlands Pharmacy
          • 13) Balti Walla
          • 14) Age UK
          • 15) Nat West Bank
        • Clare Street to Exmouth Street >
          • 16) Coral
          • 17) Bath Road Butchers
          • 18) 162-164 Bath Road
          • 19) Big Fish
          • 20) Dodwells Direct
          • 21) Post Office
          • 22) Cotswold Care Hospice
          • 23) Andrews Estate Agents
          • 24) Newman & Bloodworths
          • 25) Norville Opticians
          • 26) Parsons
        • Bath Terrace to Upper Bath Street >
          • 27) Bath Road Cards
          • 28) Domino's
          • 29) Bath Road Beers
          • 30) Sue Ryder Care
        • Upper Bath Street to St. Phillip's Street >
          • 32) 163 Bath Road
          • 33) Toasties
          • 34) The Exmouth Arms
      • Bath Road (South) >
        • Exmouth Street to Hermitage Street >
          • 35) MY Coffee
          • 36) The Co-Operative
          • 37) Jane's Pantry
          • 38) British Red Cross
          • 39) Red Cross Bookshop
          • 40) Thompson Dry Cleaners
          • 41) The Curious Cafe
          • 42) Burger Star
          • 43) Ella Hairdressing Salon
          • 44) Lee Longland
        • St. Phillip's Street to Suffolk Street >
          • 45) Bargain Booze
          • 45a) Lucy's Cafe
          • 46) Emporium
          • 47) Beauty Box
          • 48) Lloyds Bank
        • Hermitage Street to Francis Street >
          • 49) Adcock Shoes
          • 50) Flames Restaurant
          • 51) Ocean Fayre
          • 52) Hair Systems
          • 53) 226 Bath Road
          • 54) Linc
          • 55) Inside Out
          • 56) Five Alls
        • Suffolk Street to Gratton Road >
          • 57) The Cheltenham Clinic
        • Francis Street to Norwood Roundabout >
          • 58) The Corner Shop
          • 59) Happy Gathering
          • 60) Jim's Barber Shop
          • 61) Timpson
          • 62) Robi's Indian Takeaway
          • 63) The Brown Jug
          • 64) Rowlands Pharmacy
        • Grafton Road to Shurdington Road >
          • 65) Rosa Blue
          • 66) Brew & Bake
          • 67) Twig Clothing
        • Norwood Roundabout >
          • 68) Daisychain Benevolent Fund
          • 69) Fat Flyers
          • 70) Cook
          • 71) Roots and Fruits
          • 72) Bath Road Market
          • 73) The Norwood Arms
        • Shurdington Road >
          • 74) Norwood Interiors
          • 75) The Record Shop
          • 76) Peter Ball and Co.
        • Norwood Road >
          • 77) Paul Malvern
          • 78) Shurdington Stores
          • 79) Studio 19
  • Tramroad
    • The Norwood Triangle Project
  • Local Memories
    • Percy Nash Fruit and Flowers
    • E.C. Waltham, Butchers
    • Armada Antiques
    • R.E. Caudle, Fruiterer
    • E.C. Waltham horsemeat article
    • E.C. Waltham Golden Jubilee article
    • E.C. Waltham 60 Years feature
    • Gilbey Cooles, Ironmonger
    • Thomas's Newsagents 9 Suffolk Parade
    • Leckhampton Dairies
    • Burrows Newsagents, 54 Tivoli Street
    • Gurnsey Cottages
    • V.W. Lane, Butchers
    • R.R. Skemp
    • Banks Bakers & Confectioners, 17 Suffolk Parade
    • Big Fish
    • Robert Young's
    • The Five Alls
    • Dolman's Chemists
    • Bath Road Butchers
    • The Corner Shop
  • Books
  • Local School Projects
    • 2011 Local Trading History Project
  • Cheltenham Connect
  • Contact
  • Links

The South Cheltenham Tram Road

Presentation

View a pdf of the history of the tramroad (right) created by Wendy Ellyatt for the 2010 bicentenary of its opening, an event that was celebrated during the Cheltenham Connect summer festival.
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See also The Norwood Triangle Project

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In the beginning...

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In the 1790s Charles Brandon Trye, the Lord of the Manor, introduced a horse-drawn tramway system to his stone quarries on Leckhampton Hill. In 1810 he extended the tramway to form a spur of the Gloucester and Cheltenham Tramroad, which ran from a wharf near the present Tesco superstore in Gloucester Road, all the way to Gloucester Docks. This greatly facilitated the transport of the stone both to Cheltenham and also wider afield via the River Severn. 


When it was first built the tramroad from Leckhampton Hill ran through fields and open countryside. It was later that the streets that we know today were created, following the lines and various sidings. These include Leckhampton Road, Norwood Road, Andover Road and Queen's Road. Great Norwood Street follows the line of a siding which once led from the Norwood triangle to stonemason's yards.

Later, the Gloucester and Cheltenham Tramroad brought Forest of Dean coal from Gloucester Docks to coal sidings off Norwood Road, for the heating of homes and for cooking. The tramroad continued to operate after the opening of the steam mainline railway from Cheltenham to Gloucester in 1840 but was closed in 1861, due to a reduction in traffic and the nuisance caused by the railway lines to road vehicles. A small section of tramroad was retained however running down from Leckhampton Hill to a stone yard near the present Co-op store in Leckhampton Road.

The line to Cheltenham had a single track with passing places. Stone sleeper blocks supported cast-iron rails that were 3ft long and L-shaped in section to suit wagon wheels without flanges. Any trader could put his own wagons and horses on the track provided he paid the appropriate toll. This type of line is now known as a tramroad to distinguish it from the later main-line railways having flanged wheels running on edge rails.

Hugh Conway-Jones - www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk

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Reproduction tramroad wagons mounted on plateway rails at Gloucester Quays.


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Download our Tramroad
walking trail leaflet

Early Operation

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The Gloucester and Cheltenham
Railway Company seal
The opening of the tramroad in 1811 induced the Canal Company to allow the basin at Gloucester to be used for the discharge of river-borne cargoes even though the rest of the canal was very far from completion. Over the following years a network of sidings was laid down around the basin to handle the trade that developed, boosted by the eventual opening of the canal in 1827.

Most of the traffic was concerned with taking coal to Cheltenham, but road stone and other heavy goods were also carried.

Hugh Conway-Jones - www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk

Later Operation

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In 1840, a main line railway was opened between Gloucester and Cheltenham, as part of the line to Birmingham, but initially there was no connection to the docks. The tramroad therefore took on a new role of carrying goods between the docks and Gloucester station, and so for a few years it became an important link in a new route for forwarding imports to the Midlands in competition with the existing river and canal route.

This additional role ended in 1848 when a branch from the main line into the docks was opened, but the tramroad continued to provide a local service for several more years. This role gradually declined, however, and in 1861 the line was closed and the rails were taken up.

Hugh Conway-Jones - www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk

Surviving Stone Blocks

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Although the rails were taken up, many of the stone sleeper blocks were left in situ at that time, and some were discovered still undisturbed during an archaeological excavation in 1983. The stones were subsequently covered over to allow the area to be used as a car park, and they were revealed again during preparations for building a block of apartments on the site.


The Railway Inn

These photographs were taken on 16th January 1962 by local resident David Lyall

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  • Home
  • South Town
  • Interactive Map
    • Tivoli map >
      • An Introduction to Tivoli
      • Tivoli Triangle >
        • 2a) Severn Furnishing
        • 3a) ATC Floors and Doors
        • 4) Tivoli Stores
        • 5) Tivoli Butchers
        • 6) W. L. Langsbury
        • 7) The Tivoli Pub
      • Tivoli Street >
        • 8) Patrick Oliver Antiques
        • 9) St. Stephens Sports and Social Club
        • 10) W.A. Williams clock repairs
        • 11a) Nick's Barber Shop
        • 11b) Helene Hair and Sun
      • Andover Road (West side) >
        • 12a) Catherine Colebrook
        • 12b) Cheltenham Hot Tubs and Spas
        • 13) Tivoli Trading
        • 14) Hard Pressed for Time
        • 15) Read Maurice Estate Agents
        • 16) Century 21 Cheltenham
        • 17) Maison Chaplais
        • 18) Vale Kitchens
        • 19) Tivoli Wines
      • Lypiatt Street Area >
        • 20) Tivoli Glass
        • 21) Groves Batteries
        • 22) Prinbox Works
        • 23) The Royal Union
        • 24) St. Stephen's Anglican Church
        • 25) www.glos.info
    • The Suffolks map >
      • An Introduction to The Suffolks
      • Suffolk Parade area >
        • 1) The Beehive
        • 2) Roylan Cycles
        • 3) Ebury Interiors
        • 4) 5 Suffolk Parade
        • 6) Once
        • 5) Moss Prints
        • 7) Suffolk Rock
        • 8) Gorgeous Hair
        • 9) The Retreat
        • 10) Charlie Allen's Canine Comforts
        • 11) Zizzi
        • 12) India Lounge
        • 13) Vallenders
        • 14) Sorella Hair Boutique
      • Suffolk Parade (Daffodil Street to Suffolk Road) >
        • 16) Timber Windows of Cheltenham
        • 17) Cheltine
        • 18) Falcon Estates
        • 19) Suffolk Coffee
        • 20) The Daffodil
        • 21) Chef's Pantry
        • 22) The Copy Shop
        • 23) Triton House
        • 24) True Tone Music
        • 25) David Hayward Design
        • 26a) The Giltwood Gallery
        • 26b) David John Barbers
        • 27) 32 Suffolk Parade
        • 28) 33 Suffolk Parade
        • 29) Bodega
      • Suffolk Road (Suffolk Parade to Bath Road) >
        • 30) RJ Spicer Jewellery
        • 31) Atelier 19
        • 32) Centrepiece
        • 33) Paco Delgado
        • 34) Daniel Keenan Interiors
        • 35) Cheltenham Computer Centre
        • 36) Signature Barber's
        • 37) Cotswold Physiotherapy Centre
      • Suffolk Road, south side (east of Suffolk Villas) >
        • 38) HSBC
        • 39) 2 Suffolk Road
        • 40) My Face
        • 41) Ko Hairdressing
        • 42) B Ten Tandoori
        • 43) Siam Smile
        • 44) Antique Restoration
        • 45) Mo22 Gallery/Turtle Framing
        • 46) The Guild Hairdressing
        • 47a/b) QEC Militaria and Cotswold Dental Lab
        • 48) Le Champignon Sauvage
        • 49) The House Clearance Shop
      • Suffolk Road, west of Suffolk Villas (south side) >
        • 49a) 32-38 Suffolk Road
        • 50) The Suffolk Arms
        • 51) El Barbero
        • 52) Eden Health and Beauty Spa
        • 53) Newcombe Residential Lettings
        • 54) Baker & Graze
        • 55) Fifty Lounge Bar
        • 56) bhoomi
        • 57) Armada Exports
      • Great Norwood Street (Suffolk Rd. to Bath Terr.) >
        • Part 1 >
          • 58) 2 Great Norwood Street
          • 59) Baby Face
          • 60) Cygnini
          • 61) Cafe Boho
          • 62) Tea at Ten
        • Part 2 >
          • 63) Revamp
          • 64) Bloomers
          • 65) Mint
          • 66) Hounam
          • 67) Gilchrist
      • Great Norwood St (Bath Terr. to Andover Rd.) >
        • Part 1 >
          • 68) The Shoe Repairer
          • 69) MacDonald vets
          • 70) Leckhampton Chiropractic Clinic
          • 71) Antique & Modern Fireplaces
          • 72) ShoeMed
          • 73) Sam Oldfield Photography
          • 74) Graeme Wright Hairdressing
        • Part 2 >
          • 75) Wonder Food
          • 76) Llewellyn-Smith & Co.
          • 77) Goose Chase Quilting
          • 79) The Jolly Brewmaster
          • 80) The Stick Club
          • 81) Cleevely Motors
          • 82) Ecctis Ltd
          • 83) Falcon Residential Lettings
    • Bath Road map >
      • Bath Road (North) >
        • Suffolk Road to Victoria Place >
          • 80) Thirlestaine House
          • 1) Christian Science Reading Room
          • 2) Moran's
        • Kew Place to Clare Street >
          • 3) Perry Bishop
          • 4) Subway
          • 5) Cheltenham Independent Eyecare Centre
          • 6) Indian Brasserie
          • 7) Andy's and Co.
          • 8) The Natural Grocery Store
        • Victoria Retreat to Bath Terrace >
          • 9) V.W. Lane
          • 10) Cheltenham Nutrition Centre
          • 11) Sainsbury's
          • 12) Rowlands Pharmacy
          • 13) Balti Walla
          • 14) Age UK
          • 15) Nat West Bank
        • Clare Street to Exmouth Street >
          • 16) Coral
          • 17) Bath Road Butchers
          • 18) 162-164 Bath Road
          • 19) Big Fish
          • 20) Dodwells Direct
          • 21) Post Office
          • 22) Cotswold Care Hospice
          • 23) Andrews Estate Agents
          • 24) Newman & Bloodworths
          • 25) Norville Opticians
          • 26) Parsons
        • Bath Terrace to Upper Bath Street >
          • 27) Bath Road Cards
          • 28) Domino's
          • 29) Bath Road Beers
          • 30) Sue Ryder Care
        • Upper Bath Street to St. Phillip's Street >
          • 32) 163 Bath Road
          • 33) Toasties
          • 34) The Exmouth Arms
      • Bath Road (South) >
        • Exmouth Street to Hermitage Street >
          • 35) MY Coffee
          • 36) The Co-Operative
          • 37) Jane's Pantry
          • 38) British Red Cross
          • 39) Red Cross Bookshop
          • 40) Thompson Dry Cleaners
          • 41) The Curious Cafe
          • 42) Burger Star
          • 43) Ella Hairdressing Salon
          • 44) Lee Longland
        • St. Phillip's Street to Suffolk Street >
          • 45) Bargain Booze
          • 45a) Lucy's Cafe
          • 46) Emporium
          • 47) Beauty Box
          • 48) Lloyds Bank
        • Hermitage Street to Francis Street >
          • 49) Adcock Shoes
          • 50) Flames Restaurant
          • 51) Ocean Fayre
          • 52) Hair Systems
          • 53) 226 Bath Road
          • 54) Linc
          • 55) Inside Out
          • 56) Five Alls
        • Suffolk Street to Gratton Road >
          • 57) The Cheltenham Clinic
        • Francis Street to Norwood Roundabout >
          • 58) The Corner Shop
          • 59) Happy Gathering
          • 60) Jim's Barber Shop
          • 61) Timpson
          • 62) Robi's Indian Takeaway
          • 63) The Brown Jug
          • 64) Rowlands Pharmacy
        • Grafton Road to Shurdington Road >
          • 65) Rosa Blue
          • 66) Brew & Bake
          • 67) Twig Clothing
        • Norwood Roundabout >
          • 68) Daisychain Benevolent Fund
          • 69) Fat Flyers
          • 70) Cook
          • 71) Roots and Fruits
          • 72) Bath Road Market
          • 73) The Norwood Arms
        • Shurdington Road >
          • 74) Norwood Interiors
          • 75) The Record Shop
          • 76) Peter Ball and Co.
        • Norwood Road >
          • 77) Paul Malvern
          • 78) Shurdington Stores
          • 79) Studio 19
  • Tramroad
    • The Norwood Triangle Project
  • Local Memories
    • Percy Nash Fruit and Flowers
    • E.C. Waltham, Butchers
    • Armada Antiques
    • R.E. Caudle, Fruiterer
    • E.C. Waltham horsemeat article
    • E.C. Waltham Golden Jubilee article
    • E.C. Waltham 60 Years feature
    • Gilbey Cooles, Ironmonger
    • Thomas's Newsagents 9 Suffolk Parade
    • Leckhampton Dairies
    • Burrows Newsagents, 54 Tivoli Street
    • Gurnsey Cottages
    • V.W. Lane, Butchers
    • R.R. Skemp
    • Banks Bakers & Confectioners, 17 Suffolk Parade
    • Big Fish
    • Robert Young's
    • The Five Alls
    • Dolman's Chemists
    • Bath Road Butchers
    • The Corner Shop
  • Books
  • Local School Projects
    • 2011 Local Trading History Project
  • Cheltenham Connect
  • Contact
  • Links