In the late 1800s Belfast was a major industrial force. But it urgently needed better public transport. A tram network provided the answer.

Belfast was flourishing by the end of the 19th century. But the city was also struggling to provide reliable ways for the growing numbers of workers to travel every day to and from the mills, factories and shipyards. 

An early solution came in 1872 with the introduction of a network of horse-drawn trams that criss-crossed the city. Privately owned at first, the network was eventually taken over by Belfast Corporation, which oversaw the transition from horses to an electric system in 1905.

The network was expanded beyond the city centre to Donegall Road, Botanic Avenue, Stranmillis Road, Ligoniel, Castlereagh Road and Bloomfield Road, followed later by Stormont, Killeen Avenue, Dundonald and Ballygomartin. At its height, Belfast Corporation’s tramway system extended to some 51.5 miles across the city.

In the 1920s the privately-run bus services that provided competition for the trams were eventually acquired by the Corporation – giving the city complete control of public transport. 

In 1938 the Corporation introduced trolleybuses. The move was so successful that just over ten months later, the decision was made to begin phasing out the tramways, although plans were put on hold with the outbreak of the Second World War the following year.

The combination of buses, trolleybuses and electric trams continued for a number of years, with the last tram reaching its terminus on 28th February 1953.

B’áit mhór don tionsclaíocht é Béal Feirste go mall sna 1800í. Ach bhí iompar poiblí níos fearr de dhíth ann go práinneach. An réiteach a bhí ann ná gréasán trambhealaí.

Bhí Béal Feirste faoi bhláth fá dheireadh an 19ú haoise. Ach bhí an chathair ag streachailt fosta le bealaí taistil a chur ar fáil do líon na n-oibrithe, a bhí ag dul i méid, le dul chuig na muilte, na monarchana agus na longchlóis, agus abhaile uathu. 

Bhí réiteach luath ann in 1872 nuair a rinneadh gréasán de thramanna capaill a chuaigh fud fad na cathrach. Bhí sé faoi úinéireacht phríobháideach ar dtús, ach ghlac Bardas Bhéal Feirste ceannais an ghréasáin sa deireadh. Is iadsan a mhaoirsigh imeacht na gcapall agus teacht an chórais leictrigh sa bhliain 1905. 

Leathnaíodh an gréasán taobh amuigh de lár na cathrach go dtí Bóthar Dhún na nGall, Ascaill Gharraithe na Lus, Bóthar an tSrutháin Mhilis, Lag an Aoil, Bóthar an Chaisleáin Riabhaigh agus Bóthar Bhláthghoirt - agus níos moille ná sin, go dtí Baile Lios na Scáth, Ascaill an Choillín, Dún Dónaill agus Baile Gharraí Mháirtín. Nuair a bhí sé i mbarr a réime, bhí an córas trambhealaí ag síneadh amach 51.5 míle ar fud na cathrach. 

Sna 1920í, tháinig an Bardas i gceannas ar na seirbhísí bus a bhí in iomaíocht leis na tramanna, agus a bhí faoi úinéireacht phríobháideach roimhe sin - rud a chiallaigh go raibh ceannas iomlán ag an chathair ar an iompar phoiblí. 

Sa bhliain 1938, thug an Bardas busanna tralaí isteach. D’éirigh chomh maith sin leis go ndearnadh an cinneadh deireadh a chur leis na trambhealaí de réir a chéile deich mí ina dhiaidh sin, ach cuireadh na pleananna ar athlá nuair a bhris an Dara Cogadh Domhanda amach an bhliain ina dhiadh sin.

Bhí na busanna, na busanna tralaí agus na tramanna leictreacha ag feidhmiú taobh lena chéile tamall de bhlianta, agus bhain an tram deireanach a cheann aistir amach ar an 28 Feabhra 1953.