Discovery of old Bradford tram lines takes man by surprise

As the Telegraph & Argus reported last week, a significant stretch of tracks has been unearthed on Bridge Street.

Silsden resident Richard Hughes, who was in Bradford city centre for a meeting this week, said: “They’ve been digging up the city centre and they’ve uncovered some old tram lines by Centenary Square.

Old tram tracks have been uncovered in the Bradford city centre works (Image: Richard Hughes)

“To be honest, it’s surprised me that they’re still there.

“Rather than taking them up, it looks like they had tarmacked over them in the past.

Old tram tracks have been uncovered in the Bradford city centre works (Image: Richard Hughes)

“How many years has it been since the trams stopped running?

The decline of the tram system began in the late 1920s and much of it had closed by 1939, and the remainder was to be abandoned in the following years, with the last Bradford tramcar returning to Bankfoot depot for the final time on May 6, 1950.

An old tram running in Bradford city centre in the past (Image: Barry Cross Collection / Old Transport Archive)

Mr Hughes said: “I was too young to remember them myself, I’m 54, but I remember hearing about the trams from my family.

Talking about the appearance of the tram tracks today, Mr Hughes said: “You could see the track, the sleepers and even part of the points.

Old tram tracks have been uncovered in the Bradford city centre works (Image: Newsquest)

“I never thought I’d see them in situ. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

“As they’re now exposed, are they going to rip them out?

“They are definitely a part of Bradford’s history.

Old tram tracks have been uncovered in the Bradford city centre works (Image: Newsquest)

“My parents lived in the Bradford area from the 1930s to the mid-1950s and my grandma lived in Shipley virtually all of her life, so they would have used them.

“A lot of people that had used the trams will have missed them when they left.”

Mr Hughes also spoke about how the old electric trams would compare to the modern-day electric bus.

“Trams were essentially a very large electric bus, so we used to have electric transport in the city centre.

“Their environmental impact was not appreciated in the drive to get rid of the old.”

In April, the T&A reported how a short stretch of track from Bradford's former tramway had emerged as part of the ongoing roadworks scheme in the city centre.

The rails could be seen near the point where Bridge Steet turns into Sunbridge Road, near the junction with Tyrrel Street. Last week, a longer section of the long-forgotten tracks was uncovered nearby, right outside the Rimmington Pharmacy.

The T&A contacted Bradford Council about the old tram lines and asked what their plans are for them. As we went to press, the Council had yet to respond.