The Wolverton - Stony Stratford Steam Tramway
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| The first "public transport" for the village of Loughton for men working at Wolverton Works Railway shops. The Driver is George Grace and his Grandfather sitting to his left. This would have been a common sight through Towns and Villages and Stony Stratford would have had many horse drawn seated carts taking working men to Wolverton. However the cost for a single journey was expensive and with their wages it was viable to use every day so most workers walked the 1.8 miles between the two towns. |
Stony Stratford a market town developed along the old Roman Road Watling Street with many staging coaches halts for this town including The Cock and The Bull ( a cock and bull story ) originating from stories told in one establishment and the elaborated with embelishment over the road.
Wolverton / Stony Stratford Tram Date Unknown. From Original negative (J.A.Peden)
100 seater car being pulled from the LNWR carriage department on the depot fantail out of the Stony Stratford sheds.
Tram. Possibly at Stony Stratford terminus Sheds.
A 100 seater car stands beside a AEC "Y" type motorised bus outside the tram office. Post Card size Photo.No date Author unknown and probably taken before closure.
Ex Central Leyland Bus, Bedford to Newport Pagnell return. Outside the Railway Tavern opposite Station Road Newport Pagnell. The Bus company laid on local trips to and from Stony Stratford to Stantonbury that also had an effect on passenger short fall on the trams. On the declaration of War with Germany the Government War Office requisitioned the bus fleet and this gave the tram company some leeway and managed to keep the rout running during the war years.
Dear Auntie and all,
Received CH – thank you very much found all well at Wolverton and Bletchley. I am looking forward to Wednesday to see Gracie to know how you all are, Love to all Connie Ask Uncle if he knows this.
Wednesday 9 August 1916
Having a Glorious time here, most lovely country, wish Loura was here with her like we could go for a lovely ride. Sorry to hear from Mother that Mr Sidebothan was so poorly so hope he is better also yourself. Had two letters from George since I came here I do not know what Mable’s address is so I cannot write. I expect they are having nice weather as well as I. Kindest Regards Sylvia.
Coloured 
31 December 1903 Wishing you a Happy New Year. Lizzie.
Black and White 
18 July 1918. Dear Friend, I received your post card. Sorry to here you are having bad weather but its not so grand here but our holidays are nearly over. So best of love and luck. Yours ever Ethel.
W.S.S.T No.1 Outside Wolverton Station 23 May 1925 It is possible the 100 seater car could be being pushed along to the corner with a sharp left hand corner down a steep gradient to Newport Road where another reception yard and reversing triangle was. (Ken Nunn Collection)
Tram outside School and Foresters Arms
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| Tram Rails shown here with road leading to Stony Stratford from Wolverton Lodge. Grade II Listed Former Wolverton park keepers lodge, Wolverton park, Old Wolverton Road.   Tram Along Stratford Road Wolverton
 Stony Stratford 3 April 1926. No.2 Brush 0:4:0 Tram Engine and Car at Stony Stratford Terminus. Line closed completely 19 May 1926
 At Wolverton 3 April 1926  Bagnall No.2153 L.N.W.R Wolverton and Stoney Stratford Delivered 27-10-1921. The photo have been taken in the Stony Stratford Depot.    Krauss tram engine at the Deanshanger terminus with a 20 seater car and inspection engineers in 1888 
Post Card 1890. A Krauss engine with a 50 seater car at Deanshanger. The extension was completed some three years later with the 2.25 mile extension from The Barley Mow travelling through Old Stratford where another Depot and workshops were built on the corner at the junction of Buckingham road. The photo is at the Terminus at the village green outside The Fox and Hounds. This new section of line was short lived on September 1889 the company went into voluntary liquidation. With a new company taking over the tramway in 1891 the section from here to the Barley Mow was never reinstated and by 1893 it was totally abandoned.
   WSSN:1 at Wolverton 23 May 1925
Wolverton Tram outside Wolverton Works
 Outside Wolverton station and park entrance  |
A few years past with smaller bus garages posing up after the closure of the Tram way the garage at Stony Stratford operated by a fellow Tillings company. Eastern National was transferred to United Counties. The company built new garages in several towns, a new headquarters, with major engineering workshops. The expansion of the services in Stony Stratford led to a new large facility to replace the two small garages in the town. Construction commenced in 1954 with operations starting in July 1955. In December 1960 another garage was built in Bletchley this replaced the small garage in Fenny Stratford.
Bus waiting for driver to take 391 onto New Bradwell (David Farron Collection)
Early post card un-posted with tram rails seen in the road It is not sure if this photo was taken after closure. Refurbishment to the tram rails between 1907 to completion in 1910 showing tram rails terminating here. However the section into Watling street was never carried out. The Watling street section was abandoned due to the increasing traffic usage. The Foresters Arms became the terminal for trams where a new run round loop was installed.
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| Tram ready for departure. 1879 into the 80's saw a big increase of workman going into Wolverton for the railway and printing works (McCorquodale's) |
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| c.1912. Picture (M.L.Webb) Wolverton Express Media photo. The Water meadows Wolverton Road between the two towns were liable to flooding from the River Ouse. Picture shows tram in the flooded section giving a helping hand. (David Farron Collection) |
| Old and new, A motorised Omnibus destination "Stantonbury" sits behind the Tram on Stratford Road Wolverton. Note the Chimney Stove pipe extension to stop soot and cinders to passengers on the top deck. Post Mark 1922 |
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Tram line Wolverton Road Stony Stratford Media photo and post card c.1919
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| Wolverton Road outside Stony Stratford |
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Outside Wolverton Works with 14 schedule services each way a day. Time coincided with start and finish to the working day. McCorquodale had a high proportion of female workers and would have used the tram. (could be out side McCorquodale)     |
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Stratford Road Wolverton. A cropped version of the original post Card Above.  Tram along Stratford road. Post mark 1918     Another angle of derailed engine 
Stratford Road Wolverton
Tram along Stratford Road Post card 1904
Tram along Stratford Road Post card Un-posted with Girl  Tram along Stratford Road Post card Un-posted without Girl
Stratford Road Wolverton un-posted
The last tram ran here on the 3rd May 1926. Next day the general strike took hold and the tram never run again With tram rails lifted and a new road surface.
  Circa 1930. Possible tram line can be seen under the road surface 
Trams rails seen running into Watling Street in this post card view
 Watling Street Stony Stratford. This picture must be post 1900 as no tram rails can be seen taking trams along into Deanshanger 
A 3 car tram Wolverton Road Stony Stratford post card dated 1906   
13 May 1918 Mrs Roads. 16 Bridge Street Buckinghamshire.
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7 Prospect Road Stony Stratford.
Tram arriving on Wolverton Road Stony Stratford approaching terminus points in the road. To the left is the entry to the tram depot it has passed the exit where it formed a triangle as a spur to the tram sheds. post card written but not posted.
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| Coloured Photo tram at Stony Stratford Post mark 1905. |
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| Tram on Wolverton Road Post card Un-posted |
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| Tram along Wolverton Road Post card posted 1920 |
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| Tram along Wolverton Road Post card Un-posted |
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Post Card dated 1901. Bull Hotel. Note the Automobile Club and Garage sign date must be after 1897 and before 1911 when it became the Royal Automobile Club. The opposite side of the road was The Cock and this had the Motor Union displayed which later became the "AA" IN 1910. Although the trams would have past here and terminate at the Barley Mow, no visual tram rails can be seen. Stony Stratford High street . Tram in the far distance a rail can be seen in the road.  |
| Photo of works along Stratford Road after the lifting of the tram rails. The MK Stacey Hill museum are optimistic that some rails have never been lifted and may be discovered on future road works and recovered for displays at the museum. |
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| Post Card style photo of Bagnall and driver. It is possible this could be a driver posing for the photo before the final closure of the tramway on the 4 May 1926. The first time a closure of the tramway was on 17 December 1889 when the Wolverton and Stony Stratford Tram-roads Company Limited was declared insolvent and went into voluntary liquidation. For two years the trams did not run and workers had to revert back to walking or taking the "shanks pony". Public service resumed on the 20th November 1891 under the guide of a syndicate until 15 September 1893 When a permanent company took over and this was the Wolverton and Stony Stratford and District New Tramway Company Limited |
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| At Stony Stratford post card un-dated |
Outside Wolverton Station. One can see a internal combustion vehicle negotiating the narrow by the stationary tram. The turning triangle for the Wolverton terminus and goods yard on Newport Road opposite where the new Wolverton Station is now, many a conflict with road users was on the rise with increasing traffic on the roads. It was reported in the Wolverton Express of a collision a bike ridden by a post office worker who gained substantial injuries when colliding with the tram.
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| Card says at Wolverton on an index style photo but unable to determine what the chimney in the back ground would have been? Possibly Wolverton the "Smithy" |
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| Coloured Photo tram at Stony Stratford Post mark 1904. |
Wolverton. A Kilpin postcards produced in Stratford Road Wolverton. Picture appears to have two trams.
Silver Street Cheddar
Dear Noel, This is the tram we went to Stratford in and did not walk often all because it looked so much like rain so we went by the tram
(a bit of German about this one) with love from Gertie.
(a bit of German about this one) with love from Gertie.
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| Green Engine No.1 with two 100 seater car with local children Post card posted 1919 |
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| 3 Car tram between Wolverton and Stony Stratford possibly the point where the tram crossed from one side of the road to the other side |
| Road between Wolverton and Stony Stratford with tram rails in the road |
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| Recovered from a farm in Shenley. Stacey Hill Museum has a 100 seater Tramcar acquired not so long ago and is on display. |
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Outside Wolverton works Post mark 1919 |
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| Outside Forester Arms. Children wait in-line to board the 100 seater car |
Outside Wolverton Station engine no.2 The 5-40pm to Stony Stratford Saturday 23 May 1925
| No.2 Brush at Terminus 3 March 1926 |
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Wolverton Road Stony Stratford note smoke added to photo and the "RagTime" and "Puffing Billy" have no connections to the steam tram written below in photo other the time and date of the1900. An owner, an amateur photographer of a Barber shop in Wolverton was producing post cards. One of the tram conductors who served many years for the tram company was known by Little Billy Newton only standing at five feet tall and very well known in the community. Whether this has any bearing to the caption one will never know.
Posing for the camera with a one car tram outside the entrance of Wolverton Station
Posing for the camera with a two car tram outside the entrance of Wolverton Works
Normal day with 2 Car Tram outside Wolverton Station
Old Stratford. Tram waiting room and workshops would have been on the right. The Tram would have continued on from here to Deanshanger
The changing face of transport c1933. Waiting for passengers could be a 1931 Leyland Titan TD1. , In 1921 The United Counties Omnibus & Road Transport Company, as it was originally known, was formed in 1921 to take over the operations of the Wellingborough Motor Omnibus Company, founded in 1913.
Two Photo's taken at the same spot at different times. Stratford Road outside the Wolverton Works
"Nearing the end" Billy Newton the long serving conductor descends from the tram at Stony Stratford with the 'General' double decker buses taking over the shuttle to and from Wolverton and beyond.
An official gloss photo possibly taken at the tram depot at Stony Stratford with a Bagnall engine at the helm with two 100 seater cars. Date Unknown. (David Farron Collection)
Tram outside Wolverton station goods entrance (David Farron Collection)
Wolverton' Stony Stratford & District Light Railway Wagon. Apart from transporting goods to and from Wolverton and Stony Stratford it is said that wives would put hot meals on this for their loved ones to reach the works for dinner time.
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| Before tram, view from London Road into Stony Stratford high road with local black smith Shoeing a pony. |
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| Waiting for Train Passengers outside Wolverton Station. |
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Stratford Road Wolverton. No P.Card date  |
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