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DDLR The Story Of The Dearne District Light Railways And Competitors A S Denton
DDLR The Story Of The Dearne District Light Railways And Competitors By A S Denton Soft Cover 1982 2nd impression 24 pages
It is well over fifty years since I first became acquainted with the Dearne transport scene and thrilled to the sight of its spanking new trams. The interest then aroused has long remained. Sadly, the light railway concerned had a very short albeit a fairly hectic existence, but its story has always seemed to me worth the telling. Its absence from transport archives and especially from the vast amount of transport literature which has been published in recent years has seemed particularly unfortunate. Unique in its way and times, this small system at least claimed its place in transport history as the last new complete tramways undertaking to be opened in this country. Almost before it reached maturity, it was one of the earliest to be closed. Whilst these two features have had frequent reportings over the years, perhaps with one exception very little appears to have been written in depth about the system, its problems and its competitors. This effort is, therefore, a genuine endeavour to help put the record right.
The exception is the detailed work of transport historian C. C. Hall. M.C.I.T. whose excellent researches on road passenger transport in the South Yorkshire conurbation have been featured from time to time, in particular in the 'Tramway Review' and 'Buses', amongst other works. He at least ensured that the old Dearne District had not been entirely forgotten. I willingly acknowledge the help his efforts have given me, particularly in the points of detail which the passing years may otherwise have eradicated from memory, but which can be of such great interest to the transport enthusiast. Otherwise, this is a record based primarily upon recollection and personal observation for much of the time the Dearne existed and, above all, the Dearne 'folklore' with happy memories of those who created it. Limited facts and figures from the appropriate year books of the industry at the time, in conjunction with selected use of past issues of the 'Omnibus Magazine' and the Tramway Museum Society journals and publications, as would be expected, have been an invaluable source of reference also. As this publication is intended primarily for the interest of their membership, I am sure those concerned will also recognise my appreciation of the help they have indirectly given to its compilation.
Photographs of the system or cars seem rare. The one time manager of the Dearne had none himself, whilst a local newspaper column request was also unsuccessful. Nevertheless the kindly help of Mr. Richard D. Ridyard, Editor of the South Yorkshire Times, is much appreciated. He himself has affectionate remembrances of the DDLR - the old 'Red Dragons' as they used to call them - and he actually rode on the last car to Wombwell depot and did a story for the paper on it. Apparently, too, a few years back, they got a story from Goldthorpe, where road repairs were being undertaken, and some of the old tramlines near the Police Station were uncovered. He confirms also that the cutting at Bolton through which the trams used to pass on their way to Goldthorpe and Thumscoe is still there. Perhaps more than anyone in attempting this narrative I have realised its shortcomings. Much is unfortunately missing and others may now see fit to take the story further, with the ultimate hope of a full history of an interesting system and era being produced later. I shall be content if at least I have helped to point the way.
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