South Yorkshire Times, February 10, 1951

First Time in Swinton

Guess where, Guess when. The welcome is for double-deckers, and not the modern variety recently.

This flashback is to August 3, 1907, when double-decker trams were seen for the first time in Swinton.

This will recapture vividly for many people the excitement of that first “run” and the scene is well illustrated in this old picture kindly loaned by Swinton Victoria club secretary, Mr A barber.

The present Red House Hotel is discernible on the extreme right, and part of Bridge St, Methodist Church can be seen on the left.

Electric studs inset between the tramlines can be seen, and it will be recalled that often horses “got hot” unexpectedly when a circuit was formed between their hooves, wheels and tramlines.

Personalities in the picture include the late Mr Ardron, grandfather of Walter Ardron, Notts Forest, former Rotherham United centre forward, and Mr Matthew Lowe – the man in white – we see outside his butcher’s shop. He died in 1934