4 April in 1905: Exeter swapped hooves for horsepower

On this day in 1905, Exeter gave its transport system a jolt of electricity – quite literally. After decades of horse-drawn travel, the city launched its first electric tram service, with carriages gliding from Pinhoe Road to Cowick Street in a blaze of modernity.

It was more than just a new way to get about – it was Exeter stepping into the future. Operated by Exeter Corporation Tramways, the electric trams promised speed, efficiency, and a cleaner alternative to the clattering carts of old.

As the city expanded, so too did the tramlines – stretching to Heavitree and beyond, connecting communities and transforming daily life.

For just a penny, passengers could hop aboard and trundle through the heart of the city. Workers on their morning commute, children heading to school, shoppers laden with bags – all took to the trams, which quickly became part of the city's everyday rhythm.

Though their reign ended in the 1930s, when buses took over the streets, the electric trams of 1905 left their mark – a symbol of civic ambition, innovation, and the unstoppable march of progress.

And while the trams themselves are long gone, traces of their legacy remain – quite literally beneath our feet. In parts of the city like Heavitree Road, Sidwell Street and Cowick Street, old tramlines still lie buried beneath the tarmac. During resurfacing works, the rails have occasionally resurfaced – a fleeting glimpse of the past before disappearing under fresh tarmac once more.

So if you’ve ever felt a suspicious bump beneath your tyres near St Sidwell’s or Cowick Street, it might just be a ghost of Exeter’s tramway past.