Historical views of road passenger transport in the Medway Towns
Old postcards and photographs featuring trams and buses operating between Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham.
Originally horse buses and hackney cabs provided the only means of local road passenger transport.
When the tram system opened in 1902, it only connected Gillingham and Chatham but was soon extended to Rochester. Rainham was reached in 1906, with Borstal and Strood completing the network in 1908.
Trams ceased in 1930 when they were replaced by buses operated by the Chatham and District Traction Company.
However, the first motor bus had appeared as early as 1903 operating between Chatham and Strood, but it only lasted a few months.
A similar motor bus service was tried again from May 1907, but Rochester Council refused to renew the licence at the end of 1908 because of "the congested state of the High Street now that the trams are running."
Motor buses started between Maidstone and Chatham in 1908. After changing hands several times, this embryo enterprise was incorporated in 1911 as the Maidstone & District Motor Services Limited.
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