 The Spring Bank route opened in 1876, the lines along Hessle Road, Anlaby Road, Holderness Road and the line through the old town were all open by 1877.The tram system was horse-operated, approximately 9 miles long, and mostly single-tracked.The company operated a fleet of around 30 vehicles, initially single-deck vehicles; later double-deck horse-drawn trailers were used, some with a capacity of over 40 persons.