The necessity of a tramway came due to Hydros being up the hill while the railway station was down near the River Derwent. The tramway was financed by locally-born newspaper owner Sir George Newnes. The tram was the steepest tramway in the world on public roads, featuring a 1 in 5½ grade slope (18%). The tramcars were not overhead powered but were pulled by a cable situated below and between the tracks. The barn was situated at the top of the incline and a tram would go up whilst another would go down the hill. Trams went from Crown Square, were a grand tram shelter once stood, to Rutland Street. The route was originally planned to begin at the railway station but due to its location, risks of flooding forced the terminus to be set up on Crown Square.