A snippet of relative pricing information

[jamespetts]

According to this website, in 1886, each tram horse cost £8 per week to feed and stable.

The tram drivers were paid 7.25 old pennies per hour in circa 1906, and a tram depot built in that year for electric trams cost £30,000 to construct.

Meanwhile, this website states that laying tram track (excluding electrification) cost £600 per mile in 1911.

[jamespetts]

Some excellent information on historic rail fares and costs can be found here.

In summary:

Updated March 2014
Rail Fares
Until the mid-1960s rail fares were based simply on distance travelled and
costed in old pence, d, (240d = £1). The third class rate was defined by
statute in 1844 as 1d per mile, which remained until 1914. (Rates during the
highly inflationary period around 1921 have not been established. At this time
the pound was devalued by about 40 per cent when compared to 1914).
Distances are given in public timetables, and in Bradshaw, throughout the
latter's existence (1839-1961). A corresponding first class fare varied from 2
to 1.5 times the third class rate. From 1968 fare structures became much
more complex and determined by the Selective Fares Manual, which we hold
and can be consulted on request [email to Search Engine]. To view our listing,
which includes fare information up to the present day, please see our website
here:
(No record is held of season ticket rates, e.g. for commuting purposes.)
Period Rate/mile
3rd class
Cost/100
miles
3rd class
1st/3rd class
ratio
Cost/100
miles
1st class
Pre-1914 1d 8s 4d
42p
Nearly 2:1 16s
80p
1928-1933 1½d 12s 6d
63p
1.67:1 £1 0s 4p
£1.04
1938-1946 1.575d 13s 1½d
66p
1.67:1 £1 9s 10d
£1.49
1949 2½d £1 0s 10d
£1.04
1.6:1 £1 13s 4d
£1.66
1953-1959 1¾d 14s 7d
73p
1.5:1 £1 1s 10½d
£1.09
1960 2d+ 17s 0d
85d
1.5:1 £1 5s 6d
£1.33
1961 2½d £1 0s 10d
£1.04
1.5:1 £1 11s 3d
£1.66
1962-1964 3d £1 5s
£1.25
1.5:1 £1 17s 6d
£1.88
1966-1967 3¼d £1 7s
£1.35
1.5:1 £2 0s 6d
£2.03

Meanwhile, detailed information on rail fares between 1995 and 2018 can be found here.

According to this Youtube video, rail fare increases were as follows in the early-mid 1970s:

1972: 8%
1973: 3%
1974: 16%
1975: 50%
1976: 12%
1977: 12.5-16%

[jamespetts]

According to this Youtube video:

London's trolleybuses were 13% cheaper to operate than trams.

[Matthew]

Some snippets about transport fuel pricing.

This article says that "rail" and "ancillary equipment" are entitled to use red diesel (which is taxed at a lower rate) and this will continue to be the case in future. This presumably includes diesel as fuel. It also notes that using cleaner diesel is often less efficient.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, "Petroleum refineries in the United States produce about 19 to 20 gallons of motor gasoline and 11 to 12 gallons of ultra-low sulfur distillate fuel oil (most of which is sold as diesel fuel and in several states as heating oil) from one 42-gallon barrel of crude oil. Many other petroleum products are also refined from crude oil. Refinery yields of individual products vary from month to month as refiners focus operations to meet demand for different products and as they work to maximize profits."

In the EIA's terminology, there are several grades of diesel fuel:
- No.1 is used by diesel engines that have "frequent speed and load changes, such as those in city buses and similar vehicles."
- No.2 is used by railway locomotives and motor vehicles.
- No.4 is used in "low-speed" diesel engines [mode unclear]
- No.5 Navy Special is used in steam ships[?!]
- No.6 is bunker fuel used in ships and power plants

[wlindley]

According to this Youtube video... London's trolleybuses were 13% cheaper to operate than trams.

If that's all the difference there was, then one could well conclude that with today's high-capacity and extended length trams, the cost of running a tram line ought to be far less per passenger than diesel busses on any urban route.