On 30 June 1877 a Henry Hughes and Company steam tram engine "The Pioneer" was tried on the Belfast system.
Despite the trial proving successful with no smoke or noise emitted and no horses being frightened, official permission to operate steam services was not forthcoming.
The bill was passed in 1878 but the clauses to allow steam working were removed because of objections from John Freeman-Mitford, 1st Earl of Redesdale.
The company was purchased by Belfast Corporation on 1 January 1905, comprising 171 tramcars, 2 horse buses, and 4 water trams.
Tramcar 118 survived and has been restored and is now on view at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra.