Its content is intended for tramway enthusiasts interested in the history of the town tramway systems of the United Kingdom[1] and Ireland.

From 1950 until 2007 the magazine was published by the Light Railway Transport League (LRTL), since 1979 known as the Light Rail Transit Association (LRTA).

The same organisation has published the monthly magazine, Tramways & Urban Transit (also known as Modern Tramway, a longstanding previous title), since 1938.

[2] In mid-2007, publication of Tramway Review and Tramways & Urban Transit was taken over by a newly formed company, LRTA Publishing Ltd.[3] With some very minor variations, the magazine has always been published in A5 format.

Initially only printed in black-and-white, colour graphics were introduced on the cover in the 1960s.