After an investigation into existing horse tramways in operation in Bristol and Hull, the corporation declined the offer, not wanting outsiders making a profit from the residents.

[1] Eight open-top double-deck trams built by G.F. Milnes & Co. of Birkenhead were purchased for the opening, with a further 13 arriving later in the year to operate the other three lines.

However, strong opposition from Stockton Heath Parish Council was encountered, so for the time being the line terminated on the Lancashire side of the canal.

The crossing of the Manchester Ship Canal at both locations would only be allowed by an exorbitant annual sum which made the scheme unviable, so Warrington Corporation applied for a Light Railway Order to cover the sections north of Stockton Heath, being in a better position to press the Canal Company not to apply such charges.

[2] The route to Stockton Heath was the most prone to delays due to both the swing bridge across the Manchester Ship Canal as well as a level crossing over the London & North Western Railway's Garston to Timperley railway at Wilderspool, which had a similar set of precautions to prevent trams from fouling the crossing.

SLT held powers to build such a route as part of the South Lancashire Tramways Act 1901 (1 Edw.

The corporation agreed, but stipulated that LUT must pay them an amount equal to the tram fare for every passenger carried over this section of route.

Six new trams from Brush Electrical Engineering Company were purchased in 1919, allowing frequencies and operating hours to be increased to meet demand.

This was part of a scheme to enable a through-service between the Cemetery and Stockton Heath lines, and was trialled for a short period after construction was completed in 1922.

[9] In 1929, a proposal was put together to replace trams on the Stockton Heath line with bus services, as the track had been in use for 25 years and was due for renewal.

Nine Leyland TD1s with Brush bodywork were purchased, and it was not long before the service was extended to the suburbs of Walton and Grappenhall, illustrating the flexibility of the motor bus over the fixed infrastructure required for trams.

[4] Unlike many other tramway systems, a profit had been made in every financial year bar one, all loan charges had been paid off, and additionally over £35,000 of relief in rates was handed over.

After almost thirty years of storage, restoration began in 2004 by the Merseyside Tramway Preservation Society, located at the Wirral Transport Museum.

WOB celebrated 100 years of public transport operated by the council in 2002 with a recreation of the first tram service, and an open day at the depot featuring open-top bus tours along the original tramway routes.