 In 1881 the Board of Trade made an order under the Tramways Act 1870, giving Rochdale Corporation powers to construct a street tramway.The line was opened on 7 May 1883 and was operated by the steam trams of the Manchester, Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramways Company Limited.The company went into liquidation in 1887, but in the following year the service was restored under the auspices of the Bury, Rochdale and Oldham Steam Tramways Company Limited.