Southampton Corporation bought the Southampton Electric Light and Power Company in 1896. Two years later in 1898 it bought the Southampton Tramway Company two years later in 1898. This allowed them to change the town's tramway system to electricity instead of horse power. In 1899 a group of people from the Corporation visited tram systems in Bradford, Dover, Glasgow, Liverpool and London for ideas. They decided that Southampton's was going to be based on Liverpool's. The first electric tram route from Junction to Shirley opened on 22 January 1900. The second route from Stag Gates to Holy Road via Prospect Place opened on 29 May 1900. Over the next 3 years the system slowly got bigger. The following routes opened:
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