Neath Corporation took over the tramway services previously provided by the
Neath and District Tramways Company. Unlike other local authority tramway modernisation programmes, Neath Corporation opted for town gas powered tramcars, the British Gas Traction Company supplied the tramcars, which stored
town gas under compression in cylinders. British Gas Traction Company was a subsidiary of Luhrig Company, and obtained the gas engines from
Gasmotoren-Fabrik Deutz of
Köln. The tramcars were manufactured under licence by the
Lancaster Railway Carriage and Wagon Company. The track was relayed by Krauss of Bristol, starting in March 1898. On 29 August 1899 the inspector from the
Board of Trade, Colonel Sir
Francis Marindin passed the system for public usage. After encountering financial difficulties, the line was leased to the Neath Gas Traction Company, which changed its name in 1902 to the Provincial Gas Traction Company. ==Closure==