The Belgian Coast and its tramways have been favourites with British visitors for over a century, and the Oostende quayside was where many Britons caught their first glimpse of a continental tram. Although there have been studies of the tramway and its rolling stock in French and Flemish there has been no recent comprehensive account in English, and this book -published to mark the line's 125th anniversary in 2010- outlines the construction, electrification, and equipment of the 70 km route between the Dutch and French frontiers, and also its branches and the urban lines in Oostende and Knokke. The coastal line today gives the impression of a planned and cohesive whole but in fact building was sporadic and took over forty years to complete. The story is set in the context of the progressive growth of the seaside towns and of the destructive events of two world wars when the trams were in the front line. The history is brought up to date with details of recent and proposed extensions.