Charleroi is a conglomeration of several towns and villages where iron processing industry was evident present. Mining industries and steel processing had great influence on the city.

In 1881 a sall horse tram opened connecting the railway station Charleroi-Sud via Place Verte to the Rue de Marcinelle. It was laid with track width 1435 mm. The line did not last long. Already two years later the line was closed.

But there was another company, the "Soc.des Chemins de fer Vicinaux Belges" (not to be confused with the great NMVB company). This company opened end september 1881 a line from Charleroi-Sud via the city center, via Porte de Waterloo to Gilly Quatre-Bras. This line also was laid with track width 1435 mm. The part from the Sud railway station to Waterloo was running with small steam locs. In Waterloo the steam locs were discoupled and a horst came before the tram for the second part of the ride to Gilly.

The same company opened a second line on 19 March 1882 from the railway station to Montignies. This line was run with steam traction.

Around 1900 the great NMVB, which had lines in the west of the city, made the conversion to electric trams. The city of Charleroi wanted also to change the steam and horse powered lines in the east of the city to electric running. A new consession was given to the RELSE (s.a. des Railways Economiques de Liège-Seraing et Extensions), the company that ran tram lines in the surroundings of the city of Liège. A sub-company was created the TEPCE (s.a. des Tramways Electriques du Pays de Charleroi et Extensions). The two existing lines were transferred from normal gauge to meter gauge and electrified. The line to Gilly was opened on 4 july 1904, and that was the end of the horse tram in Charleroi.

For the two lines, partly in exploitation with steam traction, partly with horse traction, there were several small steam tram locomotives, built by Carels in Gent. It were locs with a condensor to minimise the inconvenience of the escaping steam on the streets.

There were small carriages on two axles with closed cabin and open balconies on the end.

For these electric lines, see the page about the electric trams of Charleroi