The system did not operate for very long, closing after a few months, largely because so many of the staff were called up to fight in the First World War. The company tried hard to maintain the route to Manvers Main, since colliery working was deemed to be an essential occupation, but the service was at best sporadic, although a second-hand vehicle was purchased in 1917 from the Stockport system to augment the fleet. Conditions did not immediately improve when the war ended, and services only resumed properly on the Manvers route in 1921, with the Conisbrough route following in 1922. Two new vehicles with upholstered seats were obtained in 1922 and another one in 1924. The company also began running motor buses in 1922, and considered whether to convert the trolleybus routes to tramways. They wanted to link their tramway to the Doncaster Corporation system and the Dearne District Light Railway, a street tramway linking Barnsley with the towns of Wombwell, Wath, Bolton on Dearne and Thurnscoe.