Timeline of trams in Melbourne

Last updated

Timeline of trams in Melbourne
Operation
LocaleMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Horse tram era
StatusClosed / predecessor
Operator(s)Various
Cable tram era
StatusConverted to electric or closed
Operator(s)Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company, later MMTB
Electric tram era
StatusOperational
Operator(s)Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board, later Yarra Trams

The Melbourne tram network began in 1884 with the construction of the Fairfield Horse Tramway. However, the purpose of the line was to increase land prices in the area, and it soon closed during the depression in 1890. [1] The first genuine attempt to construct a tramway network was the construction of the Richmond cable tram line by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company in 1885. Over the next few years, 16 more cable tram lines were constructed, as well as numerous other horse tramways. [2] The depression of the early 1890s slowed further expansion of the cable network. The first electric tram line was the Box Hill and Doncaster tramway which opened in 1889. This was a pioneering line in what was then the countryside and thus didn't receive much patronage. It closed in 1896. [3] The next attempt at an electric tramway was Victorian Railways' St Kilda to Brighton line, which opened in 1906. [4] Later that year, the North Melbourne Electric Tramway & Lighting Company opened lines to Essendon and Maribyrnong. [5] Many local councils formed their own tramway trusts and built tramways within their own constituency. The most successful of these was the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust. [6]

Contents

Consolidation of all of the systems occurred with the forming of the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board in 1920, who eventually took control of all lines except for the two Victorian Railways lines. [7] The MMTB continued the expansion of the electric tramways and began the process of electrifying the cable network, which began in earnest by the mid-1920s. Though many more lines were planned, the Great Depression and World War II slowed the process of construction. The electrification of the cable network was effectively completed by 1956 with the opening of the Bourke Street lines. However, by this time, the increasing popularity of the motor vehicle and the anti-tram Bolte government prevented any expansion in the following years, and overall patronage began to decline. [8] The VR closed its two lines and the MMTB also closed many of its shorter, more marginal routes. The decades following the late 1970s saw the expansion of tram lines to outer suburbs such as Bundoora, Vermont South, Airport West, and Box Hill. [9] Establishment of a state-run corporation to operate Melbourne's tram network occurred in 1983. In 1997, the tram network was split into two and later privatized. Since 2004, Yarra Trams has been the sole operator of the Melbourne Tram Network. [7]

This timeline lists all of the openings, extensions and closures of all lines, as well as other significant events of the Melbourne Tram Network.

1880s

The opening of the Richmond cable line on 11 November 1885 Melbourne's first cable tram.jpg
The opening of the Richmond cable line on 11 November 1885
1884
1885
1886
1887
1888
1889

1890s

1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
1896
1897

1900s

1901
1902
1904
1905
1906
1907
1908

1910s

The PMTT opened the Dandenong Road line on 16 December 1911 PMTT Dandenong Road opening.jpg
The PMTT opened the Dandenong Road line on 16 December 1911
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919

1920s

The Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board took over all tramways between by 1922 Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board Logo.jpg
The Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board took over all tramways between by 1922
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
1927
1928
1929

1930s

1930
1931
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939

1940s

1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945

1950s

1950
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1959

1960s

1960
1962
1965
1967
1968

1970s

1970
1973
1975
1976
1978

1980s

1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
A B2 class tram runs of the St Kilda light rail, converted in 1987. Melbourne tram route 96.jpg
A B2 class tram runs of the St Kilda light rail, converted in 1987.
1988
1989

1990s

1990
1992
1993
City Circle tram, which commenced in 1994 City-Circle-Tram,-cnr-Flinders&Elizabeth,-Melb,-12.08.2008.jpg
City Circle tram, which commenced in 1994
1994
1995
1997
1998
1999

2000s

2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2009

2010s

An E Class tram in North Balwyn, May 2014 E-class tram in North Balwyn (2).jpg
An E Class tram in North Balwyn, May 2014
2013
2014
2017
2018

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Darebin Heritage - Fairfield Horse Tram". heritage.darebinlibraries.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  2. 1 2 Victoria, Museum. "No. 1 cable tram, first day of operation on the Richmond route, Treasures, Museum Victoria celebrates 150 years, Australia, Victoria, Melbourne". museumsvictoria.com.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Melbourne Tram Museum: Australia's first electric tram - the Box Hill to Doncaster tramway". hawthorntramdepot.org.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Victorian Railways - Electric Street Railways". vicsig. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 "Melbourne Tram Museum: the North Melbourne Electric Tramways & Lighting Company". hawthorntramdepot.org.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "Melbourne Tram Museum: the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust". hawthorntramdepot.org.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Tram History Final" (PDF). Heritage Victoria.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Melbourne Tram Museum: Melbourne's horse trams". hawthorntramdepot.org.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 Storey, Don. "Gunzel". classicaustraliantv.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "The Cable Car Home Page - Cable Tramways in Australia and New Zealand". cable-car-guy.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fedor, William. "TMSV :: Reflections :: The Melbourne, Brunswick & Coburg Tramways Trust". tramway.org.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Melbourne Tram Museum: the Fitzroy, Northcote & Preston Tramways Trust". hawthorntramdepot.org.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 "Melbourne Tram Museum: Footscray - genesis of a local tramway". hawthorntramdepot.org.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Melbourne's Two Batman Avenue Tramways 1916 and 1999" Trolley Wire issue 278 August 1999 pages 3–15
  15. "Glenhuntly Tram Depot". Vicsig. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  16. "W Class Tram". VICSIG. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Brown, Geoff (2016). "The tram through the park: the origins of the West Coburg tramway". Friends of Hawthorn Tram Depot.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Twentyman, A.E. "The Conversion of Melbourne's Cable Tramways" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 174: 3–12 via Sydney Tramway Museum.
  19. "Camberwell Depot". VICSIG.
  20. "East Preston Depot". VICSIG.
  21. "Hawthorn Depot Closed" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 97: 11. February 1965.
  22. 1 2 "East Burwood opens" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 177: 25–27. August 1978.
  23. News in Brief Trolley Wire issue 203 December 1982 page 2
  24. 1 2 3 4 "East Preston line extended" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 208: 18–21. October 1983.
  25. "Melbourne Interlude" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 211: 25–26. April 1984.
  26. 1 2 3 "Here and There: News from all over" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 231: 27–31. November 1987.
  27. "Opening of the Airport West Extension" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 252: 33.
  28. "East Burwood Extension" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 254: 26. August 1993.
  29. "City Circle Line opens" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 258. August 1994.
  30. 1 2 "South Melbourne Depot Closes" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 269: 17–21. May 1997.
  31. "Melbourne's tram network split up" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 271: 31. November 1997.
  32. 1 2 3 "Melbourne's two Batman Avenue tramways" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 278: 3–16. August 1999.
  33. "Here and There: News from all round" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 281: 30.
  34. 1 2 "Here and There: News from all over" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 283. November 2000.
  35. 1 2 3 "Here and There: News from all over" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 292: 27–29. February 2002.
  36. 1 2 "Here and There: News from all over" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 293: 11–20. May 2003.
  37. "Melbourne - new partnership agreements" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 297. May 2004.
  38. "Southern Cross Station Redevelopment". Railway Technology. December 2002.
  39. "NewQuay Extension" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 300. February 2005.
  40. "Vermont South extension opens" (PDF). Trolley Wire. 302. August 2005.
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 "Melbourne public transport – Significant service changes – Daniel Bowen dot com". danielbowen.com. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  42. Toorak West Track Opens Newsrail August 2017 page 247
  43. Metro Tunnel tram service changes – Toorak Road West and St Kilda Road – Saturday 1 July to Tuesday 11 July Yarra Trams
  44. Sad day for society: shock over halting of tramcar restaurants The Age 21 October 2018