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]
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.
The Melbourne tramway network is a tramway system serving the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The tramway network is centred around the Melbourne central business district (CBD) and consists of approximately 1,700 tram stops across 24 routes. It is the largest operational urban tram network in the world and one of the most used, with more than 500 trams and 250 kilometres of double tram track. It carried 154.8 million passengers over the year 2023-24. Trams are the second most utilised form of public transport in Melbourne after the city's metropolitan commuter railway network.
Melbourne tram route 6 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Moreland to Glen Iris. The 19.2-kilometre (11.9 mi) route is operated out of Brunswick and Malvern depots with Z, B and D class trams.
Melbourne tram route 5 is a tram route on the Melbourne tramway network serving the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, the route is coloured red and extends from Melbourne University to Malvern over 12.6-kilometre (7.8 mi) of double track via Swanston Street, St Kilda Road, Dandenong Road and Malvern East. It is serviced out of Malvern depot utilising Z and D1 class trams.
Melbourne tram route 112 was operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from West Preston to St Kilda. The 18 kilometre route was operated out of East Preston depot with A, B and D2 class trams.
Melbourne tram route 75 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Vermont South to Central Pier. The 22.8 kilometre route is operated out of Camberwell depot with A and B class trams. It is the longest route on the network.
Melbourne tram route 109 is a tram route on the Melbourne tramway network serving the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, the route is coloured orange and extends from Box Hill to Port Melbourne over 19.3 kilometre of double track via Whitehorse Road, Victoria Street and Collins Street. It is serviced out of Kew depot utilising A and C class trams.
Melbourne tram route 16 is a tram route on the Melbourne tramway network serving the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, the route is coloured light yellow and extends from Melbourne University to Kew over 20.2 kilometre of double track via Swanston Street, St Kilda Road, Fitzroy Street, The Esplanade, Balaclava Road and Glenferrie Road. It is serviced out of Malvern depot utilising Z and D1 class trams.
Melbourne tram route 67 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Melbourne University to Carnegie. The 12.7-kilometre (7.9 mi) route is operated out of Glenhuntly depot with Z and B class trams.
The Melbourne cable tramway system was a cable car public transport system, which operated between 1885 and 1940 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Melbourne tram route 1 is a tram route on the Melbourne tramway network serving the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, the route is coloured light green and extends from East Coburg to South Melbourne Beach over 13.2-kilometre (8.2 mi) of double track via Nicholson Street, Lygon Street, Swanston Street and South Melbourne. It is serviced out of Brunswick depot utilising Z and B class trams.
Melbourne tram route 78 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from North Richmond to Balaclava. The 6.5 kilometre route is operated out of Kew depot with A class trams.
Melbourne tram route 3 is a tram route on the Melbourne tramway network serving the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, the route is coloured light blue and extends from Melbourne University to East Malvern over 14.9-kilometre (9.3 mi) of double track via Swanston Street, St Kilda Road and Caulfield. It is serviced out of Glenhuntly depot utilising Z and B class trams. Until October 2023, route 3 operated as 3a on weekends, diverting via St Kilda Beach.
Melbourne tram route 64 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Melbourne University to East Brighton. The 18.1 kilometre route is operated out of Glenhuntly depot with Z and B class trams.
Melbourne tram route 86 is a tram route on the Melbourne tramway network serving the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, the route is coloured yellow and extends from Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City over 22.2-kilometre (13.8 mi) of double track via Reservoir, Preston, Thornbury, Northcote, Clifton Hill, Collingwood, Fitzroy, East Melbourne and Bourke Street. It is serviced out of Preston depot utilising E class trams.
Melbourne tram route 11 is a tram route on the Melbourne tramway network serving the city of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. Operated by Yarra Trams, the route is coloured turqoise green and extends from West Preston to Victoria Harbour over 13.4-kilometre (8.3 mi) of double track via St Georges Road, Fitzroy and Collins Street. It is serviced out of Preston depot utilising E class trams.
The Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) was a government-owned authority that was responsible for the tram network in Melbourne, Australia between 1919 and 1983, when it was merged into the Metropolitan Transit Authority. It had been formed by the merger of a number of smaller tramway trusts and companies that operated throughout the city.
The earliest trams in Australia operated in the latter decades of the 19th century, hauled by horses or "steam tram motors". At the turn of the 20th century, propulsion almost universally turned to electrification, although cable trams lingered in Melbourne. In cities and towns that had trams, they were a major part of public transport assets.
Alexander Cameron was a lawyer, local councillor, and tramways administrator. Following university education he established a legal practice, and later ran for, and won, election on Town of Malvern council. In this position he advocated for the establishment of a local tramway system, and became the inaugural chairman of the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust. In 1919 he was appointed as the inaugural chairman of the newly established Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board and presided in that capacity until 1935, creating a unified tram network from the disparate systems that were hitherto operating in Melbourne. He was recognised as a transport expert from his years of experience managing and expanding tramways of Melbourne.
Melbourne tram route 12 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre to St Kilda. The 16.2-kilometre (10.1 mi) route is operated out of Southbank depot with A class trams.
The Melbourne, Brunswick & Coburg Tramways Trust was a tram operator in Melbourne, Australia