In 1869 francis boardman clapp established the melbourne omnibus company with william mcculloch and henry hoyt. The northcote clifton hill city cable line was the last cable tram in melbourne to operate and closed in october 1940. A tram car passes the federal coffee palace at the southwest corner of collins and king streets, circa 1890. Prior to that, trams on the northern section of sydney road would run via swanston street to the southern suburbs. While several books about the cable and electric tram networks have included published track maps, these were in turn generated from the old. Melbournes horse drawn tram pioneer francis boardman clapp was closely watching the development of. Suspended from these arms were the carriers, either ore buckets or hooks to which supplies or ore bags could be attached. Cable trams depended for their motive power on a cable in a slot between the rails, kept moving by an engine house along the route. I have been checking mark fiddians 1993 book on melbourne s cable and electric trams which mentions requests made by suburban councils during the period 1915 1935, many of which were later built. They are the smallest trams by capacity currently operating on the network. The system grew to around 75km of double track with 1,200 cars and trailers in operation from the. Melbournes first cable tram service, 1885 vintage news.
The melbourne cable trams 18851940 jack cranston hbdj signed unread in melb. A brief history of melbournes tram network tomelbourne. This story explores the history of melbourne s trams from the perspectives of trammies tram workers and passengers. There is some difficulty in comparing the sizes of american cable systems, and it is possible that the melbourne system was in fact the largest it was certainly very similar in. The melbourne system blanketed the inner city and radiated out in every direction, growing to become the fourth largest network in the world. The rather long winded clifton hill to northcote and preston tramway company, to be referred to from. Melbourne s cable trams a major nineteenth century engineering achievement.
The trams were colored, red, blue, yellow, green, and white, indicating different routes. By 1920 it was carrying 150 million passengers a year. Permanently attached to the cable of distances of about 50 feet were steel arms or clips. A short history of cable trams in melbourne the melbourne cable tramway system was a public transport system that operated in the city from 1885 to 1940. Trams in melbourne cable tram dummy and trailer on the st kilda line in melbourne in 1905. While sydney was building its network of stateowned speedy steam trams, melbourne was developing a private network of sedate cable tramways, regarding adelaides horse trams as old fashioned and sydneys steam trams as too dirty. Hallidie patented the inventions that made cable traction possible and the worlds first cable tram system commenced operation in san francisco in 1873. The melbourne story is packed with icons of the citys past and present.
Tramway archaeology closed electric lines in melbourne. Big storiesof aboriginal activism, of gold that built grand buildings, of waves of migrationsit alongside quieter tales of everyday life in the big. There are tales of heroes and scoundrels, growth and decline, and the changing ways melburnians live, work and play. By the end of the 1890s depression the cable system was no longer in the vanguard of tramway technology. Other lines closed until the great depression stalled conversions. Light signs of useaging otherwise very good reading condition. Jul 26, 2020 operating from 1885 until 1940, melbourne s cable tram system was the fourth biggest in the world, with about 75 km of double track, 17 innersuburban routes, and 600 cable car and trailer sets.
May 01, 2008 the book is clear and concise on the history and contemporary operation of the tram network in melbourne giving just enough history of the cable driven units before focusing on the current fleet with a well presented summary of the operating trams and their provenance, complete with an identification drawing of each design, some such as the w6 class need to introduction due to the history and respect but newer bendy designs such as th b1, b2, c and d2 class are not so well recognised despite. Seventy were built by comeng, dandenong between 1984 and 1987 in two batches, 28 a1s and 42 a2s, with only minor differences. No, one other company was operating at the same time. A short history of cable trams in australia tramscrolls. A history of the cable trams, melbourne university press, 1970. History of the cable tramways of melbourne, australia. The melbourne cable tram system saw no new extensions after 1891. Melbourne s cable trams in the early 20th century may have equalled, or even surpassed, those of san francisco, in the extent of the system. Cable tram on spring street, in front of parliament house. Melbourne tram museum, attraction, melbourne, victoria. From 1885 to 1940, the city of melbourne, victoria, australia operated one of the largest cable systems in the world, at its peak running 592 trams on 75 kilometres 47 mi of track. Melbournes first public transport was provided by horse drawn trams or as they were known, omnibuses. B clapp centre was responsible for melbournes first horse trams and started the cable tram network in 1877. Our city had the largest cable tram system in the world operated as a single integrated entity between 1885 and 1940, dwarfing the survivng cable tram lines in san francisco.
Each cable tramway as it was constructed embodied the results of its. Open to the public every second and fourth saturday of each month, the melbourne tram museum preserves and shares the rich tramway history of melbourne, with something for all ages. The cable tram system grew to be very comprehensive see melbourne s cable trams for more details and operated successfully for 55 years. The museum houses 21 fullyrestored trams including, a toastrack bodied vclass from 1906, one of the first electric trams in melbourne. The introduction chapter of melbournes marvellous trams is a brief history of electric trams and their development in australia. The last cable tram of melbourne royal historical society of. Melbourne book market bookstore melbourne, victoria. Electric trams australias first electric tram line, from box hill station to doncaster, was built by a group of land developers using equipment left over from the great exhibition of 1888. The trams hark back to the melbourne cable tram era of 18851940, and are built to the specifications of the time. First trip of a cable tram on the richmond route, 11 november 1885. Thus, much like a modern skilift, the cable moved in an endless circle. Melbourne s first electric tram above and the more advanced second model below. Chapter 1 discusses the cable trams system in melbourne.
Aclass melbourne tram wikimili, the free encyclopedia. Daphne rooms reminisces about the joys of riding cable trams in melbourne. The melbourne cable tramway system was a cable car public transportation system. To stop the tram the grip man first moved the grip lever forward to release the cable and then applied one of two brake levers. Electric trams, when they started in melbourne, were for the most part acting as feeders to the cable system. Melbournes first cable tram service, 1885 vintage news daily. Founded in 1996, the portland cable tram project is the culmination of more than 20,000 volunteer hours donated by more than 100 members who lovingly restored and rebuilt the saloon and grip cars to their former glory. The melbourne cable trams 18851940 by jack cranston. Trams form a major part of melbournes public transport system. The book is clear and concise on the history and contemporary operation of the tram network in melbourne giving just enough history of the cable driven units before focusing on the current fleet with a well presented summary of the operating trams and their provenance, complete with an identification drawing of each design, some such as the w6 class need to introduction due to the history and. Melbourne tramway trust built cable tram infrastructure owned by a number of. This article by professor william charles kernot, appearing as the melbourne tramways, was first published in 1888 as a chapter within a book entitled victoria and its metropolis past and present and reprinted in cranston 1988 the melbourne cable trams 18851940. There were also two isolated cable lines in sydney, new south wales, australia. Melbournes cable tram system has its origins in the mtoc, started by francis boardman clapp in 1877, with a view to operate a melbourne tram system.
Cable tram dummy and trailer on the st kilda line in 1905. Operated in the years 18891896 between box hill and doncaster along tram road. Melbournes first electric tram above and the more advanced second model below. This beautifully detailed quarterscale model of a melbourne cable tram has an interesting history. A brief history of melbournes tram network melbournes first cable tram november 1885 no visitor to melbourne can say they truly experienced the atmosphere of the city until they have taken a ride in a melbourne tram.
Clifton hill c, cable trams and photo identification page. Clifton hill c, cable trams and photo identification. Media in category cable trams in melbourne the following 7 files are in this category, out of 7 total. Inspire a love of reading with amazon book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with amazon book box, a subscription that delivers new books. This shows just some of the vintage tram operations in melbourne in more enlightened times. Melbourne s tram system began operations in 1885, when the first cable line operated by the melbourne tramway and omnibus company opened for business. The service was abandoned less than seven years later and it took until october 1906 for another electric service to begin, this time operated by the private north melbourne electric tramway and. Melbourne tramways, was first published in 1888 as a chapter within a book. Trams entry emelbourne the encyclopedia of melbourne. Trams entry emelbourne the encyclopedia of melbourne online. The service was abandoned less than seven years later and it took until october 1906 for another electric service to begin, this time operated by the private north melbourne electric tramway and lighting company. Suspended from these arms were the carriers, either ore buckets or.
It was replaced by double decker buses which fell apart ten years later, and was rebuilt as an electric tram route in 1956. Melbournes tram system is largely attributed to francis boardman clapp, an americanborn entrepreneur who came to australia with grand plans of striking gold, but sooner found success in establishing melbournes first bustling public tramsystem. Romance of australian trams john larkins bruce howard. The discourse of the time was one of excitement, but within the c. Even though cable operated trams are effective, their integration, upkeep, and accident prevention mechanism costs are considerate. Sep 11, 2019 the aclass melbourne tram is a class of bogie trams that operate on the melbourne tram network. Melbournes first electric tram began operation on 14 october 1889 between box hill and doncaster. I have picked out the following which have never come to pass, these suggestions would be from the councils like kew, hawthorn, camberwell,etc. The system grew to around 75km of double track with 1,200 cars and trailers in operation from the centre of melbourne to neighbouring suburbs.
Trams have been an integral part of melbourne since the late 19th century, so much so that the city and its tram system have developed in unison. Melbourne tram museum, attraction, melbourne, victoria, australia. Includes many bw and colour plates supporting the well researched and presented text. Transit australia publishing publishes books on contemporary and historical aspects of railways, tramways and.
Melbourne established cable trams in 1885, and the system grew to 75 km of double track and 1200 cars and trailers, the fourth largest cable system in the world. Melbournes cable trams a major nineteenth century engineering. Unit used to grip the moving cable from a tram car. The melbourne cable tramway system was a cable car public transport system, which operated between 1885 and 1940 in melbourne, victoria, australia. Trams are railwaybased transportation vehicles that originally evolved from regular train networks into urbanbased passenger transportation services when those railway lines became too embedded inside cities, making them unsuitable for transport of large steam, electric or dieselpowered trains. The introduction also discusses the rise of the tram, then its fall to inferior status and then its recent resurgence. Melbourne book market, melbourne, victoria, australia. Jones, colin, watch for trams, kangaroo press 1993. The cable tramway system was completed in 1891, with 15 car houses and 10 engine houses. The last cable tram of melbourne royal historical society. Each grip car or dummy had a grip mechanism which extended through a slot running down the centre of the tracks to clasp the cable and impart its motion to the tram. Two years ago, melbourne was celebrating the th anniversary of its first cable trams, established in 1885. The rear saloon car is believed to have been displayed at the. Landscapes and ecologies of urban and planning history 771.
Mind the curve, a history of the melbourne cable trams by john d. Cable trams were a triumph of the land boom decade of the 1880s, encouraging further suburban development. Miles has had a longterm interest in engineering and industrial history and heritage. Route 16 was first allocated to the line between city swanston st to st kilda beach on 26 april 1936 following the electrification of the brunswick cable tram line.
567 1117 334 11 1262 1472 852 252 1036 528 454 585 879 345 700 842 1422 1460 1287 383 867 604 1073 768 1029 676 1367 1182 736