1934 - A Watershed Year

Mal Rowe – Running Journal - No. 201, 2011

A while back I was given the map above of the MMTB system in 1934 by Ron Scholten. It was part of a booklet advertising tourist services – mostly on MMTB buses – in what are now the suburbs of Melbourne. The map shows the system about half way through the process of conversion from cable to electric operation. Flinders, Collins and Swanston Streets are converted, but not Bourke, Lonsdale or Elizabeth. Read article >>Read More >>

2006 - A Dual Tramway Year

Keith Kings – Running Journal - May/ June 2006

The year 1906 saw the establishment of the first electric tramways in Melbourne’s suburbs.  The pioneer electric tramway in Australia had operated from 1889 to 1896 between Box Hill and Doncaster. Read article >>

The Melbourne, Brunswick & Coburg Tramways Trust

R.H. Prentice – Volume 3, Number 1, July 1966

The Melbourne, Brunswick and Coburg Tramways Trust was constituted by the Melbourne, Brunswick and Coburg Tramways Act 1914. The work of designing and construction the tramways was commenced in June, 1914. Read article >>

A Brief History of… The North Melbourne Electric Tramways

& Lighting Company

K. S. Kings – Volume 3, Number 2, October 1966

The area involved in this brief article is situated north west of the centre of Melbourne, being from two to six miles distant. During most of the latter half of the last century, the transport serving the district consisted of the Victorian Railways' main country line to Bendigo, horse cabs and some horse omnibuses.  

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A Short History of the Tramways of Geelong

K. S. Kings – Volume 2, Number 3, January 1966

Although tramways were considered quite seriously in September, 1888, and an Order-in-Council was made in 1899 to enable routes to be constructed, the residents of Geelong had to wait until 14th March, 1912.  Read article >>

Colour - Light Signals : Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo

G. Breydon – Volume 9, Number 5, October 1972

Single tracks resulted in conflicting tram movements on the Ballarat and Bendigo systems. In Melbourne important junctions were an additional source of conflict. To regulate tramway traffic in these situations electrical signalling systems were installed.  Read article >>

The Sandringham Tramway

Arthur Stone – Volume 6, Number 2, Oct-Nov 1969

This is a short history of the tramway of my youth. It is not meant to be a full technical history of the line, but merely a collection of my reminiscences and meditations.

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M.&M.T.B. Bus Notes

G. Turnbull - Volume 5, Number 2 October 1968

On the 1st. January, 1968, the tramways Board extended, it's bus network, when the bus lines operated by Rouch and Kennedy were acquired.  Read article >>

The 1922 Plan

D. Menzies - Volume 10, Number 1 February 1973

Transport history is an interesting subject, sometimes it requires research not only of the time under consideration, but often both prior to and after the main events in order that a complete picture is obtained of what might appear at first a jigsaw puzzle.  Read article >>

Acts & Antics

D. Menzies - Volume 9, Number 6 December 1972

In the recent State Government budget $6.5 million was allocated to the debt ridden tramways but for years tramways legislation was punitive instead of providing assistance for public transport.  Read article >>

The Zoo Horse Tram

A.E. Twentyman - Volume 10, Number 5 October 1973

It is now fifty years since the Zoo horse tram ceased to operate. The line was opened on 10th March 1890, and ran between the junction of Gatehouse Street with Royal Parade, Parkville, to the main gates of the Zoo, a distance of .62 of a mile.

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New Era For Tram Travellers

Volume 10, Number 6 December 1973

A new era in Australian intra-city transport has been ushered in with the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board's recent order for 100 new trams.

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Melbourne Awash!!

D. Menzies - Running Journal Volume 9, Number 2 April 1972

Heavy rain fell in Melbourne during February, 1972, making it the wettest February on record. In the first 21 days 922 points of rain had fallen, compared to the average rainfall for February, of 184 points.  Read article >>

The Sorrento Steam Tram

A Howlett - Running Journal Volume 9, Number 4 August 1972

Recently a Mr. C.G. Dennis had a letter published in the "Trust Newsletter", recording the passing of the last tangible item of the Sorrento Tramway. This was the Ocean Terminus Shelter Shed, used by passengers in the 1890-1920 period.  Read article >>

ČKD-TATRA

Malcolm Rowe - Running Journal Volume 5, Number 4 February-March 1969

The photo shows two ČKD-TATRA tramcars operating in Praha, Czechoslovakia. Some Specifications and description of these cars may be of interest-particularly in a city which looks forward to new tramcars on her streets.  Read article >>

V.R. Tramway “Reminiscences”

Paul Nicholson - Running Journal Vol 5 No. 5 June-July 1969

The family and I used to go down to the beach at Brighton and I can remember looking forward to seeing the “Railway Trams” running along The Esplanade.

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Cable Trams of Melbourne & Sydney - Historical Highlights Pt 1

Brian Carroll - Running Journal, January 2001

Most people know that Melbourne had cable trams. In its heyday, Melbourne's system was the fourth biggest in the world with 46 miles of double track and 1,200 cable cars and trailers.  Read article >>

When the “W3” Trams Were New

Graham Jordan - Running Journal Jan 2000

One of the smaller classes of Melbourne tram was the W3. With only sixteen examples being constructed, four complete vehicles still exist retained by tramway museums.  Read article >>

The Demise of the “L’s”

Barry George - Running Journal Vol 6 No. 2 Oct-Nov 1969

The reason I am writing this article for "R.J.' is because of an interesting event that happened to me on Thursday, May 29, 1969.  Read article >>

A Salute to Our Veterans

Keith Kings - Running Journal Vol. 10 No. 6 Dec 1973

December 23, 1923, marked the beginning of a new era for Melbourne's electric tramways - the first "standard" tramcar officially entered service.  Read article >>

The Coming of Trams

Graham Jordan - Running Journal Nov 1998

This was the banner headline, which appeared on a special edition of the local newspaper to celebrate the opening of the electric tramways in Essendon on the 11th of October 1906.  Read article >>