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Melbourne transport

Warholesque

I rather like the design of this Warholesque tram.

Warholesque tram

It’s to celebrate 100 years of electric trams in Melbourne, even though the first electric tram in Melbourne ran in 1889. It only lasted 7 years though, so I suppose this one can celebrate 100 consecutive years of electric trams. But that would sound a little awkward I suppose.

Mind you, the tram line opened in 1906 (St Kilda to Brighton) didn’t last either. Now it’s a bus, though until quite recently they still used the ex-tram depot in Head Street, Elwood, which in turn has made the transition into medium-density housing.

I’m guessing the oldest still-running electric tram routes would be slightly younger, perhaps a spritely 90 or 95 years.

By Daniel Bowen

Transport blogger / campaigner and spokesperson for the Public Transport Users Association / professional geek.
Bunurong land, Melbourne, Australia.
Opinions on this blog are all mine.

6 replies on “Warholesque”

I think it would be great if they put in cable trams along the foreshore from Port Melbourne to St Kilda. The residents wouldn’t need to bitch about overhead wires and the tourists would get exercise helping the grip man push the carriage at each end.

Also walking past Chinatown China I saw this movie is screening in September:
http://timchuma.com/miff2006/thehost.htm

It’s M-rated, but has been a popular children’s matinee during the school holidays in South Korea.

I think it’s fantastic. Must keep an eye out for it. Stayed in the city this weekend and had fun tramming it all over the place with my sister but didn’t spot this tram in my travels.

I like the tram too!

Here is the text from the front of the 100 years of electric trams website (100yearstrams.com.au)… where you can see that they DO say it is 100 years of CONTINUOUS operation of electric trams…

Yarra Trams is marking an important milestone in the history of the Melbourne tram network. The year 2006 marks 100 years of continuous operation of electric trams.

Electric trams operated between Box Hill and Doncaster in the late 1800s, but this service was abandoned.

From 1906 electric trams were here to stay.

The Victorian Railways operated an electric tram service from St Kilda to Brighton from May 1906 until February 1959.

The private North Melbourne Electric Tramway and Lighting Company opened in October 1906. Part of this system remains as the backbone of Yarra Trams Route 59 Airport West-City.

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