58-546: 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. In 1869 Francis Boardman Clapp set up
116-687: A Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust electric line; Hawthorn Bridge cable tram terminus to Auburn Road, via Burwood Road, Power Street and Riversdale Road, opened in 1890 and closed on 31 January 1916 after being sold to the Hawthorn Tramways Trust for conversion to electric traction; and the Zoo line, from the Royal Parade cable line to Melbourne Zoological Gardens , opened on 10 March 1890 and closed in November 1923. The Zoo line
174-558: A $ 303 million contract to supply and maintain 50 new E-class trams, the contract includes an option for a further 100. They will be built at Bombardier's Dandenong factory, with the propulsion systems and bogies coming from Bombardier's factories in Mannheim and Siegen , Germany, respectively. The trams will be 33 metres long and have a capacity of 210 passengers and are due to be in service in 2013. The first E-class tram arrived at Preston Workshops in late June 2013 for testing, with
232-462: A cost of A$ 100 million, and invested A$ 5.3 million refurbishing their fleet. In 2003 the marketing and umbrella brand Metlink was introduced to co-ordinate the promotion of Melbourne's public transport and the communications from the separate privatised companies. Metlink's role was to provide timetables, passenger information about connecting services provided by several operators, fares and ticketing information and introduce uniform signage across
290-589: A new logo, showing the integration of Melbourne's public transport system, replacing the MMTB logo, and introduced a new time-based integrated ticketing system, for all modes of Melbourne's public transport. An Automatic Vehicle Monitoring system was introduced in 1985, improving communication with drivers and allowing tracking of trams throughout the network. This reduced tram bunching and improved reliability of tram services. The St Kilda and Port Melbourne railway lines were converted to light rail lines in 1987, with
348-606: A new statutory authority within the Victorian Government, was created in 1997 to hold the ownership of land and assets relating to Victoria's tram and rail systems. In addition, a statutory office was established—the Director of Public Transport —to procure rail and tram services and to enter into and manage contracts with transport operators. After a tendering process the businesses were awarded as 12-year franchises, with Swanston Trams won by National Express , and
406-490: A profit, more than a year of negotiations over revised financing arrangements with the government, and grave concern over its future viability, National Express Group announced on 16 December 2002, its decision to walk away from all of their Victorian contracts and hand control back to the state government, with funding for its operations to stop on 23 December 2002. The government ran M>Tram until negotiations were completed with Yarra Trams for it to take-over responsibility of
464-668: A real estate development in Thornbury ; it opened on 20 December 1884, and was closed by 1890. Seven horse tramlines operated in Melbourne, three were built by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company (MTOC), while the other four were built by different private companies. The MTOC's three lines fed their cable tram system: Victoria Bridge cable tram terminus to Kew ( Boroondara Cemetery ), opened in 1887 and closed in 1915 after its sale to Kew Council for conversion to
522-488: A short branch line along Puckle Street), and the second to Saltwater River via Mount Alexander Road, Victoria Street, Racecourse Road, Epsom Road, Union Road and Maribyrnong Road. The system was approximately 7 mi (11.3 km) and was operated by 25 motor cars and 10 trailers. Due to demand for better public transport in Melbourne's inner suburbs of Prahran and Malvern the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust Act 1907
580-524: A view to operate a Melbourne tram system. After some initial resistance, he successfully lobbied the government who passed the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company Act 1883 on 10 October 1883, granting the company the right to operate a cable tram system in Melbourne. Although several lines were originally intended to be horse trams, and the MTOC did operate three horse tram lines on the edges of
638-527: Is the largest operational urban tram network in the world and one of the most used, with more than 500 trams and 250 kilometres (160 miles) 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 . Trams have operated continuously in Melbourne since 1885 (the horse tram line in Fairfield opened in 1884, but
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#1732783390025696-748: The Royal Exhibition Building . The venture was marred with disputes and operational problems, and ultimately failed, with the service ceasing in 1896. After this venture failed, electric trams returned on 5 May 1906, with the opening of the Victorian Railways Electric Street Railway from St Kilda to Brighton , and was followed on 11 October 1906 with the opening of the North Melbourne Electric Tramway & Lighting Company (NMETL) system, which opened two lines from
754-776: The cable tram network with 44 route miles of track, 539 grips cars, 485 four wheel trailer cars, 58 double bogie trailers, 11 engine sheds and 15 carriage sheds. On 2 February 1920, it took over the six suburban electric tramway trusts, which were dissolved later that month. The MMTB also succeeded the Cable Tramway Board and the Royal Park Horse Tramway. The MMTB took over the North Melbourne Electric Tramway & Lighting Company's tramways operation on 1 August 1922, and its lighting undertakings on 21 December 1922. One of
812-473: The 1970s Melbourne was the only Australian city with a major tram network. Melbourne resisted the trend to shut down the network for three major reasons: partly because the city's wide streets and geometric street pattern made trams more practicable than in many other cities; partly because of resistance from the unions ; and partly because the Chairman of the MMTB, Sir Robert Risson , successfully argued that
870-599: The 1997 Grand Prix. One month later the government announced plans for privatisation of the PTC. The tram conductors were replaced with ticketing machines between 1996 and 1998—shortly before the system was privatised. On 1 July 1997, in preparation for privatisation of the Public Transport Corporation , Melbourne's tram network was split into two businesses: Met Tram 1 (later renamed Swanston Trams) and Met Tram 2 (later renamed Yarra Trams). VicTrack ,
928-596: The Bourke Street buses were replaced by trams in 1955, and new lines opened to East Preston and Brunswick East . Melbourne's tram usage peaked at 260 million trips in 1949, before dropping sharply to 200 million the following year in 1950. However usage defied the trend and bounced back in 1951, but began a gradual decline in usage which would continue until 1970. During the same period bus use also went into decline and buses have never proved as popular with passengers as trams at any time in Melbourne's history. By
986-496: The CBD), motor vehicles turning right are required to perform a hook turn , a manoeuvre designed to give trams priority. To further improve tram speeds on congested Melbourne streets, trams also have priority in road usage, with specially fitted traffic lights and exclusive lanes being provided either at all times or in peak times, as well as other measures. Melbourne's first tram was a horse tram from Fairfield railway station to
1044-758: The Clifton Hill line. When the lease expired on 1 July 1916, all the assets of the MTT and MTOC cable network were taken over by the Melbourne Tramways Board (MTB). The MMTB was formed on 1 November 1919, taking over the MTB cable tram network, with the Northcote tramway and the tramway trusts transferred to the MMTB on 20 February 1920. From 1924 the cable tram lines were progressively converted to electric trams, or abandoned in favour of buses, with
1102-410: The MMTB's original purposes was to decide whether or not to keep the cable trams. The MMTB progressively converted cable tram lines to either electric trams or motor buses, commencing in 1924, with the last Melbourne cable tram ceasing operation on 26 October 1940. Most of the cable tram system was converted to electric tramways (such as the tram lines along Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street ), but
1160-511: The Melbourne Omnibus Company (MOC) which ran horse-drawn omnibuses in the inner suburbs of Melbourne . The company carried five million passengers. By 1882 the company had over 1,600 horses and 178 omnibuses. In 1885 the company carried 11.7 million passengers. In 1885 Clapp's MOC was granted a 30-year exclusive franchise for a cable tram network in Melbourne, with no competing lines being permitted. Clapp reorganised
1218-494: The Melbourne public transport system. Since privatisation extensions have been made to the tram system, with the $ 28 million extension of the 109 to Box Hill opening on 2 May 2003, a $ 7.5 million extension along Docklands Drive in Docklands opened on 4 January 2005, and a $ 42.6 million extension of the 75 to Vermont South opening on 23 July 2005. It was announced on 27 September 2010 that Bombardier Transportation had won
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#17327833900251276-416: The Melbourne tram network. This included acquiring new tram rolling stock, in addition the existing tram fleet was refurbished. Swanston Trams (M>Tram) introduced 59 new Siemens Combino (D-class) low-floor built trams by Siemens , at a cost of A$ 175 million, and invested approximately A$ 8 million in refurbishing their fleet, while Yarra Trams introduced 36 Alstom Citadis (C-class) low-floor trams, at
1334-671: The VR in 1904. The VR tram was called a "Street Railway" and was built using the Victorian Railways 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ) broad gauge instead of the cable tramway standard gauge of 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ), and connected it with the St Kilda railway station , which would allow trams to be moved along the St Kilda railway line for servicing at Jolimont Yard . The line
1392-478: The Yarra Trams business by TransdevTSL . Following a transitional period, the right to operate the two tram businesses was officially transferred from the government to the private sector under franchise agreements on 29 August 1999. National Express renamed Swanston Trams as M>Tram , similarly along with its M>Train suburban train business, on 1 October 2001. After several years of failing to make
1450-400: The cable tram terminus at Flemington Bridge to Essendon and Saltwater River (now Maribyrnong River ). The Victorian Railways line came about when Thomas Bent became Premier . A leading land boomer, he stood to benefit from construction of the line, through the increased value of his large land holdings in the area, and pushed through the legislation to enable to building of the line by
1508-617: The city and other short sections were converted to motor buses. Trams would only ever return to the Bourke Street lines and La Trobe Street lines in the 1950s. The MMTB was established under the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Act 1918 (No.2995). The seven members of the Board, including a chairman and a deputy chairman, were appointed by an order of the Governor-in-Council dated 22 July 1919. The inaugural chairman
1566-435: The company as the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company (MTOC). A total of 15 lines were built, opening progressively between 1885 and 1919. The first serious electric trams in Melbourne began in 1906, when the North Melbourne Electric Tramway & Lighting Company commenced operating an electric tram line from the terminus of the cable tram to Essendon , the motivation being the selling of electricity to customers along
1624-463: The concession to the NMETL, which had been formed to build the system and provide electricity to the area. Under the concession the NMETL was to construct a tramway and provide electricity within the municipalities of Essendon and Flemington for 30 years, it also mandated a service at least every 20 minutes and had provisions for the undertaking to become property of the municipalities involved earlier than
1682-438: The cost of ripping up the concrete-embedded tram tracks would be prohibitive. Also, the infrastructure and vehicles were relatively new, having replaced Cable Tram equipment in only the 1920s–1940s. This destroyed the argument used by many other cities, which was that renewal of the tram system would cost more than replacing it with buses. There is a 1960s colour film called "Citizen Tram" on YouTube commissioned by Risson too. By
1740-544: The electric lines, and converting the existing cable-system to electric traction. To solve operational and maintenance problem the MMTB introduced in 1923 the iconic W-class tram and phased out the other models. The Preston Workshops were constructed about this time to manufacture and maintain the new tram fleet. In March 1923 Alex Cameron went overseas to investigate traffic problems. He returned next year, confirmed in his long-held opinions that electric trams were superior to buses and that overhead wires were preferable to
1798-731: The former stations platforms. As a result of the Transport (Amendment) Act 1989 the MTA and STA were merged into the Public Transport Corporation (PTC) on 1 July 1989, bringing all rail services in Victoria under one body. By the late 1980s, the state government was under financial pressures brought on by an economic downturn. In January 1990, the Labor government of Premier John Cain tried to introduce economies into
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1856-413: The largest in the world, with 75 kilometres (47 mi) of double track, 1200 gripcars and trailers and 17 routes covering (103.2 route km or 64.12 route miles). On 18 February 1890, the Northcote tramway was opened by the Clifton Hill to Northcote & Preston Tramway Company. This was Melbourne's only non-MTOC cable tram, built by local land speculators and was operated as an independent line, feeding
1914-556: The last Melbourne cable tram operating on 26 October 1940. The first electric tram in Melbourne was built in 1889 by the Box Hill and Doncaster Tramway Company Limited—an enterprise formed by a group of land developers—and ran from Box Hill railway station along what is now Station Street and Tram Road to Doncaster , using equipment left over from the Centennial International Exhibition of 1888 at
1972-482: The lines closed on 1 July 1987 and 11 October 1987 respectively. Trams first ran on the St Kilda line on 20 November 1987, with Port Melbourne following on 13 December 1987. The conversion consisted of the track being re-gauged from broad gauge 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ) to standard gauge 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ), the overhead wires being converted to tramway voltage and light rail platforms built adjacent to
2030-478: The mid-1970s, as other cities became increasingly choked in traffic and air pollution, Melbourne was convinced that its decision to retain its trams was the correct one, even though patronage had been declining since the 1950s in the face of increasing use of cars and the shift to the outer suburbs, beyond the tram network's limits. The first tram line extension in over twenty years took place in 1978, along Burwood Highway . The W-class trams were gradually replaced by
2088-508: The new Z-class trams in the 1970s, and by the A-class trams and the larger, articulated B-class trams in the 1980s. In 1980, the controversial Lonie Report recommended the closure of seven tram lines. Public protests and union action resulted in the closures not being carried out. The MMTB, along with the metropolitan railway assets of VicRail , were absorbed into the newly formed Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) on 1 July 1983, while
2146-515: The prescribed 30 years. The NMETL bought land on Mount Alexander Road for its offices, car barn and power house, with the foundation stone laid by the Mayors of Essendon and Flemington on 24 May 1905, and the first rail laid a month later by Premier Bent. The system opened on 11 October 1906 operating two routes from Flemington Bridge—one to Essendon via Mount Alexander Road, Pascoe Vale Road , Fletcher Street and onto Mount Alexander Road again (with
2204-460: The privatisation of the Public Transport Corporation in 1999. The current private operator contracted to run Melbourne's tram system is Keolis Downer , trading as Yarra Trams . Ticketing, public information and patronage promotion are undertaken by Victoria's public transport body, Public Transport Victoria . The multi-modal integrated ticketing system, myki , currently operates across the tram network. At some Melbourne intersections (most within
2262-567: The region covered by the PMTT was extended and, thus, representatives of the Hawthorn and Kew councils were also included on the board. In 1916 Camberwell council representatives were also included. Following the PMTT, the following municipal trusts were formed: The Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) was formed in July 1919 to take control of Melbourne's cable tram network, six of
2320-504: The regional assets of VicRail were absorbed by the State Transit Authority (STA). The MTA was formed to co-ordinate and operate the Melbourne public transport system, during 1986–87 an integration of rail, tram and bus divisions took place, with the operations, maintenance and administration of these departments fully integrated by 11 April 1988. The MTA introduced a new green and yellow livery and uniform design, with
2378-465: The route. In the 1900s and 1910s, the government legislated for the formation of suburban electric tramway trusts to build and operate electric trams outside MTOC's exclusive licence area. These were: When the MTOC franchise expired on 30 June 1916, the entire operation of the Melbourne cable tramway system passed to the State Government . The MMTB was formed in November 1919 to take over
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2436-617: The routes to West Melbourne (along Spencer Street to the current route 57 ), Port Melbourne (the original line on-street, not the current light rail line ), Collingwood (along Johnston Street from Lygon Street to Johnston Street Bridge ) and Carlton North (a branch off the Johnston Street line along Rathdowne Street to the end of it near the Inner Circle Line), along with the Lonsdale Street line in
2494-682: The running of the public transport system, including the removal of tram conductors . This provoked a long and crippling strike by the tramways union in January 1990, resulting in a back-down by the government and the retention of conductors. In the 1992 state election , the Liberals came to power under Premier Jeff Kennett , who planned to cut the costs of Melbourne's public transport network and remove conductors. OneLink were contracted in 1995 to introduce an automatic ticketing system. The tramway union, which opposed this move, went on strike during
2552-425: The seven electric tramway companies, and the last horse tram. By 1940, all cable and horse tram lines had been abandoned or converted to either electric tram or bus operation. Alex Cameron was its full-time chairman. The tramway network had both cable and electric traction and had been constructed by different bodies without any uniform system. Under Cameron, the MMTB brought these systems under its control, extending
2610-403: The start of continuous operation of Melbourne's electric trams. Victoria's public transport system was reorganised in 1983 and saw the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board absorbed into the Metropolitan Transit Authority , which was in turn absorbed by the Public Transport Corporation in 1989. The network has been operated under contract since the commencement of franchising, following
2668-570: The street tramways systems in Melbourne. It had the responsibility of operating all tramways within a ten-mile (sixteen kilometre) radius of the Melbourne GPO , the only exceptions being the lines operated by Victorian Railways . In January 1925, the M&;MTB began operating buses. The MMTB ceased on 30 June 1983 with its function taken over by the Metropolitan Transit Authority . The MMTB commenced operations on 1 November 1919, taking over
2726-409: The system until 1 July 1916 to the MTOC, with the MTOC paying 4.5% interest on the debts incurred by the MTT in building the system. The first cable tram line opened on 11 November 1885, running from Bourke Street to Hawthorn Bridge , along Spencer Street , Flinders Street , Wellington Parade and Bridge Road, with the last line opening on 27 October 1891. At its height the cable system was one of
2784-491: The system, the core of the system was built as cable trams. The Act established the Melbourne Tramways Trust (MTT), which was made up of the 12 municipalities that the MTOC system would serve. The MTT was responsible for the construction of tracks and engine house, while the MTOC built the depots, offices and arranged for the delivery or construction of the rolling stock. The MTT granted a lease to operate
2842-633: The underground conduit (cable) system. Alex Cameron remained chairman there until 1935. He died a few years later in 1940, the same year the last of the cable tram services in Melbourne ended. The MMTB generated further patronage by developing the enormous Wattle Park in the 1920s and 1930s, it had inherited Wattle Park from the Hawthorn Tramways Trust with the HTTs takeover by the MMTB. After World War II other Australian cities began to replace their trams with buses. However, in Melbourne,
2900-468: The whole tram network from 18 April 2004. On 25 June 2009, it was announced that Keolis Downer , a joint venture between Keolis and Downer EDI , would be the operator of the Melbourne tram network from 30 November 2009. The contract was for eight years, with an option for a further seven years. As a part of the privatisation process, franchise contracts between the state government and both private operators included obligations to extend and modernise
2958-492: Was Alexander Cameron who had been chairman of the Prahran & Malvern Tramways Trust . The MMTB was an independent statutory body which reported to the Minister of Public Works until 1952 and subsequently to the Minister of Transport. Five people held the role of MMTB chairman from 1919 when the MMTB was established to 1983 when it was absorbed by the Metropolitan Transit Authority . The MMTB's main maintenance facility
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#17327833900253016-586: Was Preston Workshops , with depots at Brunswick , Camberwell , Coburg , East Preston , Essendon , Footscray , Glenhuntly , Hawthorn , Kew , Malvern , North Fitzroy , South Melbourne and Thornbury . Trams in Melbourne 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
3074-407: Was Melbourne's last horse tram and the only line still in operation at the formation of the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB), however it was destroyed by fire during the 1923 police strike ; the MMTB took the decision not to reopen it, thus ending Melbourne's horse tram era. Melbourne's cable tram system has its origins in the MTOC, started by Francis Boardman Clapp in 1877, with
3132-467: Was at best an irregular service). Since then they have become a distinctive part of Melbourne's character and feature in tourism and travel advertising. Melbourne's cable tram system opened in 1885, and expanded to one of the largest in the world, with 75 kilometres (46.6 miles) of double track. The first electric tram line opened in 1889, but closed only a few years later in 1896. In 1906 electric tram systems were opened in St Kilda and Essendon , marking
3190-404: Was enacted. Councillor Alex Cameron of Malvern, who led the push for a municipal tramway service, was elected chairman of the trust by both Malvern and Prahran councils. Construction began on its first tram line in 1909 with the first passenger service commencing on 30 May 1910. Using overhead wires to feed electricity to the trams, the network continued to expand greatly and profitably. In 1913,
3248-601: Was opened in two stages, from St Kilda railway station to Middle Brighton on 5 May 1906 and to Brighton Beach terminus on 22 December 1906. A fire at the Elwood tram depot on 7 March 1907 destroyed the depot and all the trams. Services resumed on 17 March 1907 using four C-class trams and three D-class trams from Sydney , which were altered to run on VR trucks salvaged from the fire. These trams sufficed until Newport Workshops built 14 new trams. The St Kilda to Brighton Beach Electric Street Railway closed on 28 February 1959 and
3306-437: Was replaced by buses. VR opened a second, standard gauge, electric tramway from Sandringham railway station to Black Rock on 10 March 1919, it was extended to Beaumaris on 2 September 1926. The service was withdrawn on 5 November 1956 and replaced with buses. The North Melbourne Electric Tramway & Lighting Company (NMETL) was an electricity and tramway company that operated from 1906 to 1922. The tramway section
3364-554: Was taken over by the MMTB on 1 August 1922 and the electricity section taken over by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria in 1922. The Victorian Government of Sir Thomas Bent approved an application by Mr Morgan to build a tramway system in the Essendon area on 29 March 1904, with a poll of ratepayers overwhelming supporting the proposition on 29 July 1904 (2874 votes to 146). Mr Morgan transferred
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