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 and 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 and Malvern Tramway 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 it's shorter, more marginal routes. The decades following the late 1970s had seen 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.
22 November: Victoria Street cable tram line opens as a branch of the North Fitzroy line from Victoria Parade to Victoria Bridge. Services run from Collins Street.[10]
26 October: Prahran cable tram line opens as a branch of the Brighton Road line from Domain Road to Carlisle Street via Chapel Street. Services run from Flinders Street Station.[10]
1889
20 January: The extension of the Brighton Road and Prahran cable tram lines between Flinders Street Station and Queensberry Street opens.[10]
9 February: North Carlton cable tram line opens between Rathdowne Street and Park Street, North Carlton. Services run from Swanston Street.[10]
14 February: The Northern Tramway Company opens the Coburg horse tramway between Moreland Road and Gaffney Street along Sydney Road.[8]
15 February: Toorak cable tram line opens as a branch of the Prahran cable tram line from Chapel Street to Irving Street along Toorak Road.[10]
14 October: The Box Hill & Doncaster Tramway Company opens an electric tramway between Box Hill and Doncaster. It was the first electric tramway in Australia.[3]
late 1889: Elsternwick railway station to Caulfield railway station horse tramway closes.[8]
27 January: MTOC opens the Hawthorn horse tramway from the cable terminus of Hawthorn Bridge to the intersection of Auburn and Riversdale Roads.[8]
18 February: The Clifton Hill, Northcote and Preston Tramway Company opens the Northcote cable tram line between the cable terminus of Clifton Hill and the intersection of Dundas and High Streets.[10]
3 March: North Melbourne cable tram line opened as a branch of the Brunswick line from Victoria Street to Flemington Bridge via Abbotsford Street.[10]
18 April: West Melbourne cable tram line opens as a branch of the Brunswick and North Melbourne cable tram lines from Lonsdale Street to Queensberry Street via Spencer Street.[10]
20 June: Port Melbourne cable tram line opens as a branch of the South Melbourne cable tram line from Clarendon Street to Port Melbourne via City Road.[10]
1891
27 October: Windsor & St Kilda Beach cable tram line opens between Chapel Street and Acland Street via The Esplanade.[10]
1892
Tram on the Box Hill to Doncaster lineOperation of the Box Hill and Doncaster electric tramway was taken over by the Doncaster & Box Hill Electric Road Company.[3]
1893
7 July: Northcote cable tram line closes following a financial crisis within the Clifton Hill, Northcote and Preston Tramway Company.[7]
1894
7 April: Northcote cable tram line reopens with Northcote council taking control.[7]
5 May: VR opens the St Kilda to Brighton electric street railway between St Kilda railway station to Park Street, Middle Brighton. It was constructed as a single track line with passing loops, and the broad gauge line featured a connection to the suburban railway network at St Kilda station. Elwood tram depot commences operation.[4]
Opening of the NMETL lines on 11 October 190622 December: VR extends the Brighton line from Middle Brighton to Brighton Beach railway station.[4]
1907
7 March: A fire at Elwood Depot destroys all VR rollingstock and forces a temporary closure to the St Kilda and Brighton electric street railway. The service resumes on 17 March after VR hurriedly buys second-hand electric tram cars from Sydney.[4]
14 March: PMTT extends the High Street line from Charles Street to Punt Road.[6]
16 December: PMTT opens the Dandenong Road line from the Windsor railway bridge to Glenferrie Road. The Glenferrie Road line is extended from Wattletree Road to Dandenong Road.[6]
1912
31 March: PMTT extends the Dandenong Road line from the Windsor railway bridge to Chapel Street to meet with the Windsor and Prahran cable tram lines.[9]
14 September: PMTT extends the High Street line from Punt Road to St Kilda Road to meet the Brighton Road cable tram line.[6]
The Beaumaris Tramway Company closes part of the Beaumaris horse tramway between Cheltenham and Beaumaris.[8]
1913
12 April: PMTT opens the Balaclava Road line from St Kilda Beach to Hawthorn Road. The Hawthorn Road line opens between Balaclava Road and Dandenong Road.[6]
30 May: PMTT extends the Glenferrie Road line from High Street to Cotham Road. PMTT also opens the Kew line between Kew Post Office and Burke Road.[6]
27 August: NMETL extends the Flemington Bridge terminus to meet with the North Melbourne cable tram line.[9]
20 June: PMTT construct a loop at Waverley Road on the Darling Road to facilitate Caulfield Racecourse traffic.[6]
June: The rest of the Beaumaris horse tramway closes.[8]
26 October: BCTT is reconstituted as the Melbourne, Brunswick & Coburg tramway trust (MBCTT) following authorization to build a tram line to meet the Queensberry Street cable tram terminus.[11]
1 November: The Kew horse tramway closes for impending electrification of the line by the PMTT.[8]
1915
24 February: PMTT extends the Kew line to the east side of Victoria Bridge along the route of the former horse tramway.[6]
8 May: PMTT opens the East Kew line from Kew Post Office to Kew Cemetery via High Street along the route of the former horse tramway. Kew Depot opens.[6]
4 June: PMTT extends the Glen Huntly Road line from Elsternwick to Point Ormond.[6]
4 July: PMTT extends the Kew line over the Yarra River to meet the Victoria Street cable tram line.[6]
18 January: The Melbourne Tramways Board is constituted as an interim body to take over the cable tramways from the MTOC, pending the future consolidation of all of the tramway systems.[9]
31 January: The Hawthorn horse tramway is closed for impending electrification of the line by the HTT.[8]
18 March: PMTT construct a balloon loop at the St Kilda Beach terminus.[9]
27 April: MBCTT opens the Moreland line from Coburg Depot to Sydney Road along Moreland Road, and the Sydney Road line from Moreland Road to Bell Street. Coburg Depot opens.[11]
7 May: HTT extends the Swan Street line to Auburn Road via Riversdale Road along the former horse tramway.[14]
2 October: FTT granted authorization to construct tramway system.[13]
25 October: HTT opens the Riversdale Road line from Camberwell Junction to Wattle Valley Road.[14]
31 October: MBCTT extends the Lygon Street line from Park Street to Queensberry Street to meet the cable tram terminus. The East Coburg line is also opened from Coburg Depot to Bell Street via Nicholson Street.[11]
9 November: HTT extends Riversdale Road line from Wattle Valley Road line to Highfield Road.[14]
23 December: HTT extends Riversdale Road line from Highfield Road to Wattle Park.[14]
7 March: PMTT opens line from Camberwell railway station to Cotham Road along Burke Road. Initially, it is operated as a shuttle service due to the incomplete railway bridge at Camberwell.[9]
September: The Camberwell railway bridge is completed and through running along Burke Road commences.[9]
1919
10 March: VR opens a new line between Sandringham and Black Rock. Unlike the St Kilda to Brighton line, this line was built at Standard Guage.[4]
1 November: Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) is formed with the intention to take over, operate and unify the various tramways excluding the two lines operated by VR. The cable tramways and the Zoo horse tramway is taken over by the MMTB at this date.[7]
The Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board took over all tramways between by 1922
1920
27 January: FNPTT conducts a trial run of their lines using their only completed tram, just one one week before MMTB takeover. Preston Depot opens.[12]
2 February: MMTB assumes control of the Northcote cable tram line, and the five municipal electric tramways: PMTT, HTT, MBCTT, FNPTT and FTT. The privately owned tramways of the NMETL were not included in the above arrangement. The VR tramways were retained by the railways.[7]
27 August: MMTB constructs a single track siding in Napier Street, Essendon for football traffic at Windy Hill.[9]
5 November: The Zoo horse tram depot and rollingstock was all destroyed in a fire during a police strike. The line, which was the last horse tram operating in Melbourne, was subsequently closed.[8]
A 1923 W Class tram at Hawthorn, 194221 December: The first W Class tram enters service.[16]
1924
12 January: The Puckle Street line was closed. The line had seen very little use since the MMTB acquisition.[9]
11 February: MMTB construct a cable tram line on Lonsdale Street between Elizabeth Street and Swanston Street. This was done in preparation for the electrification of the Swanston Street cable tram line between Queensberry St and Lonsdale Street.[7]
13 April: MMTB opens the Swanston Street line between Queensberry Street and Lonsdale Street. This enabled Sydney Road line and East Coburg line trams to be connected to the city.[9]
24 March: MMTB opens Holden Street line from St Georges Road to Nicholson Street. This enabled East Preston line and West Preston line trams to run to the city via Swanston Street.[9]
March: MMTB opens connecting line between Northcote cable line and Clifton Hill cable tram line to allow through services between the lines.[7]
19 July: MMTB opens the William Street line between Collins Street and Haymarket. The Flemington Road line is opened between Haymarket and Flemington Bridge, with the section of track between Flemington Bridge and Abbotsford Street being constructed along former sections of the North Melbourne cable line. MMTB also opens the Royal Park line between Flemington Road and Daly Street, West Brunswick. In turn, the North Melbourne cable tram line gets truncated back to Abbotsford Street. This allows Essendon line and Maribyrnong line trams to terminate in the city at William Street terminus.[17]
29 August: Windsor to St Kilda cable line closes for impending electrification.[18]
26 December: Brighton Road cable tram line closes for impending electrification.[18]
27 December: The extension of the Dandenong Road line from Chapel Street to St Kilda Road opens. MMTB opens the St Kilda Beach line between St Kilda Road and Acland Street. These lines are built along the former Windsor to St Kilda cable line.[18]
27 December: MMTB opens the line between Hanna Street (now Kings Way) and St Kilda Road at Domain Road. Temporary electric tracks are laid in St Kilda Road between Domain Road and St Kilda Junction, allowing trams from the south to run through to City Road.[9]
1926
12 January: Prahran and Toorak trams are truncated back to Domain Road pending electrification of St Kilda Road tracks.[18]
24 January: The extension of the Lygon Street line from Queensberry Street to Lonsdale Street opens along the former Queensberry Street cable tram line on Swanston Street.[18]
28 March: The St Kilda Road line between City Road and Domain Road is electrified.[18]
9 May: Permenant double tracks are laid in St Kilda Road between Domain Road and St Kilda Junction, replacing the temporary ones.[9]
31 May: MMTB constructs siding in Victoria Street, enabling Swanston Street trams from the south terminating in the city to shunt clear of through-routed trams.[18]
28 August: Prahran cable line closes for impending electrification.[18]
29 August: MMTB opens line between Elsternwick and St Kilda Junction via Brighton Road, partially using the former cable tram line.[18]
2 February: MMTB constructs connecting line between Haymarket and Victoria Street terminus, connecting the isolated Essendon system to the rest of the network.[18]
17 April: MMTB opens Toorak Road line between Domain Road and Orrong Road along the former cable tram line.[9]
8 May: The extension of the Toorak Road line from Orrong Road to Glenferrie Road is opened.[9]
15 May: The extension of the Royal Park line from Daly Street to Moreland Road opens.[17]
15 May: Richmond cable line is truncated to Swanston Street pending electrification.[18]
26 June: The extension of the Royal Park line from Moreland Road to Bell Street, West Coburg opens.[17]
29 June: Richmond cable line closed for impending electrification.[18]
Intersection of Flinders Street and Swanston Street, 192714 July: MMTB opens Flinders Street line between Lonsdale Street and Swanston Street along the former Richmond cable tram line.[18]
17 September: The extension of the Flinders Street line from Swanston Street to Wellington Parade opens along the former Richmond cable tram line. MMTB also open the Hawthorn line between Wellington Parade and Simpson Street, East Melbourne opens.[18]
November: Green and Cream becomes standard MMTB livery.[9]
4 December: The extension of the Hawthorn line from Simpson Street to Hawthorn Bridge along the former Richmond cable tram line.[18]
1928
24 June: The extension of the Wattletree Road line from Dandenong Road to Glenferrie Road opens.[9]
1 July: The extension of the Riversdale Road line from Boundary Road to Elgar Road opens.[7]
28 July: A siding is installed at Simpson Street, East Melbourne.[9]
19 December: Route numbers introduced to the MMTB system.[9]
1929
13 July: Victoria Bridge to Brunswick Street cable tram line closed for impending electrification.[18]
4 August: MMTB opens connecting line between Victoria Street and Flemington Road along Racecourse Road. Victoria Street (Flemington) line closes.[9]
14 September: Collins Street cable tram line closes for impending electrification.[18]
1 September 1931: VR closes the Black Rock to Beaumaris section of the Sandringham line due to extremely low patronage in an undeveloped area.[7]
1935
20 July: The North Melbourne cable tram line is closed for impending electrification. The West Melbourne cable tram line is also closed, but is replaced by a bus service.[18]
29 September: The Elizabeth Street cable tram line is closed for impending electrification. Thus, the Brunswick cable tram line is truncated to Victoria Street.[18]
17 November: MMTB opens the Elizabeth Street line between Victoria Street and Flinders Street along the former cable tram line.[18]
17 November: The Brunswick cable tram line is further truncated to Leonard Street/Royal Parade for impending electrification.[9]
29 December: The extension of the Elizabeth Street line from Victoria Street to Haymarket opens.[9]
1936
11 January: The remainder of the Brunswick cable tram line is closed for impending electrification.[18]
12 January: MMTB opens the southern portion of the Sydney Road line from Haymarket to Leonard Street, Parkville along the former Brunswick cable tram line.[18]
23 February: The extension of the Sydney Road line from Leonard Street to Park Street opens along the former Brunswick cable tram line.[18]
26 April: The extension of the Sydney Road line from Park Street to Moreland Road opens along the former Brunswick cable tram, finishing electrification of the line. Brunswick Depot opens.[18]
1 August: The North Carlton cable tram line is closed, being replaced by a bus service.[18]A cable tram of the North Carlton line, which closed in 1936
1937
7 February: The extension of the Essendon line between Birdwood Street and Gillies Street opens.[9]
13 March: The South Melbourne cable tram line is closed for impending electrification. The Port Melbourne cable tram line is closed, but is replaced by a bus service.[18]
5 December: The extension of the Hawthorn Road line between Eric Street and Point Nepean Road (now Nepean Highway) opens.[9]
1938
11 December: The extension of the East Kew line from Bulleen Road to North Balwyn opens.[9]
1939
15 April: The Collingwood cable tram line closed, being replaced by a bus service.[18]
25 October: Services along the Holden Street line cease, being replaced by a bus service. The southern track is removed. The northern track is retained for depot transfers.[9]
26 October: The final cable tram lines in Melbourne cease operations. The Nicholson Street and Northcote cable tram lines close and are replaced by bus services.[18]
10 March: MMTB closes the Russel Street line, Williamstown Road line and Ballarat Road line, leaving only the Footscray line to serve Footscray. Footscray Depot closes.[7]
1 January: No services operated for 33 days while hundreds of trams blockaded Melbourne's streets, as part of an industrial dispute pertaining to driver-only operation.[9]
1992
22 December: The extension of the Essendon line between Matthews Avenue and Dromana Avenue opens.[26]
1993
8 July: The extension of the Burwood line from Middleborough Road to Blackburn Road opens.[27]
December: M-Tram franchise is handed back to the state government following failed negotiations regarding terms. KMPG appointed as an interim operator.[34]
2003
5 April: Yarra trams opens Docklands line between Flinders Street West and Harbour Esplanade.[35]
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