This photo album was collated by Ray Pearson, a tramways history enthusiast and collector. It was donated to the museum in 2012 along with one other photo album, by his grandson.This photo ablum is significant for containing a large volume of historic photographs of vehicles, personnel and events related to the the Victorian tramways - particularly Victorian Railways, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong tramways - from c1920's to c1994.Brown rectangular photo album (landscape format) containing photographs, newsclippings, postcards and other paper documents. The album contains 25 separate leaves plus a front and back cover. The album is bound on the left edge with brown cord, tied in a knot at the front. The spine and page edges are tattered and many of the photographs and documents within are loose.The front cover has a printed decorative border, rectangular in shape with a geometric pattern. The corners of the border also have decorative geometric shapes. Printed inscription within the border: PHOTOGRAPHS Hand written inscription in white-out or white pen: TRAMS of VICTORIAN RLYS. / BALLARAT. BENDIGO. GEELONG. Hand written inscription in black biro pen: RAY PEARSON collection Hand written inscriptions in biro and white-out or white pen for photographs and documents within. Sticker on inside left of back cover. Printed fine rectangular border with logo (depicting a lion holding a flag within a shield shape) and text within. On left: DICKINSON / LION BRAND / PHOTO ALBUMS On right: When ordering ask for / THE LUCETTA / ALBUM / Size of Leaf / No. 3011 10 X 8 / Also Stocked in / No. 3010 8 X 6 / No. 3012 12 X 10 Bottom edge outside of border: BRITISH MADE.victorian railways, photo album, victorian tramways, ray pearson, melbourne tramway museum, ballarat tramways, bendigo tramways, geelong tramways, melbourne tramways, vintage trams, historic tramways, cable tram, steam tram, dickinson, lion brand, lucetta album

Page 3 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with two metallic look postcards (landscape format) placed on page using clear plastic photo corners. Both postcard images depict trams in Ballarat. The bottom postcard has come loose of two of it's photo corners (top and bottom on the right) and is not secure on the page. A hand written inscription is written in pencil behind the bottom photograph.Hand written inscription in pencil behind postcard at base of page: W.4. Printed text to left of image on bottom postcard: BALLARAT TRAMS / 1887 to 1971 / A series of four postcards. / NO. 3 LATER ELECTRIC TRAM SYSTEM / In 1934 the State Electricity / Commission took over the Bal- / larat trams from the Electric / Supply Company of Victoria. / During 1935-37 the whole sys- / tem was reconditioned by the / Commission. / For the Coronation of King / George VI, No. 28 was decor- / ated for the occasion. It ran / for three days – 12th, 13th / and 14th May, 1937, and was / painted red and cream. / During the Coronation cele- / brations of Queen Elizabeth II, / the trams carried two flags / mounted vertically fore and aft / on the roof. / Some huge loads were / carried during the second / World War period and owing / to man power shortages, con- / doctresses were employed / from September, 1942 to July, 1946. At one time, the total / reached 23. Printed text to back of bottom postcard: BALLARAT TRAMS / 1887 to 1971 / A series of four postcards. / In the early fifties, loading / on the trams was heavy. When / the lag in housing was over- / taken, however, breadwinners / started to leave the trams and / travel to work in cars. Increas- / ing affluence in the sixties ac- / centuated the trend. Soon the / trams were running with mount- / ing annual losses. Most of the / passengers travelling in these / times were concession holders: / students, pensioners, deserted / wives and T.P.I.'s A fine printed vertical line runs down the centre of the blank writing space to the left of the body text. Above is written: POSTCARD postcard, coronation, ray pearson, vintage trams, ballarat tramway, tram postcard, female conductors, suttons, ballarat tram

Page 4 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with two metallic look postcards (landscape format) placed on page using clear plastic photo corners. Both postcard images depict trams in Ballarat. Both postcards have come loose of two of their photo corners (top and bottom on the left) and are not secure on the page.Printed text to back of postcard at top: BALLARAT TRAMS / 1887 to 1971 / A series of four postcards. / NO. 2 EARLY ELECTRIC TRAMS / Electric trams first ran in / Ballarat on 18th Aigust, 1905. / Twelve of the horse trams were / converted to electric cars by lengthening them at both ends. / Eight of the remaining horse / trams were used as trailers to / the motor cars. / The electric trams were / given a secret trial during the / previous night to the opening / date, but the drivers clanged / the gongs so much that it / brought people out of their / beds in night attire. They / formed an unofficial guard of / honour around Wendouree / Parade. / The trams were gaily decor- / ated for Opening Day. As the / line of cars came down Camp / Hill (Sturt Street) filled with / local dignitaries, the brakes on / the last car failed and it crashed / into the one in front. The win- / dows of both cars were / smashed, and the occupants / who had been sitting in state / made an undignified exit. / Seating accommodation was / from 32 to 36. Six small electric / trams were purchased from the / Sydney Tramways in 1905 and / were converted to a similar / pattern to the 12 re-built / Ballarat horse trams. In 1906 / two open summer cars with / open cross seats (popularly / called toast racks) / were intro- / duced. These trams were packed at week-ends with / families en route to picnic by / the lake. A fine printed vertical line runs down the centre of the blank writing space to the left of the body text. Above is written: POSTCARD Printed text to right of image on bottom postcard: BALLARAT TRAMS / 1887 to 1971 / A series of four postcards. / NO. 4 THE LAST DAYS OF THE TRAMS / Despite opposition from reg- / ular tram users, the decision / was taken in 1971 to replace / the trams with buses. A brief / statement issued in July by the / Transport Boar marked the / end of the eighty-four years / during which the trams were an / integral part of the life of / Ballarat: “The change-over to / buses will begin on 23rd / August when buses will replace / trams to the Gardens via / Drummond Street North and / Victoria Street services. The / change on the Gardens via / Sturt Street West and Mt. / Pleasant will take place on 6th / September, and on the Sebas- / topol-Lydiard Street North / routes on Monday, 20th Sep- / tember.” A fine printed vertical line runs down the centre of the blank writing space to the left of the body text. Above is written: POSTCARDpostcard, ballarat trams, ballarat tramways, vintage trams, tram postcard, electric trams

Page 5 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with two photographs (landscape format) placed on page using clear plastic photo corners. Both photographs depict trams, one in Melbourne (top), one at Lake Goldsmith, Victoria (bottom). Hand written inscriptions appear benetah each photo.Hand written inscription in biro under photographs. Top: BALLARAT TRAM St-KILDA RD MELBOURNE 1971 Bottom: LAKE GOLDSMITH 7/11/71 ballarat trams, ballarat tramways, vintage trams, lake goldsmith

Page 7 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with two photographs (landscape format) placed on page using clear plastic photo corners. Both photographs depict trams around Bendigo. A hand written inscription is located between the two photographs. The brown paper is indented with text written on the facing page and also has minor damage in two places (top and bottom right) that looks like places where adhesive photocorners have been removed.Hand written inscription in biro between top and bottom photograph: BENDIGO / CALIFORNIA GULLEY 4/3/72bendigo tramways, vintage trams, bendigo tram, california gulley

Page 13 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with two photographs (landscape format) placed on page using metallic look card decorative photo corners. Both photographs depict Victorian Railways tram No. 13 trams at Elwood Depot. A hand written inscriptions is located bewteen the two photographs.Hand written inscription in white-out or white pen between the top and bottom photograph: TRAILER No 13. V.R. TRAMS ELWOOD.victorian railways, melbourne tramways, vintage trams, elwood depot, elwood trams, destination brighton

Pamphlet used to market the Museum featuring tram 27 with swans in the view. Gives details of location, opening hours, the new Museum building. Has photos of trams 26, 407 and a conductor handing out tickets.Yields information about the marketing of the Museum and its publications.Printed single sheet pamphlet DL card, advertising BTM Vintage Tramway, titled "Ballarat Vintage Tram Rides" 4 copies held.btm, ballarat, tramways, pamphlet, tram 27, marketing

Ticket produced by the Association of Railway Enthusiasts Melbourne for a Ballarat Tram tour in association with the South Pacific Electric Railway (Sydney Tram Museum) for Sunday 5 Oct. 1969 The tour covered all the Ballarat tram lines. Was run in conjunction with the Vintage Train to Ballarat that day. See reference. Used trams 35 and 41.Yields information about the type of souvenir ticket issued to participants.Ticket - printed on heavy yellow card with green inkballarat tramways, tours, association of railway enthusiasts, are, vintage train, sper, sydney tram museum

Page 6 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with three photographs (landscape format) placed on page using clear plastic photo corners. All photographs depict trams in Bendigo. A hand written inscription appears beneath the top left photo. The brown paper is indented in some places from text written on facing page and also has minor damage to bottom right corner where it looks like an adhesive photo corner has been removed.Hand written inscription in biro under top left photo: 4/3/72 BENDIGObendigo tramways, bendigo tram, vintage tram

Page 11 of Ray Pearson's Photo Album. Brown card page with four photographs (3 x landscape, 1 x portrait format) placed on page using metallic look and brown card decorative photo corners. All photographs depict trams. Hand written inscriptions are written under each photograph.Hand written inscription in white-out or white pen beneath phorograph on - Top left: WORK CAR ELWOOD DEPOT Top right: CROSS BENCH CAR No 23 SANDRINGHAM Bottom left: SALOON CAR No 3. V.R. TRAMS ELWOOD Bottom Right: END VIEW SMALL CAR St KILDA STATIONvictorian railways, melbourne tramways, vintage tram, elwood depot, elwood trams, cross bench car

These items signify the launch of the Vintage Talking Tram tourist project by The Bendigo Trust for Bendigo Tramways.Calico mail bag, rubber stamp and stamped envelopes. mail bag: Bendigo Tramways First Tourist Tram 9 Dec 1972 rubber stamp: Bendigo Tramways First Tourist Tram 9 Dec 1972 envelopes: Bendigo Tramways First Tourist Tram 9 Dec 1972

Lydiard Street is a street in central Ballarat known for its Victorian architecture. Black and white photograph of Lydiard Street Ballarat.lydiard street ballarat, ballarat post office, tram, streetscape, architecture, vintage cars