We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the place now called Victoria, and all First Peoples living and working on this land. We celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respect to Elders — past, present and future.
Please be aware that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website may contain culturally sensitive material — images, voices and information provided by now deceased persons. Content also may include images and film of places that may cause sorrow.
Some material may contain terms that reflect authors’ views, or those of the period in which the item was written or recorded but may not be considered appropriate today. These views are not necessarily the views of Victorian Collections.
Users of this site should be aware that in many areas of Australia, reproduction of the names and photographs of deceased people is restricted during a period of mourning. The length of this time varies and is determined by the community.
Reuse of any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander material on this site may require cultural clearances. Users are advised to contact the source organisation to discuss appropriate reuse.
Untitled image
Can you reuse this media without permission? No (with exceptions, see below)
All rights reserved
This media item is licensed under "All rights reserved". You cannot share (i.e. copy, distribute, transmit) or rework (i.e. alter, transform, build upon) this item, or use it for commercial purposes without the permission of the copyright owner. However, an exception can be made if your intended use meets the "fair dealing" criteria. Uses that meet this criteria include research or study; criticism or review; parody or satire; reporting news; enabling a person with a disability to access material; or professional advice by a lawyer, patent attorney, or trademark attorney.
Please acknowledge the item’s source, creator and title (where known)
Have a question? Contact Ballarat Tramway Museum
Demonstrates illustrating an envelope with a image of a tram. Source not known.
Illustration on part of a lined window envelope of Ballarat Tram 14 at the Wendouree Parade Gardens crossing loop. Tram has the destination of Sturt St West. Appears to have been photocopied onto the envelope. Purpose not known.
Printed postcard of a view from the Bendigo Town Hall looking south-west with one ESCo tram in Pall Mall. Shows the mine works and poppet head. Looks over Charring Cross and the View Point area. Card by Valentine & Sons, printed in Great Britain.
Demonstrates a Bendigo postcard featuring Charing Cross, Pall Mall and shows an active mining plant at View Point.
Postcard coloured - divided back - unused.
tramways, trams, bendigo, charing cross, esco, pall mall, mining
Printed postcard of a busy scene at Charing Cross with two ESCo trams in the view. Many people are in the view along with the Alexandra Fountain, the Beehive building, Town Hall, the Shamrock Hotel, and on the left side a mine poppet head. The card was printed in Germany
Demonstrates a Bendigo postcard featuring Charing Cross and Pall Mall.
Postcard black and white- divided back - used.
in ink - dated 25/12/1910 from Arthur Grofrey wishing the receiver, J H Hooke - Bank of Australasia in Leongatha a Happy New Year.
tramways, trams, bendigo, alexandra fountain, charing cross, esco, pall mall
Printed postcard or copy print of a Rose Series, No. P 10399 - "Panorama of Pall Mall, Bendigo Vic" from the City Family Hotel looking over Charing Cross and along Pall Mall with the Town Hall, the now Bendigo Military Museum, and the Shamrock Hotel in the view along with one ESCo tram alongside the Alexandra Fountain. The driver is in position in one of the cabs.
Yields information about Bendigo, ESCo trams and Pall Mall.
Postcard - black and white, plain back - could be a copy print.
tramways, trams, bendigo, esco, pall mall, charing cross
Printed postcard with a coloured image looking from the City Family Hotel over Charring Crossing and looking along Pall Mall. There are four tramcars in the view. Given the tram track colour, the photo was taken possibly soon after the opening the electric tramways in Bendigo in 1903. In the view is a gold mine poppet head, the Town Hall and the various buildings along Pall Mall. Published by E W Cole Book Arcade, part of their 48 views Cole's Sunny Australia Series.
Demonstrates a Bendigo postcard featuring Charing Cross and Pall Mall.
Postcard colour - divided back - unused
tramways, trams, bendigo, alexandra fountain, charing cross, esco, pall mall
Printed postcard with a coloured image of the Alexandra Fountain, Bendigo, Charing Cross looking North East. An ESCo tram is on the left side, but the number is not visible. In the background are the building for J R Edwards which has a large clock on top and C Plumbe.
Demonstrates a Bendigo postcard featuring the Alexandra Fountain and buildings at Charing Cross.
Postcard colour - divided back - used addressed to a person at the Diorama Coy. Glitter or sparkles have been added to the postcard around the base of the fountain and on the fountain itself.
tramways, trams, bendigo, alexandra fountain, charing cross, esco
Printed postcard with a coloured image of the Alexandra Fountain, Bendigo, View Point A tram is travelling in View St away from Charing Cross. Signs visible are a Library on the left side and H Jackson Stationer.
Demonstrates a Bendigo postcard featuring the Alexandra Fountain and View Point building.
Postcard colour - divided back unused
tramways, trams, bendigo, alexandra fountain, charing cross, view point
Printed postcard/ticket for the 16/9/1905 Railway Picnic by the Electric Supply Co of Victoria promoting Bendigo Tramways. Has three views of ESCo's depot and power station and one of a tram. Ticket priced at 6d. On the rear is an advertisement for Henderson & Goodisson's Beehive drapery, furniture, and Carpets. The letter has been sent to Mr Lewis Morgan of Pitfield Plains Vic, noting the trams. In the top right-hand corner is "B Deakin Engineer and Manager", following an English practice of providing details of the Manager;s name.
Demonstrates an ESCo printed ticket for a specific event of 1905.
Postcard - ticket - divided back used number 6188
Hand written message written on the rear - see image 2
tramways, trams, bendigo, esco, ticket, railway picnic
Printed coloured postcard of a view of High St Eaglehawk with the Town Hall in the background. An ESCo Bendigo tram, possibly No 8 is returning to Bendigo. On the rear is a message to a person in Collingwood saying that this is the third of three views of Eaglehawk - see also item 9082.
Yields information about Eaglehawk Bendigo and ESCo trams.
Postcard - colour divided back used
Hand written message written on the rear - card 3
tramways, trams, bendigo, eaglehawk, esco, high st
Printed coloured postcard of the Eaglehawk Town Hall, a Bendigo Suburb, with an ESCo Bendigo tram. On the rear is a message to a person in Collingwood saying that this is the second of three views of Eaglehawk - see also item 9083.
Yields information about Eaglehawk Bendigo and ESCo trams.
Postcard - colour divided back used
Hand written message written on the rear - card 2
tramways, trams, bendigo, eaglehawk, town hall, esco
Printed black and white postcard of Charing Cross Bendigo with three trams in the view and several horse-drawn cabs. Has Town Hall and other buildings in the background. See item 3451 for a similar photograph with a different crop, produced for the visit of The American fleed in 1908. The card was printed in Saxony, Germany.
Yields information about Charing Cross Bendigo and ESCo trams.
Postcard - black and white, divided back, used as a letter.
Hand written letter on rear.
tramways, trams, bendigo, charing cross
The photograph shows a Bendigo ESCo tram climbing the hill in Mitchell St to where the double track converged into a single track before crossing over the railway line. The photo is looking west. Has a two-storey hotel on the right. See item 8452 for a black-and-white version.
Yields information about Mitchell St Bendigo and ESCo trams.
Postcard - colour divided back, unused.
tramways, trams, bendigo, mitchell st
The photo shows three Bendigo California Combination single truck cars at Charing Cross, looking southwest with the Alexandria Fountain in the centre. Trams 5 and 14 are in the view along with another behind them. The Bendigo electric tram system commenced operations in 1903 and given the appearance of the roadways and tram tracks, the photo was taken soon after opening. In the view are the View Point Hotel, signs for Moran Cato, Coperative Distribution, W J Jackson Tailor, The Age and several horse-drawn cabs. Card was printed in Germany.
Yields information about Charing Cross and Bendigo's trams in 1903.
Postcard - colour divided back, used as a letter.
Card to a Mother from her son Alex.
tramways, trams, bendigo, charing cross, alexandra fountain, view point, tram 5
The photo shows three Bendigo California Combination single truck cars at Charing Cross, looking east along Mitchell St with the Alexandria Fountain on the right. Has the C Plumbe (tailor?) shop and other buildings. The Bendigo electric tram system commenced operations in 1903.
Yields information about Charing Cross and Bendigo's trams.
Sepia toned postcard divided back, used, date stamped 28-8-1905 with a Bendigo cancellation stamp.
Card to a lady in Newcastle with birthday greetings.
tramways, trams, bendigo, charing cross, mitchell st, alexandra fountain
Used by the Forrest City Signal system to initiate or cancel a signal indication. The trolley wheel would make contact with the steel strips which would send an electrical impulse to the control box that either would enable the signal to be shown or cancelled. There was one on the trolley wire at either end of the section. See reference for further details.
Demonstrates part of the Forest City Signal system.
Signal contactor mechanism comprising two brass ears, a section of copper trolley wire, two steel strips assembled onto a section of wood fitted with steel covers where the ears are fitted through. Item refurbished for display purposes by Depot staff 2023.
forest city signals, tramways, overhead
Circulated between 1966 and 1988, the two dollar bank note was issued following Australia's switch to decimal currency. It was later replaced by the two dollar coin.
Demonstrates the two dollar note as it was circulated between 1966 and 1988 and used by passengers to pay their tram fares or received by crews/staff in wages.
Green and yellow minted note on treated white paper. Front depicts John Macarthur, a merino ram and a "2" denoting its value. The back depicts William James Farrer, alongside ears of wheat and the "2".
"2" "COMMONWELATH OF AUSTRALIA" "TWO DOLLARS" "GJJ 982843"
btm, ballarat tramway museum, coins, currency, cash
Circulated between 1966 and 1984, the one dollar bank note was issued following Australia's switch to decimal currency. It was later replaced by the dollar coin.
Demonstrates the one-+ dollar note as it was circulated between 1966 and 1988 and used by passengers to pay their tram fares or received by crews/staff in wages.
Orange, yellow and brown minted note on white treated paper. The front depicts Queen Elizabeth the II, the Australian Coat of Arms and the "1" denoting value. The back depicts Aborginal drawings, including animals and people, as well as the "1".
"1" "COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA" "ONE DOLLAR" "AYD 66732"
btm, ballarat tramway museum], cash, coin, currency, bank notes
Each crew member was issued with a series of tins, A, B and C which allowed for the various days and weekends to enable Revenue Clerks to accept returns and restock the tins with new tickets etc. Known to crews as "Two bottle boxes" - could fit two bottles of ale into them.
Has a strong association with tram crews and the ticket / revenue collection system. Tram crews used them to contain their tickets and to undertake their returns. Also used to "hide" bottles of ale.
Metal box formed from four sheets of metal, spot welded together with a formed lid, hinged to box and fitted with a hasp and staple. Stamped with red lettering reading "D81".
btm, ballarat tramway museum, conductors tin, fares, tickets
Demonstrates uniform cap manufacture.
SEC Motorman/Drivers/Conductors cap - green cloth exterior, grey cotton interior lining, brown leather internal hat band, black cotton hat band on exterior with a plastic band at the front half of the cap terminating in two small SEC metal buttons on either side, black plastic beak. Sewn on the inside is a label "Commonwealth Government Clothing Factories Melbourne" and stamped "6 3/8".
btm, ballarat tramway museum, conductors, conductors hat, uniforms, sec, conductors cap
Demonstrates the method in which conductors stored tickets and fares.
Leather bag with outside pocket (for ticket wallet) with metal strips on openable section, fitted with steel catch, and adjustable shoulder strap. Has been fitted with a steel divider inside. Sewn heavy brown leather. White and brown cotton thread used. Four steel studs attached to the bottom to allow bag to be freestanding.
btm, ballarat tramway museum, ballarat tramways, conductors, conductors bag, fares, cash bag, tickets
Would have been issued to crews in order to hold coins within their cash bags.
Demonstrates the method by which conductors collected fare tender.
Manufactured coin dispenser for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent coins, made from black and white plastic with metal springs under each coin support plate. Held in position by three metal screws.
btm, ballarat tramway museum, trams, conductors, currency, coin, fares, cash, cash handling, tickets
Used by conductors or conductors to retain and sell tickets from.
Demonstrates the method of dispensing tickets by conductors, how the tickets could be arranged. Yields information about the style and printing of tickets used in Ballarat tramways and how they were presented.
Sheet of leather, approx 2mm thick, stained brown with four pockets formed on each side with another sheet of leather, stitched on all sides to form pockets to hold eight blocks of tickets. Stitching is a white colour cotton. Has four blocks of tickets. 80c - blue - A 1016901 - Ballarat Vintage Tramway 30c - purple - A 69601 - Ballarat Tourist Tramway 10c - black - A 114000 - Ballarat Tourist Tramway 5c - red - A 137000 - Ballarat Tourist Tramway
btm, ballarat tramway museum, ballarat tramways, tickets, ticket wallet, sec, conductors
Report by Alex Ford with photos by Lachlan Bence of the operation of Horse tram No. 1 on Sunday 7/4/2024. Clydesdales from Sandy Creek Clydesdales Noah and Brooke hauled the tram. Quotes Paul Mong.
Yields information about the BTM's activities in running the horse tram.
Newspaper pages 1 and 5 - full colour photos on newsprint.
horse trams, btm, clydesdales, tramcars, operations
The photo shows Geelong No. 10 at the Beach terminus. The tram has the return destination of West. A lady and a young child are walking across the road to the tram.
Yields information about Geelong No.10 and the Beach terminus.
Black and white photograph with some details on the rear
In pencil "1947, 26/2/48" and in the bottom left hand corner on rear, the camera settings.
tramways, trams, geelong, tram 10, beach, passengers
The photo shows Geelong No. 2 in Moorabool St at the intersection with Ryrie St. The tram has the destination of North. The tram is in its modified form that provides for one-man operation. In the photo are Edments, Savoia Cafe, Commercial Bank of Australia, and the T&G building. The photo has been dated between 1935 when the tram was converted and 1939 when the bar neon traffic lights were installed at the intersection. The photograph was taken from a Victorian Railways glass negative held at the State Library of Victoria. See item 8360 for a digital copy of the SLV scan - http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/97173
Yields information about Geelong No.2 and the intersection of Ryrie and Moorabool Streets Geelong.
Black and white photograph with a number of rear.
In pencil "2171" on rear.
tramways, trams, geelong, ryrie st, moorabool st, temperance & general, tram 2
The photograph shows Geelong tram No. 22 in Moorabool St with the destination of North. A number of ladies carrying shopping baskets are in the view. Photo by an unknown photographer on 14-1-1954.
Yields information Geelong tram services in Brougham St.
Black and white photograph with details on rear.
In ink "22 at City Corner Geelong, ex Belmon bound for North 14-1-54" and number '1034" in ink.
tramways, trams, geelong, brougham st, tram 40
The photograph shows Geelong tram No. 40 inbound in Brougham St with the SEC-operated power station and tram depot behind. Another tram can be seen in the distance. Photo by an unknown photographer on 14-1-1954.
Yields information Geelong tram services in Brougham St.
Black and white photograph with details on rear.
In ink "40 on Beach line Geelong 14-1-54" and number '1042" in ink.
tramways, trams, geelong, brougham st, tram 40
The photograph shows Geelong tram No. 2 at the Newtown tram terminus with the conductor or motorman with a conductor's bag standing by the rear of the tram and two ladies carrying bags approaching the tram. The tram has the return destination of Eastern Park. Photo by an unknown photographer on 14-1-1954.
Yields information about tram 2
Black and white photograph with details on rear.
In pencil "#2 at Newtown Geelong 14-1-54" and number '1106" in ink.
tramways, trams, geelong, newtown, tram 2
The photograph shows Geelong tram No. 22 at the Geelong Railway station . Photo by Roy Field 6/49. Roy provides notes on the rear of the photo about the tram's two trolley poles, radial truck and that it was built by Pengelley.
Yields information about tram 22 and the railway station terminus.
Black and white photograph with details on rear.
See rear image a C Roy Field stamp
tramways, trams, geelong, geelong railway station, tram 22
The photograph shows Geelong tram No. 4 southbound in Moorabool St at Malop St. Has the Solomons store in the background. In the view is one motor vehicle and some horse-drawn cars. On the corner can be seen a fire alarm and a letterbox. Photo 1910s to 1920s.
Yields information about Moorabool St Geelong.
Black and white photograph with some details on rear.
In ink "No 4 in Moorabool St looking towards Ryrie St from Malop St. Photo before 1930 as No. 4 is shown in its original condition and was altered in early 1931."
tramways, trams, geelong, moorabool st, malop st, tram 4
The photograph shows two tramcars and two trailers on a school excursion for Bird Day, October 1913 in what is now Brougham St Geelong, led by tram No 4 with the MESCo Power station behind. Many students can be seen in the first trailer.
Yields information about the use of trams for a school excursion.
Black and white photograph with some details on rear.
In ink "State school excursion bird day Oct 1913" and "Tramcars in services in 1947 but not trailers"
tramways, trams, geelong, brougham st, tram 4, mesco, power station
Victorian Collections acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
