Historical information

Photograph shows two maximum traction bogie cars with one drop end, numbered 22 and 23 on Balaclava Road at St Kilda Town Hall. Both cars are full and travelling in different directions and both carry an additional destination board reading "Esplanade". Along side one tram are a dozen men, women and children riding bicyles or in a passing motor car. Three uniformed tramwaymen are also shown.

The Balaclava Road/Carlisle Street line opened in 1913 and was very busy in summer months and on weekends enabling residents in Melbourne's eastern and southern suburbs to travel directly to St Kilda Beach without having to change to cable trams. Trams 22 and 23 were part of a four car set, built for the Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust in 1912 in Adelaide and based on a designed used there. They were sold to the Hawthorn Tramways Trust in 1916, eventually classified as O class then sold back to Adelaide in 1927. Their bulky design earned them the names 'Zepplin' and 'Dreadnought'.

Significance

Yields information about beginnings of Prahran and Malvern Tramways Trust

Physical description

Black and white photograph glued to board with notes on photograph and on rear.

Inscriptions & markings

Note on photograph reads: "St Kilda City Trams, Balaclava"
Note on rear in stamp ink reads: "Geo Wall & Co Photo Experts 131 Chapel Street Balaclava. Photos copied, resuscitated and enlarged"