Historical information

In September 1929, a new electric tramway opened along Victoria Street, Richmond, and Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, to this location at the corner of Brunswick and Victoria Streets. It replaced the Victoria Bridge cable line and allowed electric trams from Mont Albert to reach this temporary terminus. On 8 December 1929 (just days after this photograph), an electric tramway then opened from this point to Spencer Street via Macarthur and Collins Streets. The engine house that had once powered the cable lines was to the left of this photograph.

In July 1930, the remaining Brunswick Street cable line from this point to North Fitzroy was closed and converted to an electric tramway. Opening in October 1930, it allowed Preston electric trams to reach this point then continue via MacArthur and Collins Streets to Spencer Street.

The electric conversion of the Collins Street tramway was undertaken despite a Parliamentary committee recommendation to delay further conversions for financial reasons and sustained criticism of the tramways board chairman by The Herald newspaper. The paper’s argument was that electric trams were too noisy and would destroy the elegance of Collins Street. Nevertheless, the conversion proceeded. Then during conversion works, the stock market crashed in 1929 and the ensuing economic depression delayed further electric conversions until 1935. While some of the remaining cable lines were converted to electric tramways, the majority became bus routes.

Significance

Yields information about the electric conversion of Collins Street

Physical description

Black and white photograph of newspaper cutting with printed note on front but nothing on rear

Inscriptions & markings

Printed on front: 'Everything is ready for the running of electric trams through Collins Street next Sunday. The Brunswick Street terminus in Victoria Parade (above) will then be continued to Spencer Street.'