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, the electric tramway then opened from this point to Spencer Street via Macarthur and Collins Streets. The engine house that had powered the converted cable lines was to the left of this photograph.

In July 1930, the remaining Brunswick Street cable line was closed from this point to North Fitzroy and also converted to an electric tramway. This allowed Preston electric trams to reach Collins Street from October 1930.

The electric conversion of the Collins Street tramway followed two years of sustained criticism of the tramways board chairman by some media and other influential groups. Their criticism was that electric trams were too noisy and would destroy the elegance of Collins Street. During the conversion works in 1929, the stock market crashed and a severe economic depression delayed further electric conversions until 1935.

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.'