Brisbane tramway images

Brisbane was serviced by a tramway system from around 1900 to March 1969. For much of that time, until the system's closure, the trams were operated by the Brisbane City Council, the local government agency resposnible for the almost the entire Brisbane metropolitan area.

The tramway system had great contrasts - at the time of its closure in 1969, Brisbane had Australia's newest tram, built in 1964. At the same time, the fleet also comprised many elderly maximum traction cars. Indeed, because of Brisbane's subtropical climate, none of the trams had power operated doors. The tramway system also had some extensive lengths of reserved track in outer suburbs, while the narrow central city streets dictated close track spacing, which led to the narrow tramcar designs, and to the distinctive streamlined shape of the later design of trams, known as "Four motor" cars.

The replacement of the tramway system with buses occurred very rapidly. With the exception of four routes, the system was closed down within about one year.

I was fortunate, as a young teenager to have the opportunity to briefly visit the Brisbane tramway system over Christmas 1967-68, just over a year before its closure, when the system was still largely intact. I was fortunate to be able to attend a Boy Scout Jamboree and managed a couple of short trips into Brisbane to ride and photograph the trams. While all the images are black and white, I trust that you will enjoy them.

Images of Brisbane Trams

This view shows "Phoenix" tramcar 554 and "Four motor" tramcar 414 in Queen Street, Brisbane, at Edward Street, heading northward. 554 was bound for Clayfield and 414 was bound for Ascot-Doomben. 554 was, at the time of the photograph, Australia's newest tram, having entered service in March 1964. The "Phoenix" trams were so named because they were partly built from parts salvaged after a number of trams were destroyed in a fire at the Paddington depot in 1962. The Phoenix trams carried a Phoenix symbol, just visible on the side of the drivers cabin. They were painted a distinctive light blue and grey colour scheme. Photo taken 29 December, 1967.

"Four motor" tramcar 544 was photographed in Melbourne Road, South Brisbane, bound for St Pauls Terrace. Number 544 was one of the last of the grey-painted "Four motor" cars, and had similar style side passenger windows as the Phoenix trams, as well as non-power operated sliding doors. Photo taken 29 December 1967.

"Four motor" tramcar 540 was photographed in George Street, City about to turn left into Adelaide Street, bound for Chermside. Photo taken 29 December 1967.

"Four motor" tramcar 502 was photographed in Queen Street, at George Street, southbound on the long run to Salisbury. Photo taken 29 December 1967.

"Four motor" tramcar 490 was photographed in Queen Street, near North Quay, bound for New Farm Park. 490 was a four motor car fitted with sliding doors. In the backgound may be seen an ominous sign, a crane used in the construction of the new Victoria Bridge across the Brisbane River. The completion of the new Victoria Bridge, with no provision for trams marked the reason for the final closure of the Brisbane tramway system. Photo taken 29 December 1967.

Another photo of "Four motor" tramcar 490, this time in Melbourne Road, South Brisbane bound for West End. Also in the background is another crane used in the construction of the new Victoria Bridge across the Brisbane River. Photo taken 29 December 1967.

"Four motor" tramcar 466 was photographed in George Street, City about to turn left into Adelaide Street, bound for Stafford. The Adelaide Street routes were the first to close in the main sytem closure. Photo taken 29 December 1967.

"Four motor" tramcar 464 was photographed in Adelaide Street, City, about to turn right into George Street, bound for Ashgrove. The Grange to Ashgrove route was the first of the routes to close in the main system closure. Also observable in this photo are buses, presumably operating on the Kalinga, Bulimba Ferry, Toowong or Rainworth routes, which had closed previously. Photo taken 29 December 1967.

"Four motor" tramcar 440 in Wickham Terrace, Fortitude Valley, on a "Race Special" bound for Doomben Racecourse, on New Year's Day 1968. 440 is representative of the earlier versions of four motor tramcars, with canvas blind door covers and wooden seats. Note the special fare of 15 cents! In the background, between 440 and a southbound Four Motor car, may be seen the tramway signals at Valley Junction. Photo taken 1 January 1968.

"Drop centre" tramcar 289 at Ipswich Road Depot on 1 January 1968. The "Drop Centre" trams had reverse maximum bogies, clearly visible in this photograph.

"Drop centre" tramcar 207 at Light Street Depot on 1 January 1968. 207 was one of the earlier "Drop Centre" trams, with framed trucks, visible in this photo. I remain grateful to the Depot Starter at Light Street, visible in the cab, for driving this tram out onto the fan for this photo, and for putting an interesting destination sign on the tram.

"Drop centre" tramcars 284 and 378 at Ipswich Road Depot awaiting their next turn of duty on 1 January 1968. Note on the left the "Four motor" car standing in the sunshine over the pit at the rear of the depot shed. Tramcars bound for Ipswich Road Depot, such as these two, displayed the destination sign "South Bris. Hospital". This hospital, the Princess Alexandra Hospital, was located across the road from the Depot.

Track cleaning tram number 15, with its similar sister tram 14 behind, was photgraphed at Ipswich Road Depot. On the right is Drop Centre tram 288. Photo taken 1 January 1968.

Acknowledgements: Special thanks to David Wilson for scanning these black and white images from the original negatives. Special thanks also to my parents, Ken and Betty Mottram for their forebearance in helping me to go to Brisbane, and to Lindsay Margetts who accompanied me on my trips - we were not allowed out on our own from the Scout Jamboree.

visitor.