Tram Shelter

The first electric trams were introduced in Brisbane in 1897.  In the following decades, Brisbane's tramway system experienced rapid expansion in response to the growth of the city itself.  The number of cars operating increased from 20 in 1897 to 172 in 1916.  In this period before the dominance of private motor vehicles, the electric tram provided mass transportation for Brisbane residents.  Their immense popularity is illustrated by the fact that by the 1950s, Brisbane had one of the highest levels of public transport usage in Australia at that time.  

At the end of the First World War, it was clear that the tramway system had become a necessity for mass transport of the people and it was generally felt that it should be owned and operated by a public body rather than by a private company.  Thus in 1922 the Brisbane Tramway Trust was formed by Act of Parliament.  The Trust took over ownership and control on 1 January 1923.  The private company had allowed the system to fall behind in catering for the demands of Brisbane's growing population.  The Trust therefore had a considerable task ahead of it.  It arranged for the duplication of tracks, additional tramcars and the construction of more adequate repair workshops and car depots.  Remote control of points was introduced at busy city intersections to improve safety.  Other innovations introduced by the Trust were passenger shelter sheds such as this one, advertising in trams and a suggestions board scheme.

Among the projects undertaken by the Trust in its second year of operation was the extension of the tram service to Ashgrove, a move which demonstrated a confidence in the future of the suburb.  The decision to extend the tramline along Waterworks Road to Ashgrove was made in March 1924, the same month as Glenlyon Garden Estate was opened for sale.  The release of the 855 allotment Glenlyon Gardens estate was the catalyst for the development of Ashgrove as a residential suburb.  Until this time the area had been dominated by a few large holdings, with some scattered housing in between.  

After the extension of the tramline to Oleander Drive in 1924 and the sale of Glenlyon Gardens Estate and other residential estates at Ashgrove and Dorrington during the 1920s, the population of the Ashgrove district increased rapidly. The Oakleigh State School at Dorrington opened in 1934 to accommodate the growing number of children in the district. In 1935, the tramline was extended to the Ashgrove State School, which again increased the numbers of local residents.

The Trust only held office for three years and in December 1925 the newly formed Greater Brisbane City Council took over control and administration of the tramways system.  After the Second World War the increasing reliance on the private motor car and the growth of Council's bus fleet gradually reduced the number of tram passengers.  In 1969, after 72 years as the basic means of public transport in Brisbane, the use of trams was officially discontinued.  The tram sheds have remained, providing evidence of a way of life that no longer exists.

1. Lawson, Ronald, Brisbane in the 1890s: A Study of an Australian Urban Society, UQ Press, 1973, p. 11

2. Morwood, J E, "History of Electric Tramways in Brisbane", Institution of Engineers Australia, Queensland Division Technical Papers, 1970

3. Brisbane Tramway Trust, Second Annual Report, 1924, p 13

4. Clark, Howard & Keenan, David. Brisbane Tramways: the last decade, Transit Press, Sydney, 1977