Melbourne Cable Tramways – Macmeikan & Pollock Reports

This is an edited version of a report (the ‘Macmeikan report’) written in the 1950s for the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board by I. Macmeikan, Assistant Superintendent of the Cable Workshops from 1920 to 1930, and Manager of Preston Workshops from 1951 to 1956. The original report is not dated. Footnotes have been added by the Melbourne Tram Museum.

Additional information has been extracted and included from another M&MTB report (the ‘Pollock report’), also undated, on construction & operation of engine houses and track by William R. Pollock, Power House Superintendent with the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company, the Melbourne Tramways Board, and the M&MTB.

Introduction

In preparation of this report on the Melbourne cable tramways, which operated from 1885 until 1940, I shall endeavor to record items which may be of general interest, including events leading up to the construction and opening of the various lines, and set down certain procedures and developments of a technical nature indicating some of the problems which had to be solved by the engineering branch of the undertaking.

In 1883 Victorian parliamentary powers was sought for the construction of a tramway system in Melbourne. For such powers were granted, it was arranged that F.B. Clapp and G. Duncan, the future manager and engineer respectively of the undertaking, should visit Europe and America to familiarise themselves with the latest developments in the field of tramway traction. On their return the necessary government approval with requisite powers was obtained and the Melbourne Tramways Trust was formed. Plans, specifications, and estimates were prepared and a loan floated in London in 1884 to finance the commencement of the project. The principal act embraced the proviso that all the tramways scheduled in the act would be constructed before 12th October 1889. This objective was achieved, and the only cable routes opened later were those lines originally planned for horse traction, namely North, West, South and Port Melbourne. These last four routes were completed and opened for service during the first six months of 1890.

Sydney Road Brunswick, circa 1900. Large bogie trailers such as 472 were only used on the Brunswick line, due to the lack of curves on the route and heavy passenger loadings exceeding the capacity of the standard dummy and trailer. While 472 was built new as a bogie trailer, many examples of these cars were spliced together from two 6-window trailers. The spliced cars can be differentiated from the new‑build cars by the broad window pillar in the centre of the car.

Photograph courtesy Public Record Office Victoria.

The first two routes constructed and opened for traffic were Richmond to Spencer Street in November 1885, and Fitzroy to Spencer Street in October 1886. The operation of these lines met with great success, and I quote The Age of 13 January 1887, giving a general impression of the development and operation of the system to date, and the proposed construction of other lines with information relative to them as follows:

The working of the Richmond and Collins Street cable lines is generally regarded as valuable proof that the cable system is the best that could possibly have been adopted for the requirements of Melbourne and suburbs. So far the running of the cars has resulted very satisfactorily. The traffic in Flinders and Collins Streets has been considerably relieved of thereby, the convenience of the public is beyond question, and accidents, comparatively speaking are few and far between. The regularity of the service is a feature upon which the company makes fairly be congratulated, as it is evidence of good management and excellent organisation. In the opinion of most people the remaining routes cannot be too soon completed and some information relative to the progress of the works and the operations of the Tramway Trust may, therefore be found interesting.

At the present date there are ten miles of double track in running order, serving an estimated population of something like 90,000 drawn from Richmond, Fitzroy and portions of Hawthorn and Collingwood. These lines have cost an average of 32,000 Australian pounds per mile including purchase of land, erection of Engine Houses, laying of track, rope, and all other particulars, except rolling stock. This therefore, would bring the total expenditure on the part of the trust, upon the Richmond, Fitzroy and Simpsons Road lines up to 320,000 Australian pounds.

The Tramways Trust as everybody probably knows, constructs the lines, and hands them over in complete working order – minus the rolling stock – to the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company Limited (MTOC). The trust, however, for a certain prescribed time has the care and maintenance of the track, after which it passes entirely into the supervision of the Company.

Tramway building, 673 Bourke Street. Headquarters of the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company 1893-1916.

Photograph courtesy State Library of Victoria.

The Richmond and Fitzroy lines are now under the care of the company, who are responsible for their maintenance until the expiry of the lease. Upon these lines 100 cars are running, and it is estimated that the ten miles of track has necessitated on the part of the company an outlay of 400,000 Australian pounds. This is principally represented in the building of cars and the erection of sheds. To complete the northern system of tramway communication, as scheduled in the act, there yet remains the Collingwood, Nicholson Street, Brunswick, Carlton, North Carlton, Hotham and West Melbourne services. With the exception of North Carlton, Hotham [1] and West Melbourne these lines are well forward.

The next track to be opened is that which runs up Bourke Street, along Nicholson Street and down Gertrude & Smith Streets, just as the Collingwood omnibuses do now. Simultaneous with this line, will also be opened one running down the whole length of Nicholson Street, intended to serve portions of North Carlton and North Fitzroy. The works in connection with these routes, the engine house at the corner of Nicholson & Gertrude Streets, from which they will be worked, is nearly completed, and it is expected within the space of five months at the latest, the lines will be ready for traffic. By that time cars will be running along Bourke Street, furnishing a service similar to that provided along Collins Street at the present moment. These tracks cover a distance of six miles, and when fully completed will have cost a total expenditure of 170,000 Australian pounds.

The Brunswick line will be opened a month later. Everything in connection with this route is in a forward condition and there is nothing to prevent the track being in working order within the time specified. The engine house, the site of which is at the rear of the Sarah Sands Hotel, is in course of erection, and is being rapidly pushed on by the contractor. The length of line is to be four miles and will cost altogether 130,000 Australian pounds. By the end of next June, therefore, the trust will have opened twenty miles of running track, constructed at a total outlay of 620,000 Australian pounds.

The Carlton line is expected to be opened in about seven months time – that is immediately after the Brunswick track. The machinery is all ready, and the engine house – situated in Johnson Street, between Fitzroy and Brunswick Streets – is being built. The line will be about 3¼ miles long, and the estimated cost of construction 90,000 Australian pounds. This, it will be observed, is the lowest figure yet given, and is accounted for by the fact that the line is shorter than any previously mentioned, and will not require machinery of quite so powerful in character to work it.

The lines to North Carlton, Hotham and West Melbourne complete the northern system of tramway communication. A commencement of these works cannot, however, be made until the various interested local councils come to a decision as to what tractional power shall be employed. The trust, as far as it is concerned, can make a start at once and complete the lines in a very short space of time.

The southern system embraces the lines to St Kilda, Prahran, Toorak, South Melbourne and Port Melbourne. The trust is in the same position as it is with regard to the Hotham and West Melbourne routes. The councils have not yet decided whether horse, cable or motor [2] power shall be used, and until the question is finally settled matters must of course remain at a standstill. There is nothing, however, to prevent a speedy completion of the works as soon as the trust is authorised to proceed.

St Kilda, Prahran and Toorak have given their voice in favor of the table, and accordingly plans and specifications are being prepared with a view of calling tenders for the work at an early date. The construction of these lines will be carried on so as to have them ready on the date of the opening of the new Princes Bridge [3]. Mr. Duncan, the engineer of the trust, is making arrangements to that end, so that we may expect the opening of the new bridge and the running of cars over these lines to take place on the same day. The service will be worked from two engine houses. The motive power for the South Yarra, Prahran and Toorak routes will be supplied from the machinery erected on the sites at the corner of Chapel Street and the Toorak Road. For the St Kilda engine house a site has been selected near the junction of the Toorak and St Kilda Roads. With the completion of these lines will be finished the whole tramway service authorised by the act – the estimated cost being 1,200,000 Australian pounds.

In the construction of tramway lines the trust finds drainage a heavy and expensive item. Thorough and ample drainage is of first importance to the smooth working of the track. For the purpose of the line itself elaborate drainage works would not be necessary, as small channels could carry off all the water that would be likely to affect the running of the gear. In laying down the track, however, the existing system of drainage is often intercepted and has to be provided for in the shape of large and expensive sewers. In work of this character alone the trust has found it necessary to expend a great amount of money, so large indeed, that had Melbourne and Suburbs been supplied in the first instance with an underground system, the expense of lines even to the present time would have been lessened by the sum of 30,000 Australian pounds. A very large sewer had for instance, to be built along the whole length of Victoria Street from Simpsons Street to the river. Sewers have also now been put down in Fitzroy, Brunswick and the City of Melbourne.

It is satisfactory to find that the engineer of the trust believes the Melbourne tramway service, so far as at present operating, to be the best in the world. The tracks are said to be splendidly built, whilst the machinery and appliances for the working of them combine all the latest improvements that the most recent experience could suggest.

As an instance of the smoothness with which the machinery works, it is stated that the stoppages occasioned on the Fitzroy line during the three months that the cars have been running along it, would not put together exceed one hours’ duration.

The cable as a tractional power has proved applicable to all localities, and the system which is being everywhere adopted. It is supposed to effect a saving of 25 to 30% in the working expenses as compared with horse or motor. The maximum gradient of the Melbourne lines is 1 in 14. The heaviest gradient in the world exists in Dunedin, New Zealand, where it is 1 in 3½. San Francisco comes next with 1 in 5.

The act stipulates that the whole of the Melbourne and suburban tramways shall be completed by October 1889. Mr. Duncan, the engineer to the trust, is however so satisfied with the organisation effected and the means and advantages at his disposal for rapidly building the line, that he is confident, should the occasion require it, the whole lot could be finished before the close of the present year.

Footnotes

[1] Hotham is now known as North Melbourne.

[2] Motor power here refers to use of steam tramway locomotives, as used in the contemporary Sydney steam tramways.

[3] Princes Bridge is still used by electric trams from Melbourne’s southern suburbs to access Swanston Street.