The Belmont Tramway was a short-lived railway in the south-eastern suburbs of

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

, the state capital of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. It was built by the Belmont Shire Council and opened in 1912. Services were suspended several times and the line formally closed in October 1926.

History

The Tramways Act of 1882 gave local councils in Queensland powers to build railways which did not compete with the

Queensland Railways Queensland Rail (QR) is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. Owned by the Queensland Government, it operates local and long-distance passenger services, as well as owning and maintaining approximately 6,600 kilometres of track and relate ...

. For legal reasons they were considered to be tramways. The construction was proposed in 1909 and the Belmont Shire Council requested an engineering report on the cost of a tramway. The Shire constructed a tramway long from a junction on the

Cleveland railway line The Cleveland railway line is a suburban railway line extending east-southeast from Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Queensland Rail City network. History Following the opening of the Wooloongabba ...

between Norman Park and Morningside. There were passenger shelters at Belmont Junction, Seven Hills, Mount Bruce, City View, Mayfield Road, Carina and stations with goods facilities at Springfield and the terminus at Belmont. The cost of construction was £20,000.C.C. Singleton, The Belmont Shire Council's Railway, Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin No.258, April 1959 The line was originally operated by

until the Shire acquired its own steam tram ( Baldwin b/n 35935 of 1911) and three carriages. The maximum speed was with a limit of over the bridges. It was expensive to operate and services were suspended in 1915, at which time the Shire's tram and carriages were sold. The line was reopened due to local agitation and was operated by Queensland Railways on behalf of the Shire until 16 April 1924, when services were again suspended due to the condition of the bridges. The locomotives permitted to work the line were the A12, A14, B13, B15 and PB15 class. The line reopened again in April 1925 but the

Brisbane City Council Brisbane City Council (BCC) is the democratic executive local government authority for the City of Brisbane, the capital city of the state of Queensland, Australia. The largest City Council in Australia by population and area, BCC's jurisd ...

, which had absorbed the Shire, was not interested in running the tramway at a loss and it finally closed in October 1926. 664 metres of the track bed along

Old Cleveland Road Old Cleveland Road is a major road in Brisbane, Queensland. It runs from Stones Corner to Capalaba in Brisbane, with most of the route signed as State Route 22. Sections of the road are also part of State Routes 30, 54, and 55. The road is the ...

became part of the Brisbane City Council electric tram route 06 (

Valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...

– Belmont) in 1948.

References

{{reflist Closed railway lines in Queensland Public transport in Brisbane Railway lines opened in 1912 3 ft 6 in gauge railways in Australia Railway lines closed in 1926 1912 establishments in Australia 1926 disestablishments in Australia

History

See also

References