The Launceston tramway network served the city of

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () or () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, Launceston has a population of 87,645. Material was copied ...

in Australia from 1911 until 1952.

History

Launceston Municipal Tramways, a subsidiary of the

Launceston City Council Launceston City Council (or City of Launceston) is a local government body in Tasmania, located in the city and surrounds of Launceston in the north of the state. The Launceston local government area is classified as urban and has a popula ...

, began operating on three routes on 4 August 1911 from Brisbane Street in the Launceston central business district to King's Bridge (

Cataract Gorge The Cataract Gorge is a river gorge in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, approximately 1.5 km from the city centre. It is one of the region's premier tourist attractions with Cataract Gorge boat tripleaving from Home Point Parade. It is foun ...

), David Street ( Newstead) and McKenzie Street ( Mowbray). Further lines opened to Sandhill (

South Launceston South Launceston is a residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Launceston in the Launceston LGA region of Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , ...

) on 27 October 1911, High Street ( East Launceston) on 17 January 1914 and Cataract Hill (Hillside Crescent,

West Launceston West Launceston is a residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Launceston in the Launceston LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about south-west of the town of Launceston. The 2016 census recorded a population of 4212 fo ...

) on 15 May 1915. The King's Bridge line was extended to

Trevallyn Trevallyn may refer to: * Trevallyn, Gauteng, South Africa * Trevallyn, Tasmania Trevallyn is a residential locality in the local government areas (LGAs) of Launceston (25%) and West Tamar (75%) in the Launceston LGA region of Tasmania. The ...

on 16 July 1912, and the Mowbray line to Racecourse (Mowbray Heights) on 26 January 1916. The King's Wharf line opened on 24 February 1919 to serve

Bass Strait Bass Strait () is a strait separating the island state of Tasmania from the Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The strait provides the most direct waterwa ...

steamers. The Sandhill line was extended in 1929 to Carr Villa Cemetery. The Mowbray, Newstead and High Street lines were lengthened 1937, with the network reaching its maximum of 13.8 miles. The King's Wharf line closed in December 1947 when the steamer ''

Taroona Taroona is a major residential suburb approximately 15 minutes drive from the centre of Hobart, Tasmania on the scenic route between Hobart and Kingston. Although on the edges of the City of Hobart, Taroona is actually part of the municipality ...

'' began berthing at Beauty Point because of the

Tamar River The Tamar River, officially kanamaluka / River Tamar, is a estuary located in northern Tasmania, Australia. Despite being called a river, the waterway is a brackish and tidal estuary over its entire length. Location and features Formed by the ...

silting. It had only operated on days ships berthed since 1932. The Trevallyn trams were replaced by diesel buses in March 1947, with the rest of the network gradually replaced by

trolleybuses A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or trol ...

from December 1951. The Newstead line was the last closed on 13 December 1952.

Rolling stock

For the commencement of operations, 14 single-truck trams were bodied locally by J&T Gunn with Brush Electrical Engineering,

Loughborough Loughborough ( ) is a market town in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England, the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and Loughborough University. At the 2011 census the town's built-up area had a population of 59,932 , the second larg ...

supplying the trucks. By 1927 a further 12 had been delivered. In 1930 three drop centre bogie trams were bodied at the Invermay Road depot. Single-truck tram number 13 has been preserved by the

Tasmanian Transport Museum The Tasmanian Transport Museum is a museum located in Glenorchy, Tasmania, preserving and exhibiting a collection relating to Tasmanian transport history including items such as locomotives, carriages, ephemera and railroadiana. History In 1960 ...

while bogie tram number 29 is with the Launceston Tramway Museum.

Depots

The original four road depot was located on Invermay Road. After the 1929 Tasmanian floods it was relocated to the corner of Howick and Wellington Streets in 1932.Northern Notes
''

Hobart Mercury ''The'' ''Mercury'' is a daily newspaper, published in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, by Davies Brothers Pty Ltd (DBL), a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, itself a subsidiary of News Corp. The weekend issues of the paper are called ''Mercury ...

'' 11 January 1932 page 5 It remains in use as a

Metro Tasmania Metro Tasmania, commonly called Metro, a Tasmanian Government business enterprise, is the largest bus operator in the state of Tasmania, Australia, with operations in three of the four largest urban centres of Hobart, , and . Urban services in ...

bus depot.

References

{{TramsAustralia, state=collapsed Launceston Launceston, Tasmania Trams in Tasmania 3 ft 6 in gauge railways in Australia 1911 establishments in Australia 1952 disestablishments in Australia History of transport in Tasmania