Tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

s in

Bendigo Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...

have operated since 1890. They ceased to operate as a means of public transport in 1972 but part of the main network continues to operate today as a tourist attraction. Limited trials have also been made in 2009 with operating commuter service, but with minimal usage by the public.

History

As public transport

The first trams in Bendigo were

battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...

operated, but only lasted three months before being withdrawn due to their unreliability. A steam tram system commenced operation in 1892 operated by the Bendigo Tramways Company Limited, and lasted until 1902. Electric trams commenced in 1903 operated by the

Electric Supply Company of Victoria The Australian state of Victoria has a number of defunct energy supply and distribution utility companies. The North Melbourne Electric Tramways and Lighting Company The North Melbourne Electric Tramways and Lighting Company operated an electric ...

, the network eventually covering two routes, one north-south from

North Bendigo North Bendigo is a suburb of the city of Bendigo in central Victoria, Australia. North Bendigo is in the City of Greater Bendigo The City of Greater Bendigo is a Local government areas of Victoria, local government area in Victoria, Australi ...

through the city centre to

Golden Square Golden Square, in Soho, the City of Westminster, London, is a mainly hardscaped garden square planted with a few mature trees and raised borders in Central London flanked by classical office buildings. Its four approach ways are north and sout ...

, and

Eaglehawk The wedge-tailed eagle (''Aquila audax'') is the largest bird of prey in the continent of Australia. It is also found in southern New Guinea to the north and is distributed as far south as the state of Tasmania. Adults of this species have lon ...

through the city centre to Quarry Hill. The Electric Supply Company of Victoria was taken over by the

State Electricity Commission of Victoria The State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV, ECV or SEC) is a government-owned electricity supplier in Victoria, Australia. It was set up in 1918, and by 1972 it was the sole agency in the state for electricity generation, transmission, ...

(SECV) in 1934, as part of the centralisation of the supply of electricity in Victoria. The SECV was in the power generation business, and did not want to operate the loss-making provincial tramways of Bendigo,

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...

and

Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in the southeastern Australian state of Victoria, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River, ...

, but was forced to by the State Government. In 1957–58 tram passengers were paying an average fare of 3 cents while the service cost 8.75 cents to provide, and by 1961–62 the cost was 10 cents. Between 1961 and 1969 patronage fell 46 percent, but in 1968, the Legislative Council refused to give the SECV permission to abandon the service. It continued to be operated by the SECV until April 1972, when the Bendigo tramways were closed.

As a tourist tramway

In September 1972 a two-year trial of tourist tramways commenced by "The Bendigo Trust" trading as "Bendigo Tramways", and they remain in operation today. The service operates from North Bendigo though the city centre to the Central Deborah Gold Mine. Between 1996 and 1998, a tourist restaurant and cafe trams was introduced to Bendigo, following the success of a similar model of the

Colonial Tramcar Restaurant The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant was a restaurant operating from a converted fleet of three vintage W class trams in Melbourne, Australia from 1982 until 2018. History The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant Company was formed in 1981 to operate rest ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

. The idea proved very popular and the Bendigo fleet has since increased in size. In 2005 a proposal was put forward to the

City of Greater Bendigo The City of Greater Bendigo is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central part of the state. It covers an area of and, in June 2021, had a population of 123,632. It includes the city of Bendigo and the towns of Axe ...

to extend the tourist tram route around

Lake Weeroona Lake Weeroona is a man-made lake in the city of Bendigo, Victoria. History Lake Weeroona was commissioned in 1878 under the supervision of William Guilfoyle, the art director of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria a ...

, however the plan met staunch opposition from the community and it was ultimately rejected putting the viability of the network at risk. In 2008, notable environmental scientist Peter Newman called for modernisation of the Bendigo tram network to operate as a form of public transport. After calls from the community organisations and representatives, a week-long trial of commuter tram services began in December 2008, followed by a second trial between 16 March and 9 April 2009, with trams running every 20 minutes between North Bendigo, Golden Square and the CBD during the morning and afternoon peaks. Fares were set at A$2 a ride. The trials attracted good publicity and support from the Bendigo +25 Transport Action Group, but resulted in light patronage. The Bendigo Tramways concluded that the trial "showed that Bendigonians are still more comfortable using their cars", but should the need arise to reintroduce the trams as a commuter service, "we are certainly up to the task". In February 2010 the Bendigo Tramways received $3.1 million to fund the redevelopment of the depot, workshop and administration building, as well as landscaping and heritage conservation, and safety works. This would mean a doubling in the capacity of the workshop, which also restores parts for heritage trams around the world.

References

External links

Bendigo TramwaysTram fleet listing
{{TramsAustralia Bendigo

History

As public transport

As a tourist tramway

See also

References

External links