Christchurch Tramway History
Trams were introduced to Christchurch in 1880. Originally a practical form of public transport, the first trams were horse-drawn, but these were soon replaced by (slightly) cleaner and more predictable steam trams.
Finally, in 1905, the new electric trams were introduced, ushering in a half century of stately city transport. Tram lines ran from the city centre as far as Papanui and New Brighton. There were even several double-decker trams imported from the USA. Special hill trams ran between Papanui and the Cashmere Hills. These were adapted by having much sturdier brakes.
Many of the trams were made locally, by Boon and Co., a Christchurch company. Only some of the present Christchurch trams originated in Christchurch – others come from as far away as Dunedin and even Melbourne, where trams are still a vital part of the central city public transport system.
Sadly, as the city became larger and the suburbs extended, the trams were all gradually retired and replaced by quicker and more versatile diesel buses. The last municipal trams stopped running in 1954. Up until that time they had carried a total of 1,605,932,516 passengers around the city.
Trams were restored to Christchurch as a visitor attraction in 1995, as the result of the joint efforts of the Tramway Historical Society, the Christchurch City Council and Christchurch Tramway Ltd. Wood Scenic Line Ltd took over the ownership and management of the tramways in 2005. |
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