The Launceston tramway network served the city of

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk River, North Esk and South Esk River, South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River, Tasmania, Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, the Launc ...

in Australia from 1911 until 1952.

History

Launceston Municipal Tramways, a subsidiary of the Launceston City Council, 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 canyon, river gorge in Launceston, Tasmania, 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 ...

), David Street ( Newstead) and McKenzie Street ( Mowbray). Further lines opened to Sandhill ( South Launceston) on 27 October 1911, High Street ( East Launceston) on 17 January 1914 and Cataract Hill (Hillside Crescent, West Launceston) on 15 May 1915. The King's Bridge line was extended to Trevallyn 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 Mainland Australia, Australian mainland (more specifically the coast of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, with the exception of the land border across Boundary Islet). The ...

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 o ...

'' 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 named a river, the waterway is a brackish and tidal estuary over its entire length. Etymology The Tamar River was named ...

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 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), Charnwood Borough of Leicestershire, England; it is the administrative centre of Charnwood Borough Council. At the United Kingdom 2021 census, the town's built-up area had a popula ...

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 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'' 11 January 1932 page 5 It remains in use as a Metro Tasmania bus depot.

Preservation

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