Brisbane Trams - History in Pictures
By Myles Sinnamon, Engagement Officer, State Library of Queensland | 13 August 2015
"[T]he adoption of this system of street traffic marks a new era in our history... If the tram system in Brisbane accomplishes no other end it will prove that Queensland does not intend to be behind in this very fast age", boasted Brisbane's Telegraph newspaper on the eve of the first tram beginning public operation on August 12, 1885. Horse drawn trams would later be replaced by electric trams in June 1897. This "new era" ended in 1969, as Brisbane scrapped its trams in favour of the more economical motor buses. Many look back on Brisbane's tram era with a great deal of nostalgia. State Library of Queensland has some wonderful images documenting the age of Brisbane trams which can be perused on our One Search catalogue. Below is a sample...
Horsedrawn tram and driver ca. 1880. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 62530
Woolloongabba to Breakfast Creek Tram, Brisbane 1886. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 60180
Horse drawn tram, Brisbane ca. 1888. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg Woolloongabba to Breakfast Creek Tram, Brisbane 1886. Neg 67155
Busy Queen Street, Brisbane 1889. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image APO-010-0001-0010
Looking across Victoria Bridge to South Brisbane ca. 1890. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland
Queen Street in Brisbane featuring Millikin the grocers and Edward and Lamb Drapery Store, c.1897. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image APO-031-0001-0001
Brisbane Customs House 1898. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 65241
Imperial Hotel, George Street, Brisbane ca. 1900. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 13062
Open sided tram loaded with people destined for Toowong area, Brisbane ca. 1905. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 44042
Tram No. 81 Paddington to Bulimba Ferry route, Brisbane ca. 1906. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 137370
Christmas postcard featuring a coloured view of Queen Street, Brisbane, ca.1908. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 193118
Tram halted at the Albion Corner, March 1909. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image APO-034-0001-0026
Tramway employees, Brisbane ca. 1910. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 203603
Special constables aboard a tram in Queen Street during the General Strike in Brisbane 1912. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 10113-0001-0017
Trams at the Light Street Tram Depot in Newstead, Brisbane ca. 1912. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 137409
Throngs of people turn out in the streets of Brisbane to farewell the Queensland military contingent 1914. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image APE-039-01-0008
Boogie saloon tram ca. 1920. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 18793
Queen Street, Brisbane looking south ca. 1928. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 204350
Tram trundles down Kingsford Smith Drive, Hamilton, Brisbane ca. 1928. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 10009
Tram at Waterworks Road terminus, Ashgrove, Brisbane 1929. Neg 7683
Official opening of the tram service at Rainworth, Brisbane 1930. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 133642
Brisbane tram featuring an advertisement for Fortitude Valley shopping ca. 1933. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 10341
Motorist squashed between two early electric trams, Brisbane 1935. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 62053
Strap hangers on a crowded Brisbane tram 1937. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 102795
Brisbane tram 1938. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 104198
Tram at Alderley, Brisbane. ca.1938. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 20336
Electric trams travelling along Queen Street from the Victoria Bridge, Brisbane 1939. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 33360
Trams held up on Victoria Bridge after a derailment at North Quay, Brisbane 1940. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 109643
Ian Gall cartoon captioned Lady with a punch recruiting female tram conductors during World War II in Brisbane, Queensland. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 109854
Peace celebrations Queen Street, Brisbane 1945. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 79096
Official opening of the Chermside tram extension 1947. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 6311
Collision between a bus and tram, Brisbane 1949. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 185423
Crowd observing the first tram in Mount Gravatt 1951. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image 9988-0001-0016
Sheltering from rain at the Centenary Place tramstop in Brisbane, winter 1960. (Image in copyright). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 196991
Trams lined up in Queen Street Brisbane ca. 1965. (Image in copyright). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Image lbp00109
Myles Sinnamon - Project Coordinator, State Library of Queensland
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