Old Cleveland Road Tramway Tracks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Cleveland Road Tramway Tracks |
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Tracks in 2015
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| Location | Old Cleveland Road, Carina, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1940s - 1960s (post-World War II) |
| Built | 1948 |
| Official name: Old Cleveland Road Tramway Tracks, Belmont Electric Tramway | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 24 March 2000 |
| Reference no. | 601839 |
| Significant period | 1940s (fabric) 1912-1926 (historical- Belmont Tramway route) 1948-1969 (BCC tram route) |
| Significant components | tramway |
| Builders | Brisbane City Council |
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The Old Cleveland Road Tramway Tracks are old tram lines in Carina, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. These tracks are special because they are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register. This means they are an important part of Queensland's history.
The Brisbane City Council built these tracks in 1948. They were part of Brisbane's big tram system. Before these tracks, there were older ones from the Belmont Tramway, built in 1912. The trams stopped running on these tracks in 1969. This was when Brisbane's entire tram system closed down.
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A Look Back at Brisbane's Trams
Trams were a big part of life in Brisbane for over 80 years. The very first trams started in 1885. These early trams were pulled by horses! They travelled from North Quay to Breakfast Creek.
Until 1922, private companies ran the tram system. They saw that trams could help sell land in new areas. During this time, trams changed from horse-powered to electric. The tram network grew a lot. It went from 20 trams on 24 kilometres (15 miles) of track to 181 trams on 68 kilometres (42 miles) of double track.
One important extension was from Stones Corner to Coorparoo. This line opened in 1909. It later became the starting point for extensions to Camp Hill and Belmont (which is now Carina).
The Belmont Tramway Story
In the early 1900s, Belmont was a quiet, "outer" suburb of Brisbane. It was managed by the Belmont Shire Council. This area didn't have Brisbane's main tram network. So, the Belmont Council decided to build their own tramway.
The Belmont (steam) Tramway opened in May 1912. It was a narrow-gauge track, meaning the rails were closer together than standard tracks. It used timber sleepers and special rails. The Railway Department ran the line. It started with two return trips daily, except Sundays. Later, they added more trips to encourage people to move to the suburbs.
In 1922, the Belmont Shire Council wanted to extend the tramway to Redland Bay. But this idea was rejected. Instead, a railway line was built to Cleveland. The Belmont Shire Council couldn't afford to keep the tramway running. So, the line closed on 16 April 1924.
Brisbane's Trams Go Public
From 1 January 1923, the Queensland Government took over Brisbane's tramways. The Brisbane Tramway Trust managed them. They bought many new tram cars. They also added 11 kilometres (7 miles) to the city's track network. One extension in January 1925 went along the Coorparoo line to Camp Hill.
In December 1925, the Brisbane City Council took control of the tram network. This included the old Belmont Shire Council's Tramway. The Belmont Tramway had reopened in April 1925. But this was only for a short time. It lost too much money and closed for good in October 1926.
Belmont residents then used private buses to connect to Brisbane's electric tram network. The rails of the old Belmont Tramway were removed in 1935.
New Tracks for a Growing City
The Brisbane City Council kept improving and extending the tram system. Many new trams were built. In 1933-34, the Council started using a special way to lay tracks. They used "mass concrete" tracks. This meant the entire track, except on curves, was set in solid concrete.
They used steel ties instead of wooden sleepers. This made the tracks stronger and easier to maintain. It also created a smooth road surface for other vehicles.
After World War II, Brisbane saw a big housing boom. More people needed to get around. So, the Brisbane City Council extended its electric tramway network. Carina (then called Belmont) was one of the new areas to get a tram extension. This new line opened in July 1948.
The new part of the line ran from Bruce Street to Mayfield Road. It was a double-track route, about 1,550 metres (5,085 feet) long. The tracks you can still see on Old Cleveland Road are part of this 1948 extension. These tracks were standard gauge. They used steel sleepers and heavy rails set in solid concrete. About 664 metres (2,178 feet) of this new line used the path of the old Belmont Tramway.
The End of an Era
The tram network kept growing into the 1950s. By 1959, over 140 kilometres (87 miles) of track were laid in mass concrete. Trams were very busy. On weekdays, 246 trams ran during morning peak times. Each route had a tram every ten minutes during the day.
However, things started to change in the 1960s. Several events led to the closure of Brisbane's tram system in April 1969. In September 1962, the Paddington tram depot burned down. This destroyed 65 trams, which was 20% of the council's fleet.
Three years later, a report called the Wilbur Smith Plan suggested closing the tram system. It recommended changing trams to buses. So, express buses were added to the Belmont and Mount Gravatt tram routes in 1966. More buses were ordered.
On 21 June 1968, Lord Mayor Clem Jones announced that all tram routes would switch to diesel buses. This happened during 1968-69.
Brisbane's tram system closed on 13 April 1969. The last day felt like a big party. About 73,000 people rode the trams that day. The fire and the Wilbur Smith Plan were big reasons for the closure. But other things also played a part. More people owned private cars. Cities were spreading out, and new suburbs weren't connected to the tram system. Also, not enough money was invested in making trams better, compared to diesel buses.
After Brisbane's trams closed, Melbourne became the only Australian capital city with a large tram system.
What the Tracks Look Like Today
The Old Cleveland Road Tramway Tracks are about 625 metres (2,050 feet) long. They run along the middle of Old Cleveland Road, from Jones Road to Orwell Street. They are a double line, set in a concrete "pavement" about four metres (13 feet) wide.
There's a grassy area on both sides of the concrete pavement. You might see some shrubs and small trees there. The tram tracks are standard gauge, which means they are 1,435 millimetres (about 4 feet 8.5 inches) wide. They use strong 80-pound rails. On curves, like near Orwell and Wonersh Streets, they use even heavier, grooved rails.
Near the Jones Road end, part of the concrete and steel tramway is used for parking. You can still clearly see the tracks here. This parking area hasn't caused much damage to the old tramway. Small traffic islands have been built over the tram lines where streets cross Old Cleveland Road.
Why These Tracks Are Important
The Old Cleveland Road Tramway Tracks were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 24 March 2000. This means they are protected because they are important to history.
Here's why they are special:
- Showing History's Path: These tracks help us understand how Queensland's history unfolded. They used the path of the even older Belmont Tramway from 1912. Many local councils built tramways back then, which was a huge effort for small towns. These tracks also show how Brisbane's tram system worked from 1885 to 1969. They also show how the system grew into new suburbs after World War II. The eventual closure of the tramway also tells a story. It shows how cities changed with more cars and new transport ideas.
- A Rare Sight: These tracks are rare because most other tram tracks in Brisbane have been removed or covered by roads. So, seeing these is uncommon and special.
- Learning from the Past: The tracks can teach us about how "mass concrete" tram tracks were built. This was a special building method.
- Clever Building: These tracks show a high level of technical skill. The Brisbane City Council was a leader in using mass concrete for tram tracks. In other cities, concrete was only used as a base, not for the whole track.
- Connected to Important Work: These tracks are linked to the work of the Brisbane City Council's Transport Department. They were in charge of running the tramway from 1925 to 1969.
