Trams in Newcastle, New South Wales
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The Newcastle Tram System was a steam tram line between Newcastle and the outer suburb of Wallsend, which opened in 1887. A depot was set up on Hunter Street, near the Newcastle Terminal. In 1893, the terminal was extended east to Parnell Place and the new larger depot constructed, with the original depot retained for light maintenance and repair work.
In April, 1894, two branch lines were opened, one to Glebe and one to Tighes Hill. The Tighes Hill branch was latter extended to Mayfield in 1901. Further branch lines to Adamstown in 1900, Merewether Beach in 1903, and Newcastle Racecourse in 1907.
In 1910, a branch was constructed from Wallsend to West Wallsend. A small depot was constructed at Wallsend to assist in the operation of this line. The Wallsend depot was enlarged in 1912 with the opening of a branch line to Speers Point. Further branch extensions were opened to Carrington in 1912, branching from the Mayfield line, followed by a branch to Maryville which opened in 1914 and a branch to Waratah in 1915.
The Maryville Line was further extended to Port Waratah to service the BHP Steelworks in 1916 . A line to Port Waratah Wharf was constructed in 1920 which did not operate before being abandoned and removed.
With electrification of the tram system, construction of a new depot was commenced in at Hamilton in 1918. Electrification occurred in the early 1920s, the first electric tram running in October 1923. All lines were fully electric by the end of 1926 except the West Wallsend line beyond the junction with the Speers Point Branch line, which remained steam operated until November 1930, when this and the Speers Point Line were both closed. The Speers Point Line saw occasional use until it was closed in June 1931.
The Hunter Street and Parnell Place Depots were closed in 1927, all operations then being carried out at the Hamilton Depot. The Newcastle Tram System was steadily replaced by bus services commencing in 1938 with the closure of the Port Waratah and Carrington Lines. This was followed by the closure of the Mayfield Line in 1948 and the Wallsend Line in 1949.with the Merewether Beach and Glebe Lines closed in February, the Racecourse Line and the Adamstown Line in April and the final Waratah Line closed on the 10th June, 1950.
The Newcastle Tram System ceased to be operational on 10 June 1950. Hamilton Depot was converted to a bus depot after the removal of the remaining trams.
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