Published Resources Details

Conference Paper

Author
Pierce, Miles
Title
Cable trams in Melbourne - a major nineteenth century engineering achievement
In
19th Australasian engineering heritage conference: putting water to work: steam power, river navigation and water supply
Editors
Engineers Australia and Engineering Heritage Australia
Imprint
Engineering Heritage Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2017, pp. 431-453
ISBN/ISSN
9781922107923
Url
https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.385266704741264
Subject
Chronological Classification 1788-1900 Applied Sciences Engineering and Technology
Abstract

Melbourne's boom period in the mid 1880s saw the inauguration of a cable tram system that by 1891 had grown to encompass seventeen routes with a combined length of 46 miles (73 km) of double track. In its extent, it was only surpassed by San Francisco's cable tram network. The 43.7 miles (70 km) of double track, constructed by the Melbourne Tramways Trust (representing twelve municipalities), and leased for operation by the Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company had the distinction of being the largest cable tram network in the world to be operated by a single company. It evolved from the determined vision of Francis Boardman Clapp and was implemented under the guidance of renowned cable tram engineer George Smith Duncan. The last cable tram service closed in 1940. This paper focuses particularly on the engineering aspects of the system and thus on its infrastructure.

Source
cohn 2018

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  • 19th Australasian engineering heritage conference: putting water to work: steam power, river navigation and water supply edited by Engineers Australia and Engineering Heritage Australia (Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Engineers Australia, 2017), 536 pp. Details

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