The No. 1 Horse Tram was built in 1887 by Duncan and Fraser for the Ballaarat Tramway Company Ltd. as a double-decked horse tramcar. The tram was displayed at the Adelaide Exhibition, and then reassembled at the Ballarat tram depot.
The company operated a fleet of 17 double deck trams, and one single deck tramcar.
After the takeover and conversion of the horse tramway by the Electric Supply Company of Victoria Ltd. in 1905, it became one of eight cars which ran as trailers behind electric trams at times of heavy patronage,
Withdrawn from service in the late 1920’s. The body shell became a residential outbuilding, until retrieved in 1985.
Fully reconstructed to its original form and placed on a modified Melbourne saloon cable car truck.
-
MUSEUM STATUS
Though an operational vehicle, use to be limited.
History
1887 – Body built by Duncan and Fraser of Adelaide, assembled in Ballarat and delivered to Ballaarat Tramway Co. as tram No. 1.
1902 – Horse tram Company taken over by the Electricity Supply Co. of Victoria for electrification of the horse tram system.
1905 – Used as a trailer to electric trams in Ballarat & or as a horse tram to Sebastopol until its conversion in 1913.
192? – Withdrawn from service and sold to a local house owner for use as a sleepout.
1985 – Acquired by the BTM and transported to the depot.
1987 – Reconstruction to 1887 condition commenced by BTM.
1992 – Work completed and formally launched by Weston Bate on 7/11/1992.
2002 – Visited Melbourne and appeared in the March 2002 Moomba Parade.
2016 – Placed on display at the corner of Sturt and Lydiard St during Ballarat Heritage Weekend May.
Historical Significance
-
HISTORIC
Only Ballarat horse tram that has survived, though heavily reconstructed. One of the few remnants of the Ballarat horse tram era left. Horse trams enabled Ballarat residents to travel to the Lake quickly and easily, for shopping and business. Assisted in the economic development of Ballarat from 1887 to 1903. Constructed in Adelaide by Duncan and Fraser, assembled in Ballarat.
-
TECHNICAL
Shows the method of constructing tramcar bodies in the horse tram era of street tramway transport. These were light weight, similar technology to other horse drawn vehicles at the time.
-
PROVENANCE
Known in detail.
-
SOCIAL
Enabled Ballarat residents to travel for work, shopping and leisure activities particularly at Lake Wendouree.
-
RARITY
Only Ballarat Horse Tram and one of a few operable double deck horse trams in Australia of an original form.
-
condition integrity
Reconstruction follows the original form of the body. The wheel set is from a Melbourne Cable tram dummy (trailer) – different in style, more springing.
-
interpretive potential
Able to take people for a journey to experience what it was like in many aspects of the 1890’s to ride in a horse drawn vehicle.
-
conservation plan
Retain as reconstructed.
Technical Details
-
TYPE
Four wheel horse tram, double deck, saloon with drop ends and end stairs.
-
WHEEL SET
Obtained by the Museum from a Melbourne cable tram trailer.
-
WHEEL SIZE
Nominally 27" (685mm)
-
WHEELBASE
5'2" (1.58m)
-
LENGTH
19'10" (6.04m)
-
WIDTH
7'1" (2.16m)
-
motors
Two Horse Power, normally draught horses.
