Melbourne’s cable trams - A major nineteenth century engineering achievement

Melbourne’s boom period in the mid-1880s saw the inauguration of a cable tram system that grew by 1891 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 & 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 article focuses particularly on the engineering aspects of the system and thus on its infrastructure.