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 – see above.
Rarity – only Ballarat Horse Tram and one of a few operable double deck horse trams in Australia of an original form.
Representativeness – Although the only Ballarat horse tram, technology is representative of other horse drawn trams in the USA at the time. Followed USA designs of John Stephenson of New York.
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. |