Horse Tram No. 1
Horse Tram No. 1
Operating in Wendouree Parade following reconstruction - 7/11/1992
 
Built in 1887 by Duncan and Fraser for the Ballaarat Tramway Company Ltd. as a double-decker horse tramcar. One of eight cars which ran as trailers behind electric trams at times of heavy patronage, after takeover and conversion of the horse lines by the Electric Supply Company of Victoria Ltd. in 1905. Withdrawn in the late 1920's when the bodyshell became a residential outbuilding locally, until retrieved in 1985. Fully reconstructed to its original form and placed on a modified Melbourne saloon cable car truck.
See an On-Line Photo Exhbition of the Tram at Work
1-btm765i 1-btm789i
Duncan and Fraser's Builders Photo of No. 1 Ballarat Tram Depot - Photo Richards & Co 1887 Being delivered to the depot - 12/12/1985 - Photo Dave Macartney
Date Built 1887 Builder Duncan & Fraser, Adelaide and Ballarat
 
Technical Details (As Built)        
Type Single truck, drop ends, saloon, double deck, open top
Length 19' 10" (6.04m) Width 7' 1" (2.16m)
Height 10' 10" (3.29m) Wheelbase 5' 2" (1.58m)
Approx. Mass TBA tons (tonnes)      
 
History:          
1887 Delivered to Ballaarat Tramway Co. as tram No. 1.
1902 Tramway system 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 Sebastopol?
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 Withdrawn from service and sold to a local house owner for use as a sleepout.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 Reconstructed to 1887 condition commenced by BTM
1992 Work completed.
 
Heritage 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 – 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.
 
Conservation Plan:
Retain as reconstructed.
 
Museum Status:
Though an operational vehicle, use to be limited.
Return to the tram fleet register page.