Melbourne tram route 16


Melbourne tram route 16 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network. It operates from Melbourne University to Kew. The 20.2 kilometre route is operated by Z and D class trams from Malvern depot.

History

Route 16 was first allocated to the line between City to St Kilda Beach on 26 April 1936 following the electrification of the Brunswick cable tram line. Prior to that, trams on the northern section of Sydney Road would run via Swanston Street to the southern suburbs. Route 16 ran the service between Coburg and St Kilda Beach. After 1936, trams traditionally terminated at the Victoria St terminus, but following an accident in 1991, trams instead terminated at the Queensberry St crossover. Due to congestion during peak hours at the crossover, some trams continued north to Melbourne University. Finally on 17 January 1996, a permanent shunt was built at Melbourne University. From then on, Route 16 trams were altered run full-time to Melbourne University. Traditionally, Route 16 ran between St Kilda Beach to a City terminus along Swanston Street, but most services would in fact continue north to Moreland as Route 15. However, following the elimination of shared depot routes on 2 April 1995, Route 15 was discontinued, and Route 16 and Route 22 were amended to run full-time. On 16 October 2004, Route 16 was amalgamated with Route 69 to run between Melbourne University and Kew via St Kilda Beach.
The origins of route 16 lie in separate tram lines. The section of track between Queensberry Street and St Kilda Junction is the oldest section of this route, dating back to the Brighton Road cable tram which opened on 11 October 1888 by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company. This cable tram line was electrified in stages by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board. The section between Domain Interchange and St Kilda Junction was electrified on 27 December 1925. The section between Queensberry Street and City Road was electrified on the same day. The line between City Road and Domain Interchange was electrified on 24 January 1926. Meanwhile, the section between Luna Park and St Kilda Junction was originally the Windsor-St Kilda Beach cable tramway which opened on 27 October 1891. This line was electrified on 27 December 1925.
The line between Luna Park and the terminus at Cotham Road was all constructed by the Prahran and Malvern Tramway Trust. The track between Wattletree Road and High Street was part of the original system which opened on 30 May 1910. The section of track between Hawthorn Road and Wattletree Road opened on 16 December 1911 as part of the line to Windsor Station. The section between Hawthorn Road and Luna Park opened on 12 April 1913, and the line from High Street to the Cotham Road terminus opened on 30 May 1913. Meanwhile, the Melbourne, Brunswick & Coburg Tramways Trust constructed the section of Route 16 north of Queensberry Street towards Melbourne University. This section opened on 31 October 1916.
DatesRouteNotes
During PMTT operationVictoria Bridge to Esplanadevia Glenferrie/Balaclava Roads
21 November 1929 - 25 April 1936Coburg to St Kilda Beachvia Swanston Street
26 April 1936 - 14 April 1991City to St Kilda Beach
15 April 1991 - 16 January 1996City to St Kilda BeachSome services terminated at Melbourne University
17 January 1996 - 16 October 2004Melbourne University to St Kilda BeachOperation transferred to Malvern depot from South Melbourne depot on 8 February 1997. Merged with Route 69 from 11 December 2000. Merged fully from 16 October 2004, and that is when Route 69 ceased to exist.
17 October 2004 - onwardsMelbourne University to Kew via St Kilda Beach

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