Melbourne tram route 58


Melbourne tram route 58 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network. It operates from West Coburg to Toorak. The 18.0 kilometre route is operated by Z3, B2 and D1 class trams from Essendon and Malvern depots. The route began operating on 1 May 2017.

History

Route 58 was first allocated to the line between West Coburg and Toorak on 1 May 2017, as part of works associated with the construction of Anzac railway station and the closure of Domain Interchange and Domain Road. Previously, the line was occupied by Routes 8 and Route 55, which were both discontinued on the same day. Prior to this, Route 58 was mainly used as a short-working of Route 57 between the Showgrounds and the City via North Melbourne. However, this route number was not used after Yarra trams suspended the use of short-working numbers in 2014.
The origins of Route 58 lies in separate tram lines. The oldest section of track belongs to the section between Domain Interchange and Toorak Road, which dates back to the Brighton Road cable tram line, which opened on 11 October 1888. The section of track between Park Street, South Yarra and Chapel Street was built later that year on 26 October as part of the Prahran cable tram line. The section between Chapel Street and Orrong Road was built as the Toorak cable tram line, which opened on 15 February 1889. This section was extended by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board to Glenferrie Road on 8 May 1927. Meanwhile, the line between Collins Street and Daly Street, West Brunswick was constructed by the MMTB on 19 July 1925. This section was extended to West Coburg on 26 June 1927. The line between Sturt Street and St Kilda Road was constructed on 27 December 1925. The line connecting Collins Street and Sturt Street finally opened on 21 December 1944. The closure of Domain Road led to Toorak trams diverting via Toorak Road West, the section opening on 1 July 2017.
DatesRouteNotes
c. 1934 - 21 December 1940Russell Street - FootscrayNever used as single-truck trams used on the line
had no number plates
22 December 1940 - 11 May 1943Unallocated
12 May 1943 - 30 April 2017Melbourne Showgrounds to City via North Melbourne; Short-working of Route 57;
gradually fell out of use
1 May 2017 – PresentWest Coburg to ToorakResult of route 55 and 8 merger.

Route map