Buses Salute Last Trams To Make Scheduled Trips

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27452, 11 September 1954, Page 2

Buses Salute Last Trams To Make Scheduled Trips

The salute of bus horns was answered by the clanging bells of the two trams setting out on their last scheduled trips from Cathedral square last night. As the outmoded trams departed in opposite directions—to Barrington street and Papanui—the farewell from the dozen or more buses swelled to a chorus reminiscent of ship’s sirens saluting a Royal barge. The trams were first to leave the Square at 10.55 p.m., all the buses in the area waiting for them to pass while paying their last respects. There was no crowd to see the trams depart, the only persons interested being those who were being transported home, a newspaper reporter and two. photographers. Both trains were comfortably filled. Inside the trams, however, there was an air of festivity. Free use was made of the foot bells and the decorations of streamers and balloons on the Barrington street tram lent a little colour to the otherwise drab cream and green paintwork. In the earlier trams—those leaving at 10.40 p.m„ many young children in the driving compartments took the opportunity of handling for probably the first and last time, some of the controls. Veteran Drivers. The drivers of the last two trams to run yesterday have been associated

with trams for the last 30 years. They were Messrs W. Williams, who took the Papanui tram on its last scheduled run, and G. Askew, who drove the Barrington street tram.

During the day traffic on the Papa-nui-Cashmere line was very heavy, and although on a fine Friday, 11 particularly at the end of the school holidays, many use the trams, it was obvious that many people were taking their last opportunity of riding in a Christchurch tram. On this line 20,000 souvenir tickets were issued free with the ordinary tickets during the day. On the final trips this morning, similar tickets, with the words “last tram” overprinted, will be issued to the invited passengers. The last trams on the outward journey will leave Cathedral square at 9.30 a.m. and will reach Papanui and Cashmere at 9.45 a.m. today. They are expected back in Cathedral square at 10.20 a.m. The final ceremony, at which the speaker? will be the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.), the chairman of the Christchurch Transport Board (Mr C. C. Holland), and the board’s general manager (Mr J. F. Fardell), will be in Cathedral square at 10.30 a.m. The regular Cashmere-Papanui bus service will start on Monday. Today buses will be run on the route as they have been for several months on Saturdays.