Foundation Days of the Wanganui Tramways. .

Wanganui Chronicle, 14 September 1950, Page 12 (Supplement)

Foundation Days of the Wanganui Tramways. .

ORIGINAL FLEET WAS OF FOUR SINGLE BOGEY CARS ON ARAMOHO RUN

T H ?. history of Wanganui's tramway system goes back 42 years to a memorable day in December, 1908, when the official ooenina ceremony was held in the car barn at Taupo Quay.

On the following day the new service was inaugurated to the Aramoho Railway Station, two alternative routes being available to the suburb. These were via Victoria Avenue, Glasgow Street and Somme Parade, and via Victoria Avenue, Guyton, Campbell, Ingestre, Bell and Dublin Streets, and thence to Aramoho via Somme Parade. The fare for the single journey over either route was 3d and the running time scarcely varied throughout the years.

ROLLING STOCK. The original rolling stock consisted of four single truck cars of the combination type. They had a compartment in the centre and open seats at both ends, the bodies being constructed in Wellington. Each car weighed 11 tons and seated 24 passengers, but. was capable of carrying a large number standing. Power for the trams was supplied by two 132 b.h.p. suction gas engines each direct coupled to a 75 k.w. 600-volt generator. Speakers at the opening ceremony on December 10, ISOB, struck a note of optimism for the future. The Mayor (Mr. C. E. Mackay) said that il any loss were sustained the convenience afforded the public and the impetus given to business would be ample compensation. He added that the burning question in Wanganu during the past three years had been that of trams. Now that the scheme was complete he thought that the majority of ratepayers endorsed th*, council’s action; at any rate the council’s proposals regarding the trams had received the substantial support of the public.

Behind the opening of this newelectric tramway service is a story of much hal’d work, energy and enthusiasm by those early citizens who realised that before Wanganui could develop and expand it must have an efficient transport system. In those days most people w'alked if they wanted to go anywhere, or if they were in a hurry hired a horse driven cab. For a number of years a coach service operated between Aramoho and the town, while Castlecliff and parts of Gonville W’ere served by the pri-vately-owned Castlecliff Rail-

way. Wanganui East, showing signs of expansion and with a promising future, had no service and other scattered parts of the borough were also without transport. Appreciating that Wanganui’s entire future as a commercial, industrial and residential centre depended upon cheap and regular transport being available, the Borough Council decided on electric trams. Every aspect of the question was fully debated at those early council meetings and the proposal was not without opposition because of the heavy fnancial outlay involved. Ultimately, however, a loan of £45.000 at 45 per cent, was sanctioned by a poll of ratepayers.

LOAN NOT EXPENDED. Referring to the cost of the tramways Mr. Mackay said that the loan of £45,000 had not been expended, there having been sufficient to purchase an extra car and there yet remained several hundred pounds to credit. Portion of this would be used for tarring the track, which would to a large extent mitigate the dust nuisance. The Mayor also expressed the hope that before long thfe trams would be extended to Castlecliff and beyond the Aramoho Railway Bridge, in addition to running in other directions. He mentioned that arrangements were being made with the Castlecliff Railway Company for an accelerated train service which would link up with the trams. The Mayor of Wanganui East (Mr. John Jones) said that he was proud to be at the official opening and declared that he had voted for the electric tramway system. Though he represented the citizens of “Greater Wanganui” across the river he and his burgesses “were interested in the borough and were anxious to see its welfare promoted.” As to any financial side he urged the Wanganui Borough Council not to worry about that. There were many things in life in which the question “Will it pay?” had to be faced. They would make little progress if they allowed timorous doubts to stand in the way of legitimate enterprise. “WOULD PAY ARAMOHO.” The chairman of the Aramoho Progressive Association (Mr. Alan Robinson) said that so far as the financial aspect of the new service was concerned he did not know whether the trams would pay Wanganui, but he knew that they would pay Aramoho, a remark which was greeted with much amusement. Mr. Robinson added that he looked forward to the time when they would have a service running across the river through Wanganui East, a service that would cross two bridges and give them a circular route embracing the greater part of “Greater Wanganui.” With this modest beginning and possibly some doubt as to the future financial outcome, the Wanganui trams came into being. The Borough Council, however, had financed the under-

taking on the basis of 15 per cent, sinking fund and without setting aside any sums for renewals or depreciation. This explains why the city continued to pay loan charges on generating plant and other equipment which had long ceased to be of use to the system. On December 11, 1908, the first tram on the new service to Aramoho left the Taupo Quay barn at 6.50 a.m. and ran via Dublin Street and somme Parade, its scheduled time of arrival at Aramoho being 7.7. a.m. The frequency of the service’ remained much the same throughout the years. At that time the full tramways department staff consisted of the engineer in charge (Mr. F. P. Taiboys), two suction gas engineers who operated the plant which generated power

for the overhead lines, one tram foreman, two switch board attendants, eight motormen, eight conductors, one cleaner, one lineman and one overheadman, a total of 25. While Aramoho was the first suburb in Wanganui to be served by trams it was also the first to lose them. It has the distinction, however, apart from St. John’s Hill, of being the first portion of Wanganui to be served entirely by buses, including the initial units of the new Greyhound fleet. The condition of the tram tracks at Aramoho deteriorated to such an extent within recent, months that the City Council decided to eliminate trams from his route. On May 22 of this year they ceased running beyond Calver’s Corner and on July 22 were withdrawn entirely from the route.

STORY OF EXPANSION. A glance through the pages of Wanganui’s tramway history shows that from 1908 onward progress and expansion was made in progressive stages, summarised in chronological order as follows: 1908—Taupo Quay to Aramoho Railway Station via alternative routes: (1) Victoria Avenue —Glasgow Street—Somme Parade. (2) Victoria Avenue —Guyton St.—Campbell St.—lngestre St. —Bell St. —Dublin St. —Somme Parade. 1912—Taupo Quay to Gonville and Castlecliff, via present Alma Road and Koromiko Road alternative routes.

1914 Taupo Quay to Wanganui East Railway Station, via the newlyopened Dublin St Bridge. 1915 Aramoho route extended to Quick Avenue. 1923 —Aramoho route extended from Quick Avenue to Aramoho Cemetery. 1926—Somme Parade link between Dublin Street Bridge and Calver's Corner abandoned. 1935—Tracks removed from Guyton, Campbell, Ingestre and Bell Streets. New track laid along Dublin Street from Victoria Ayenue to Bell Street.