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This week will be looking at
early public transport in Newcastle.
In 1940 transport in
Newcastle was at a crossroads, many people relied on public transport in the
form or trams, trains and buses due to the depression in the 1930’s private
cars were rare.
Horse drawn vehicles were
still pretty common and with the fuel shortages and rubber for tyres being in
short supply during the second world war. Many businesses went back to using
horse drawn vehicles, however, it became harder to get feed for the horses as
the war dragged on.
Prior to the construction of various road projects connecting
the outer western suburbs of Newie crossing the Hunter River including the
Stockton Bridge numerous ferry services, both privately run and publicly
operated.
Shuttling people and cars across the Hunter River to link the area
of Stockton with the rest of Newcastle during the 19th and 20th centuries,
the ferry runs from Market Street Wharf to Stockton.
Newcastle first had trams
from 1887 until 1950, when the final line, the Waratah line, was replaced by
buses. At its peak, the system ran to Speers Point and West Wallsend.
The first railway in Australia
was built by the Australian Agricultural Company in 1831. The railway was an
inclined plane railway from the Company's A pit in Church Street Newcastle to
Newcastle Harbour.
The first government operated
bus route commenced on 22 September 1935 to Mayfield. On 10 June
1950, the final tram routes were withdrawn. On 2 February 1983, the Stockton
ferry service was taken over from a private operator.
The first buses
Cars have been super important
in Australia's history. They first came to Australia in the early 1900s and
back then not many people could afford them. In the 1950s, Australia started
making its own cars, and that made a lot of jobs and made cars easier to get.
I have not been able to find
when the first cars arrived in Newcastle.
Seems like a pretty normal progression for transportation in industrialized cities. :)
ReplyDeleteThese are so cute, what a lovely progression. Wonderful Post! Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteRampdiary
That's my kind of transportation ... horse power. A more relaxing slower pace of life.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this transportation history of Newcastle, Jo-Anne. Have a blessed day!
ReplyDeleteThose ways of transportation are so interesting to see. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe transition from trams to buses and the role of ferries in connecting different areas show how transportation needs have changed over the years. It’s interesting to think about how public transport laid the groundwork for the car culture that developed later on in Australia.
ReplyDelete