Christchurch tramway system

The Christchurch tramway system you see now, that small network in the inner city, is actually a heritage loop that reopened in 1995. It was extended in February 2015 with a 1.4-kilometer loop down to High Street. But this isn't the first time Christchurch had a tram system.

Back in 1882, steam and horse trams started running here, and then electric trams took over from 1905 until 1954. The very last line, from Cashmere to Papanui, was replaced by buses. It’s interesting to think that this whole idea goes all the way back to 1855, when early residents were trying to figure out how to get themselves and their goods to Lyttelton. There was a meeting where they discussed building either a tramway or a railway.

The idea came up again in 1855 for a line to Sumner, but a couple of influential figures spoke against it, and it was voted down. In 1858, the Provincial Engineer estimated it would cost £6,000, which stopped the idea in its tracks. They actually decided to build a railway instead, with the first section opening in 1863.

There was even a private attempt in 1861 by William White to build a wooden tramway from Christchurch to Little River, aiming to make it cheaper to transport timber and building materials. He started construction in 1863, and built a mile by the end of that year, but the project ultimately failed due to a lack of capital and issues with neighbors. The section to Halswell Quarry was completed and used until 1872.

It wasn't until 1876 that the idea of a tramway gained widespread support again. The city had developed a lot, and the Tramways Act had passed in 1872, so the political environment was more favorable. The first revenue services actually started right here in Christchurch on March 9, 1880, running from Cathedral Square to the Christchurch Railway Station via Colombo Street. The company behind it, the Canterbury Tramway Company, had spent two years negotiating and building. After that first day, they found issues with the track and had to suspend services for a few days.

Later that same year, they opened other lines to Papanui Railway Station, the Agricultural Show Grounds, and Devon Street. Over the next few years, more lines opened, including to Addington Railway Station in 1882, and eventually to Sumner in 1888. The lines to Papanui and Sumner were the most profitable. The city council even got into the tram business in 1884, building its own line to serve its cemetery and reserve. Construction started in November 1885 and it opened on April 23, 1886. If you're interested in how these trams are kept running, the tram museum at Ferrymead Heritage Park overhauls and restores the trams used on this system, and they even run operating trams on their own site there.