Nostalgic tour to mark 50th anniversary of the last running of Brisbane’s trams on the northside

The 50th anniversary of the ending of tram services to Stafford, Enoggera, Chermside and Bardon will be marked with a special bus tour which is set to bring back plenty of memories.

A tram at the Stafford Terminus in 1967. Photo: Noel West

The 50th anniversary of the ending of tram services to Stafford, Enoggera, Chermside and Bardon will be marked with a special bus tour.

On December 2 the Brisbane Tramway Museum (BTM) with the Queensland Omnibus and Coach Society will run a tour of the north side tram routes, with commentary, using a Brisbane City Council bus of the time.

Glen Dyer from the BTM said Brisbane loss half of its tram system to buses with the closure of the of the remaining Adelaide Street routes between Stafford — Bardon and Enoggera — Chermside on Sunday, December 1, 1968.

“Last day services from Light Street depot and those on the previous evening, were provided by drop-centre cars and this was the last regular use of such cars in Brisbane,” Mr Dyer said.

“There were a total of 191 trams of this type making up the largest class operated by the BCC.”

They were built between 1925 and 1938 by Brisbane City Council (102 units) and Brisbane companies Hancock (three) and Foote (20).

Car 319 on the last day of service December 1, 1968, in the Stafford area. Photo: Ken Smith

“It was officially classified as a Drop Centre Combination Car or Standard Drop Centre but unofficially by crews and public alike this type of car was known as a Droppie,” Mr Dyer said.

“The tram is 13.9m long, weighs 15t and can carry up to 110 passengers (64 seated).

“The Brisbane travelling public at that time loved the Droppie with the open section with the cool breeze flowing through in the summer months when the Droppie was flying down Gympie Rd.”

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Longtime Stafford resident Kym Hyson had fond memories of the trams which ran from Stafford into the city.

“Mum used to have to pay bills in there (the city) or we’d go to a movie, things like that,” Ms Hyson said.

They also facilitated visits to family on the other side of town.

“We’d get off in Queen St and walk up to George St and across the road was the old magistrates’ court or police precinct.

“We had to walk through a tunnel to get to north quay, and there was trolley buses there and we‘d go to our grandparents place at Coopooroo.”

A tram outside the fish and chip shop at the Stafford Terminus on November 30, 1968. Photo: Brian Martin

She said the Stafford Rd shopping precinct, known as the Stafford terminus because that was where the tram line stopped, was “a busy little place”.

“It had a bit of everything,” she said. Shops included Coles, Woolworths, a hardware store, a picture theatre and a fish and chip shop.

“That was always roaring trade there. You got off the tram and went to the fish and chip shop.”

For details and bookings go to brisbanetramwaymuseum.org