Melbourne tram route 30

Melbourne tram route 30 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from St Vincent's Plaza to Central Pier. The 2.9-kilometre (1.8 mi) route is operated out of Southbank depot with A and E class trams.

Route 30
E class tram on La Trobe Street, January 2022
Overview
SystemMelbourne tramway network
OperatorYarra Trams
DepotSouthbank
VehicleA class
E class
Began service25 September 1972
Route
StartSt Vincent's Plaza
EndCentral Pier
Length2.9 kilometres
TimetableRoute 30 timetable
MapRoute 30 map
← Route 19  {{{system_nav}}}  Route 35 →

History

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The line along La Trobe Street between Spencer Street (Stop 1) and Brunswick Street (now St Vincent's Plaza) (Stop 12) was opened by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on 15 January 1951.[1] Until 1972, trams running the La Trobe Street shuttle usually ran without numbers.[2] Route 30 was first allocated to the line between City Spencer Street to via La Trobe Street on 25 September 1972. On 19 June 1973, a siding was installed just east of St Vincent's Plaza in order to allow route 12 and route 30 trams to shunt out of the way of through-running trams.[2]

Most of the trams routes that ran via Brunswick Street or Victoria Parade also had peak-hour variants that would terminate at the La Trobe Street (for example route 23 and 24). For most of its operation, route 30 had never had a weekend or an evening service (services ending at 18:00).

In 1995, route 34 commenced operation between City (La Trobe Street) and East Melbourne, and operated during off-peak hours (10:00 to 15:30).[3] Route 30 became peak-only following this point. Route 34 was discontinued from regular service on 19 September 2003, and replaced by new off-peak services of route 30 which began on 21 September 2003.[4][5]

As part of the Docklands redevelopment project, tram tracks along La Trobe Street were extended west over the Spencer Street railyards in 2000. On 30 November 2003, the off-peak services of route 30 were extended via the La Trobe Street extension, Harbour Esplanade and Flinders Street before terminating at the Market Street intersection.[6][7]

On 4 January 2005, off-peak services of route 30 were altered to terminate at Waterfront City along Harbour Esplanade and Docklands Drive, with the opening of the Docklands Drive tram extension.[8][9][10] Peak hour services continued to terminate at Spencer Street.[11]

Between May and November 2005, all route 30 peak hour services were temporarily extended and terminated at Waterfront City, to replace a truncated section of route 48 between Central Pier and Waterfront City. During this time, the latter temporarily terminated at Market Street due to the closure and removal of the Flinders Street Overpass over King Street.[12] The temporary arrangement ceased with the completion of works in November 2005.[13]

On 28 July 2008, route 30 swapped termini with route 86, with all peak and off-peak services terminating in Harbour Esplanade at Central Pier, while route 86 was extended to Waterfront City.[14][5][15][16]

On 1 January 2019, the operation of route 30 was extended to evenings and weekends for the first time. [clarification needed]

During special events such as the Australian Open or the Australian Grand Prix, route 30 does not operate. Instead, route 12 temporarily diverts via La Trobe Street and replaces route 30.[17] The temporary cessation of route 30 and diversion of route 12 was also in place between 13 July and 7 November 2020, as part of a COVID-19 response plan to increase overall capacity in the city which introduced shuttle services of route 11.[18][19][20] When route 30 recommenced operations on 8 November 2020, E class trams commenced operation on the route.[20][21]

Melbourne tram route 30 evolution
Dates Route Notes
25 September 1972 – 29 November 2003 City (La Trobe Street) to City (Brunswick Street) Route operated without number prior to 1972, never an evening service
Off-peak services commenced 21 September 2003
30 November 2003 – 3 January 2005 City (Flinders and Market Streets) to St Vincent's Plaza Via Docklands
No evening or weekend services. Peak hour services operate between La Trobe Street and St Vincent's Plaza
4 January 2005 – 27 July 2008 Waterfront City to St Vincent's Plaza No evening or weekend services. Peak hour services operate between La Trobe Street and St Vincent's Plaza (except between 22 May and 20 November 2005)
28 July 2008 – onwards Central Pier to St Vincent's Plaza No evening or weekend services until 2019
Does not run during special events, replaced by a diverted route 12

Route

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A class tram on Victoria Parade on route 30 in April 2013
 
B class and W class trams on route 30 in April 2013

Route 30 runs from the St Vincent's Plaza, East Melbourne west on Victoria Parade then via La Trobe Street to Central Pier.

Operation

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Route 30 is operated out of Southbank depot with A and E class trams.[22][23][24] In September 2003 operation of the route was transferred from Kew depot to Southbank.[25] It was operated by W class trams until 23 December 2014. Until January 2019, Route 30 was the only tram route on the network that neither operated at night nor on weekends.

Route map

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Route 30
St Vincent's Plaza - Central Pier
via East Melbourne, La Trobe Street & City
Free tram zone covers stops 10 to D2, fare zone 1 applies to stop 12
Suburb
Street
Stop
No.
St Vincent's Plaza
Connections
 
 
continues as Tram 12, 109
to Victoria Gardens & Box Hill
 
St Vincent's Plaza Siding
 
 
Brunswick Street
Tram 11
 
   West Preston
12
 
 
 
St Vincent's Plaza
 
 
Gisborne Street
Tram 11, 12, 109
10
 
Nicholson Street
 
 
 
Nicholson Street
Tram 86, 96
9
 
 
 
La Trobe Street
  402
8
 
Exhibition Street
  250, 251
7
 
Russell Street
  200, 207
6
 
Melbourne Central station
  1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72
 
 
 
Swanston Street
Tram 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72
 
  Melbourne Central station
5
 
Melbourne Central station
 
 
 
Elizabeth Street
Tram 19, 57, 59
4
 
Queen Street
3
 
Flagstaff station
 
 
 
William Street
Tram 58
 
  Flagstaff station
2
 
King Street
1
 
Spencer Street
  86;   216, 219, 684
 
 
 
Spencer Street
Tram 86
Bundoora RMIT  
   Spencer St Siding
119
 
Spencer Street
D1
 
Docklands Stadium
 
 
Harbour Esplanade
Tram 70, 75
D2
 
Central Pier
 
 
Docklands Drive
Tram 70, 86
 
Footscray Road Siding
Suburb
Street
Stop
No.
Central Pier
Connections
Note: Green denotes free tram zone

References

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  1. ^ Milestones, 1951 – 1960 Yarra Trams
  2. ^ a b "Gunzel". www.classicaustraliantv.com. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Melways". University of Melbourne.
  4. ^ "Improved services on Tram 109 and La Trobe Street services from Sunday 21st September 2003". Victrip. Archived from the original on 8 October 2003.
  5. ^ a b History of Melbourne Trams Routes from 1950 to 2009 Yarra Trams
  6. ^ "Tram 30 will be extended to run between St Vincent's Plaza and Flinders Street & Market Street from 30th November 2003". Victrip. 24 November 2003. Archived from the original on 3 December 2003.
  7. ^ "Melbourne Tram Network". Metlink. 2004. Archived from the original on 6 September 2004.
  8. ^ Docklands Drive Tram Extension Now In Service Yarra Trams 4 January 2005
  9. ^ "Docklands Drive Tram". Newsrail. Vol. 33, no. 3. Vic: ARHS Victoria Division. March 2005. p. 93. ISSN 0310-7477. OCLC 19676396.
  10. ^ Melbourne trams extended to Docklands Railway Digest March 2005 page 7
  11. ^ "Melbourne Tram Network" (PDF). January 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2005.
  12. ^ "Flinders Street Overpass Removal". Yara Trams. 20 May 2005. Archived from the original on 23 August 2006.
  13. ^ "Routes 13, 24, 30, 48, 70, 75, 86, 109, 112 & City Circle - From Monday 21 November 05". 14 November 2005. Archived from the original on 20 August 2006.
  14. ^ "Docklands tram extended into Waterfront City". Yarra Trams. 25 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 August 2009.
  15. ^ Completed tram initiatives Department of Transport
  16. ^ Around Melbourne Railway Digest September 2008 page 20
  17. ^ Australian Open 2022 Yarra Trams
  18. ^ More Services To Keep Victorians Safe On Public Transport Premier of Victoria 10 July 2020
  19. ^ Tram Service Changes - Route 12 and 30 Yarra Trams
  20. ^ a b to Routes 12, 30, 35, 86, 96 and 109 Public Transport Victoria
  21. ^ "Rolling stock". Newsrail. Vol. 49, no. 2. Vic: Victorian Rail Publishing Inc. February 2021. p. 53. ISSN 0310-7477. OCLC 19676396.
  22. ^ Southbank Depot Vicsig
  23. ^ Facts & figures Yarra Trams
  24. ^ Route 30 Yarra Trams
  25. ^ Services Transit Australia December 2003 page 346
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  Media related to Melbourne tram route 30 at Wikimedia Commons