1952: Invercargill’s Last Tram

September 10, 2024

By AHNZ

For 40 years Invercargill had an electric tram system until today in history, 10 September, 1952.

This image shows Mayor William Ott and others at the opening which was 26th March 1912. Prime Minister Joe Ward was there too, of course (he would show up at the opening of an envelope…) Being of German descent things would be a bit hot for Ott in the years ahead and he didn’t seek re-election.

“The service officially ended this afternoon, but the trams were given a last farewell when three of them ran from the north Invercargill terminus to the depot at 7 o’clock tonight. Driving one of them was an inspector, Mr A. F. Waters, who was a conductor at the inception of the service.” – Press, Papers Past

“The final ride of the Invercargill trams on September 10, 1952, was both celebratory and marred by vandalism. Schoolboys and young individuals partook in the destructive farewell of the trams, with significant damage inflicted, particularly to the windows.” – Invercargill’s Time with Trams, Mike Sanford, whatsoninvers.nz (2024)

“During his mayoralty, he opened the electric Invercargill tram network, with the Prime Minister Joseph Ward in attendance. It was the southernmost tram system in the world.” – Ott, Wiki

“Public transport shaped most of the C20th, determining how far from our place of work we could live and therefore the size of our towns and cities….Electric trams in these cities were also tied to the pioneering of electricity in New Zealand.” – 1954: Christchurch’s Last Tram, AHNZ

What these Victorians in mid-life created was torn down by 1950s youth. Three trams were driven in a special farewell at 7pm on 10 September, 1952. Whereupon, they were vandalised and scavenged for souvenirs; Windows smashed. Some thanks for the old work horses that had made the city over 2 generations. And, right before the pained eyes of one of the 1912 conductors who was there to send them off; Such disrespect! An early precursor to the Mazengarb Report (1954) moral panic over wayward youth. Ref. 1954: Mazengarb, AHNZ

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Image ref. Tram on Dee Street 1944, 11:10am, Old Invercargill, Facebook (2020,) AHNZ enhanced (2024)

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