Hi Peter,
You are clearly correct. The building behind the Metropolitan Hotel is
still there and 554 was a long term GH car.
Thanks.
Mal - apologising for my misleading speculation!
On 30/07/2025 15:37, Peter Bruce wrote:
> Mal and all, I reckon 554 is northbound on William St having just
> crossed Little Lonsdale, the pub visible on the SW corner of Little
> Lon is the Metropolitan Hotel currently closed I think. Perhaps 554
> has come from the Southside via Balaclava Rd and St Kilda Beach final
> destination City/Dudley St to form a southbound service . Maybe the
> driver has just forgotten to alter the destination!! St Kilda Beach
> via Balaclava Rd makes no sense southbound out of the City. I can't
> lay my hand on a Depot allocation but I think 554 might have been a
> Glenhuntly car. Thoughts?
>
> Peter Bruce.
>
>
Wednesday, 30 July 2025
[TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56
| From: | Graeme Cleak <gcleak@optusnet.com.au> |
|---|
Peter,
The through service, West Coburg - St Kilda Bch began 3/2/1946 as 55, whilst short workings to either West Brunswick or Domain Rd were allocated 56. At some stage early 50's, the 'confusing' 55 northbound/56 southbound numbering was adopted for thru trips.
The 1956 timetable shows through trips only running in M-F peak hours, plus all Sat morning.
The 1962 timetable only has a handful of through journeys in M- F peaks, in 1964 ex West Coburg at 6.25, 6.37, 6.54, 7.08, 7.20, 7.36, 7.48am, then 4.33, 4.42, 4.54, 5.09pm. They are gone by 1969, though there were still 2 or 3 Peak trips Dudley & William to St Kilda Bch till 1983 shown in later years as Routes 53/55.
Regards,
Graeme Cleak
Andrew your memory is not defective, the service only operated southbound as route 56 to the Domain Road crossover. Route number 55 was available for a service beyond to St. Kilda Beach but I don't recall it ever being routinely operated and I started on the job at South Melbourne/Hanna St in November 1966. I think cars were supposed to show 55 running northbound services and 56 southbound. I don't remember but possibly there were some peak Beach services but that could have varied when a new block was introduced, perhaps an AM service running into Hanna St to go on the wheel grinder. That's just a guess though. I finished up on the Australia Day holiday 1977 at Camberwell. See attachment.
Regards,
Peter Bruce
Tuesday, 29 July 2025
Re: [TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56
554 is showing a destination of St Kilda Beach via Balaclava Rd,
southbound in William St.
The route number is nor readable, but the destination is clear.
The photo is one of many sold by TMSV sales in the 1970s.
Mal Rowe - not knowing who made the image.
Re: [TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56
>
> I certainly recall the occasional 56 in Melville Rd and even managed
> a pic some 57 years ago!
>
Found a pair of pics from a week later that show the practice.
344 has Domain Rd on both destinations, with route 56 on the south end
and route 55 on the north end.
Simple.
Mal Rowe still learning
Re: [TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56
I certainly recall the occasional 56 in Melville Rd and even managed a pic some 57 years ago!
Mal Rowe - local lad
On 29/07/2025 11:09, Andrew Highriser wrote:
Thanks very much Peter. You did remind me that 55 was supposed to be used in one direction and 56 in the other. I am not sure if that happened or not.
On Mon, 28 Jul 2025 at 21:24, Peter Bruce <p1.bruce@gmail.com> wrote:
Andrew your memory is not defective, the service only operated southbound as route 56 to the Domain Road crossover. Route number 55 was available for a service beyond to St. Kilda Beach but I don't recall it ever being routinely operated and I started on the job at South Melbourne/Hanna St in November 1966. I think cars were supposed to show 55 running northbound services and 56 southbound. I don't remember but possibly there were some peak Beach services but that could have varied when a new block was introduced, perhaps an AM service running into Hanna St to go on the wheel grinder. That's just a guess though. I finished up on the Australia Day holiday 1977 at Camberwell. See attachment.
[TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56
| From: | Peter Bruce <p1.bruce@gmail.com> |
|---|
Andrew your memory is not defective, the service only operated southbound as route 56 to the Domain Road crossover. Route number 55 was available for a service beyond to St. Kilda Beach but I don't recall it ever being routinely operated and I started on the job at South Melbourne/Hanna St in November 1966. I think cars were supposed to show 55 running northbound services and 56 southbound. I don't remember but possibly there were some peak Beach services but that could have varied when a new block was introduced, perhaps an AM service running into Hanna St to go on the wheel grinder. That's just a guess though. I finished up on the Australia Day holiday 1977 at Camberwell. See attachment.
Regards,
Peter Bruce
On Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 20:52 Andrew Highriser <andrewhighriser1@gmail.com> wrote:
This below is from Wikipedia. I cannot remember route 55 travelling from West Coburg to St Kilda Beach in the early 1980s. Is my memory defective?--
Until November 1986, route 55 operated from West Coburg to St Kilda Beach via William Street, St Kilda Road and Fitzroy Street.[2][3] Route 56 offered a truncated service that ran from West Coburg to Domain Road. Following the opening of a terminating platform at Domain Interchange on 14 November 1986, through-routing to St Kilda Beach was discontinued.[4][5][6]
Y
[TramsDownUnder] Melbourne tram routes 55/56
| From: | Andrew Highriser <andrewhighriser1@gmail.com> |
|---|
This below is from Wikipedia. I cannot remember route 55 travelling from West Coburg to St Kilda Beach in the early 1980s. Is my memory defective?
-- Until November 1986, route 55 operated from West Coburg to St Kilda Beach via William Street, St Kilda Road and Fitzroy Street.[2][3] Route 56 offered a truncated service that ran from West Coburg to Domain Road. Following the opening of a terminating platform at Domain Interchange on 14 November 1986, through-routing to St Kilda Beach was discontinued.[4][5][6]
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