Transport Department

Descriptive Data

TypeAgencyDate Range1948-1991DescriptionIn 1948 the Tramways Department was renamed the Transport Department to more appropriately cover the nature of their business. From the original tram system laid out in the 1900s the Department had expanded to running diesel bus routes, a sightseeing bus service, the Kelburn Cable Car and a trolley bus system was in the process of being established.

Early in 1945 the Council decided to change over one of the tram routes to trolley bus operation. The route selected was between the Railway Station and Oriental Bay. In June 1945 an order was placed for 10 trolley bus chassis. These arrived in 1948 and the service commenced in June 1949. This signalled the decline and eventual end of the tramways system.

The tram routes were closed down on the following dates:

Wadestown and Tinakori Road Routes – February 1949
Roseneath to Hataitai Route - October 1949
Wakefield Street to Railway Station Route - January 1950
Railway Station to Aotea Quay Route - March 1950
Northland Service - September 1954
Karori Service – October 1954
Brooklyn and Aro Street Routes - August 1957
Miramar Service - December 1957
Seatoun Service - May 1958
Lyall Bay Service - July 1960
Island Bay Service - May 1963
Newtown to Thorndon Route - May 1964

The last tram ran on the 2nd of May 1964.

Most of these tram routes, while initially replaced by diesel buses, were replaced by trolley buses. From 1972 the Department used the name Wellington City Transport, though continued to be officially known as the Wellington City Council Transport Department. In 1990 the Council made moves to corporatise the public transport system as required by the Transit New Zealand Act 1989. A subsidiary company, called Wellington City Transport Ltd, was set up under the Council’s holding company Capital Holdings Ltd. Wellington City Transport ceased to be a Council Department in 1991 when it was sold to Wellington City Transport Ltd.

General Managers

L B Hutton 1948-1954
W S Coppin 1954-1963
R H Pritchard 1964-1969
K Crompton 1970-1981
N Fyfe 1981-1983
Kim Crysell 1984-1990
Ross Martins 1990-1991

Controlling Agency or Organisation

Controlling Agency or OrganisationWellington City CouncilControlling Agency or Organisation Date Range1870-

Related Agencies

Successor Agency or OrganisationWellington City Transport LtdWellington Cable Car Ltd

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Transport Department