Melbourne tram route 11

Route 11 was first allocated to the line between West Preston and the City (Collins Street) on 25 July 1937. Prior to this, it was first allocated to East Preston and St Kilda Beach via Holden St and Swanston Street on 21 November 1929. Then, it was allocated to the Holden St Shuttle following the electrification of the Brunswick Street cable line. However, since single-truck trams without number boxes were used on this line, the route number was never displayed. The electrification of the South Melbourne cable tram line on 25 July 1937 enabled through-running on Collins Street. Route 11 ran from West Preston to the City, but some services would continue as Route 10 south to South Melbourne Beach (later St Kilda - Fitzroy St).[3] Following the elimination of shared-depot routes, Route 10 was discontinued on 30 April 1995. However, in April 2000, the West Preston to St Kilda - Fitzroy St recommenced and was allocated Route 112. Following this, Route 11 became a peak-only service, and was eventually phased out altogether by 28 June 2004. However, following the Victoria Harbour extension on 21 September 2009, Route 11 was reinstated as a peak-only service between West Preston and Victoria Harbour. In 27 January 2014, Route 11 became a full-time service following the cessation of Route 112, and the creation of Route 12.[3]

The origin of route 11 mainly consists of the North Fitzroy cable tram line and the West Preston line built by the Fitzroy, Northcote and Preston Tramway Trust (FNPTT). The North Fitzroy cable line was opened on 2 October 1886 by the Melbourne Tramway and Ominbus Company (MTOC). The section between Spencer Street (Stop 1) and St Vincents Plaza (Stop 12) was first electrified on 15 September 1929. The rest of the North Fitzroy cable line was electrified on 26 October 1930. Meanwhile, the FNPTT constructed the line between Holden Street (Stop 24) and Regent Street (Stop 47). Due to delays with available FNPTT rollingstock among other issues, the line couldn't open until the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board took over. The line eventually opened on 1 April 1920. On 3 July 1953, the West Preston terminus was extended to the north side of the intersection to clear the intersection.[3]

Initially, the line to West Preston was single track north of the Miller St/St Georges Rd intersection (near Stop 34). It was duplicated in stages. On 28 June 1927, the line from Gilbert Road (near Stop 37) and Preston Depot was duplicated. A few months later on 22 August 1927, this was further extended to Bell Street (Stop 40). It was further duplicated to Jacka Street (Stop 45) on 28 March 1928. The last remaining section of single track to the Regent Street terminus was duplicated on 19 November 1952.[3]

On 18 November 2002, a tram line was constructed to Collins Street West along the Collins Street extension. However, from 28 June 2004 until 21 November 2005, the line was truncated back to Spencer Street while Southern Cross railway station was redeveloped.[4] It was extended further along the Collins Street extension to Victoria Harbour Docklands on 21 September 2009.[5] It was extended a further 450 metres west to the corner of Collins and Bourke Streets from 26 July 2014, which is today's Victoria Harbour terminus.

Routes 11 is operated out of Preston depot by B class and E class trams.[2][6]

Map

Route 11
West Preston - Victoria Harbour via Northcote, Fitzroy & City Free tram zone covers stops D18 to 8, fare zone 1 applies from stop 10 to 47
Suburb Street Stop No. West Preston Connections Preston Gilbert Road 47 Regent Street 553 46 McNamara Street 45 Jacka Street 44 Cooper Street 43 Murray Road 527 42 Cramer Street 41 Bruce Street 40 Bell Street 513, 903 39 Latona Avenue 38 Oakover Road 37 Miller Street Shopping Centre   Miller Street 36 Devon Street 35 St Georges Road Miller Street No Service     Preston Workshops   St Georges Road 34 Preston Workshops Thornbury St Georges Road 33 Hutton Street Thornbury station ● 32 Normanby Avenue 510 Northcote St Georges Road 31 Gadd Street 30 Gladstone Avenue 29 Arthurton Road 508; Northcote station ● 28 Sumner Avenue 27 Westbourne Grove 26 Clarke Street Fitzroy North St Georges Road 25 Miller Street 506 24 Holden Street 250, 251 23 Park Street 22 Scotchmer Street 504 21 Alfred Crescent   Brunswick Street 20 Fitzroy Bowls Club 19 Newry Street 18 Alexandra Parade 546 Fitzroy Brunswick Street 17 Leicester Street 16 Johnston Street 200, 207 15 St David Street 14 King William Street Gertrude Street Tram 86 Bundoora RMIT   The District Docklands 13 Gertrude Street 86 Victoria Parade Tram 12, 109     Box Hill East Melbourne Victoria Parade 12 St Vincent's Plaza Victoria Parade Tram 30     Central Pier   Gisborne Street 11 Albert Street   Macarthur Street 10 Parliament station Parliament station ●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Spring Street Tram 48, City Circle Wellington Parade   Nicholson Street Melbourne CBD Collins Street 8 Spring Street 48, City Circle 7 101 Collins Street 605 Swanston Street Tram 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 St Kilda Road   Melbourne University 6 Town Hall 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72 Elizabeth Street Tram 19, 57, 59 Flinders St station   North Melbourne 5 Elizabeth Street 19, 57, 59 3 William Street 58; Queen Street buses Williams Street Tram 58 Toorak   West Coburg 1 Southern Cross station 12, 96, 109 Spencer Street Tram 12, 96, 109 Casino//MCEC   Bourke Street Southern Cross station ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●●●●●● Docklands Collins Street D14 Southern Cross station 232, 235, 237 D15 Batman's Hill D16 Harbour Esplanade 70, 75, City Circle Harbour Esplanade Tram 70, 75, City Circle Russell Street   Docklands D17 Collins Landing D18 Victoria Harbour 48 Suburb Street Stop No. Victoria Harbour Connections
Note: Green denotes free tram zone

• Media related to Melbourne tram route 11 at Wikimedia Commons
• Route 11 timetable and map