Melbourne tram route 19

As this tram route is one of the most patronised in Melbourne, the VicRoads Think Tram initiative was instated along this route to help increase ontime running. Yellow dividers are now bolted along Royal Parade forming a tram lane on road space which was previously shared by cars. Further Think Tram initiatives included signage improvements along the route and right-turn bans and turn priorities along Sydney Road. The route is operated by B2 class and D2 class trams.

This route is especially busy during University semester times, serving the western side of the University of Melbourne and the Parkville campus of Monash University, while the route also passes through one of the most diverse areas in Melbourne, with Lebanese, Greek, Italian and some Asian restaurants and shops along Sydney Road.

Route 19 was first allocated to the line between North Coburg and the City terminus at Elizabeth Street on 26 April 1936 following the electrification of the Brunswick cable tram line. Prior to that, Sydney Road trams would run via Moreland Road to Swanston Street and the southern suburbs. Route 19 was allocated to the line between North Coburg and the City - Swanston Street near Flinders Street Station.[3] Since 1936, Route 19 has remained on the route between North Coburg and the City (Elizabeth Street). In January 2016, route 19 began operating through the night on Fridays and Saturdays as part of the Night Network.[4] An extension to Fawkner was first planned by the Melbourne, Brunswick & Coburg Tramway Trust (MBCTT) in 1916, but never came to fruition.[5] This extension has been brought up since, most recently by the Victorian Greens during the 2010 state election.[6]

The origin of Route 19 dates back to the Brunswick cable tram line while the section north of Moreland Road was constructed by the MBCTT. The Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company (MTOC) opened the Brunswick cable tram line on 1 October 1887, which encompasses the section of Route 19 between Moreland Road (Stop 28) and Flinders Street Station (Stop 1). This line was electrified by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board in stages through 1935-36. The section between Flinders Street Station and Victoria Street (near Stop 7) was first electrified on 17 November 1935. The section to Haymarket (Stop 9) was electrified on 29 December in the same year. The electric track was extended to Leonard Street (Stop 15) on 12 January 1936, and then to Park Street (near Stop 19) on 23 February 1936.[3] The final section to Moreland Road was electrified on 26 April 1936. Meanwhile, the track between Moreland Road and Bell Street (Stop 34) was opened by the MBCTT on 27 April 1916, while the rest of the line to Bakers Road (Stop 40) opened on 14 May 1916.[3]

• Media related to Melbourne tram route 19 at Wikimedia Commons
• Route 19 timetable and map