Melbourne tram route 86

Melbourne tram route 86 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network. It operates from Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City Docklands. The route is operated by B and E class trams from Preston depot.[1][2]

Route 86
Bundoora RMIT - Waterfront City Docklands
Overview
SystemMelbourne
OperatorYarra Trams
DepotPreston
VehicleB class
E class
Night-timeFriday & Saturday
Route
LocaleMelbourne, Australia
StartBundoora RMIT
ViaReservoir
Preston
Thornbury
Northcote
Clifton Hill
Collingwood
Fitzroy
East Melbourne
Bourke Street
EndWaterfront City Docklands
Service
Journey time65-90 minutes
OperatesDaily
Zone(s)Free Zone: Stops D11-D1, 1-11
Myki Zone 1: Stops 12-51
Zone 1/2 overlap: Stops 52-71
TimetableRoute 86 timetable
MapRoute 86 map
Route map

 Route 82  {{{system_nav}}}  Route 96 

History

The line had its beginnings as two separate cable tram lines. The first was part of Melbourne’s main cable tram system, built by the Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company (MTOC) in the late 1880s. This system included the 'Collingwood & Clifton Hill' line, which operated along Bourke Street in the city, then Gertrude Street, Smith Street, and Queens Parade to a terminus just short of the Northcote Bridge (Merri Creek Bridge), which opened on 10 August 1887.[3][4][5]

A second line, which was a continuation of this line, was built privately by a group of Northcote land speculators, which ran from near the MTOC terminus, across the bridge, up High Street, to Miller Street/Dundas Street, the boundary between Northcote and Preston, which opened on opened on 18 February 1890.[6] Since the lines were built to different standards, passengers had to physically walk between the two termini at the Northcote Bridge to get from Northcote to the city. The line was not as successful as they had hoped, and it closed down and reopened twice before Northcote City Council bought it in 1901 and leased out its operation, and at the end of the lease in 1916 the council took over operation for a short time.

At the end of the MTOC lease in 1916, the State Government took control of their system, vesting them into the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board (MMTB) on 1 November 1919, which then absorbed all the municipal systems, including the Northcote cable car line, on 20 February 1920.[6]

An electric tram system that extended beyond the cable tram lines in Preston had been started by the municipal Fitzroy, Northcote & Preston Tramways Trust but it wasn't until after its takeover by the MMTB that services first ran, on 1 April 1920. This system included a line along High Street Preston from Tyler Street south to the Dundas Street cable tram terminus, then west along Miller Street and south along St George’s Road to the terminus of the North Fitzroy cable tram line.[7] This network was orphaned from the rest of the electric network until 24 March 1925 when a line west along Holden Street connected it to the CBD via Lygon Street.[8]

At the same time, the two cable lines were connected into one line by the MMTB, creating the longest line in the city, opening 8 March 1925.[6] It operated until 26 October 1940, when the Bourke Street cable lines were abandoned in favour of double decker buses.[9] The Bourke Street cable lines were the last cable trams to operate in Melbourne.

The MMTB, unhappy with the performance of the buses, decided to rebuild the lines as electric tram services when the buses became life expired. It opened as the ‘88’ (predecessor to the modern 86) on 26 June 1955, with Brunswick East starting operating on 6 May 1956.[10][11]

On 18 May 1983, the suburban terminus was extended 1.2 kilometres from Tyler Street to Boldrewood Parade,[12] then to 2.1 kilometres to La Trobe University on 10 January 1985 (when it was renumbered as the '87'), 2.9 kilometres to Settlement Road on 26 April 1987, when it was renumbered as the '86'[13][14][15] and to the current terminus at McKimmies Road on 12 October 1995.[16] This final extension was funded as part of the Federal Government's Building Better Cities program.[17]

As part of the Docklands redevelopment project, La Trobe Street was extended west over the Spencer Street railyards on 26 March 2000, and with this extension route 86 was extended north along Spencer Street and then west along La Trobe Street to Docklands Stadium.[18][19][20]

On 27 July 2008 route 30 and route 86 swapped termini, with route 30 terminating in Harbour Esplanade at Central Pier, and route 86 being extended to Waterfront City.[21]

In August 2008 route 86 was the first route to see tram based testing of the Myki ticketing system, using special services not open to normal fare-paying passengers.[22]

A project to improve access through platform stops, perform track and overhead renewal and improve speed and reliability on a 6.8 km section of route 86, along High Street and Plenty Road, between Westgarth Street, Westgarth and Albert Street, Reservoir commenced in 2011.[23][24]

Since April 2012, there has been a campaign for route 86 to be extended to South Morang station. This campaign has been run by community group the Friends of South Morang. The proposed extension is for the tram to go north on Plenty Road, turn left on Bush Boulevard and go towards the South Morang station, from there it will go through the Mill Park Lakes Estate to the intersection of The Lakes Boulevard and Plenty Road. This proposal can be seen on The South Morang future transport network map.[25]

In January 2016, route 86 began operating through the night on Fridays and Saturdays as part of the Night Network.[26]

In late November 2016, E-class trams commenced operation on the route.[27] These trams are beneficial on the route which has the highest amount of superstop platforms of any route in Melbourne.[28]

Melbourne tram route 86 evolution
Dates Route Notes
2 May 1954 - 28 February 1983 Footscray to West Maribyrnong
1 March 1983 - 25 April 1987 Unallocated
26 April 1987 - 11 October 1995 Bundoora (McLeans Road) to City (Spencer Street) The first time 86 was used to designate the route that it currently takes today (renumbered from 87).
12 October 1995 - 25 March 2000 Bundoora RMIT to City (Spencer Street)
26 March 2000 - 21 May 2005 Bundoora RMIT to Docklands Centre Pier (Marvel Stadium) Marvel Stadium was then known as Colonial Stadium (until 30 September 2002) and later Telstra Dome (from 1 October 2002).
22 May 2005 - 20 November 2005 Bundoora RMIT to Docklands Drive - New Quay The route was temporarily extended as a substitute to a truncated Route 48.
21 November 2005 - 26 July 2008 Bundoora RMIT to Docklands Centre Pier (Marvel Stadium) Marvel Stadium was then known as Telstra Dome. Same as 2000-05 route.
27 July 2008 - onwards Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City Docklands

Route

Two route 86 trams pass each other on Plenty Road, Preston

Route 86 runs from Bundoora RMIT, travelling south on Plenty Road through the suburbs of Bundoora, Reservoir and Preston, passing La Trobe University.

Plenty Road ends in Preston at Dundas Street and High Street, route 86 turns slightly into High Street and continues south through Thornbury and Northcote. It then crosses Merri Creek, continuing along Queens Parade Clifton Hill, heading south-west, turning south into Smith Street passing between Fitzroy and Collingwood.

Just before the end of Smith Street it turns west into Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, and south into Nicholson Street, Carlton, past the Royal Exhibition Building.

It enters the CBD on Spring Street turning west into Bourke Street at Parliament House, travels through the Bourke Street Mall and turns north into Spencer Street, passing Southern Cross station, it turns west at La Trobe Street, passing over the Spencer Street rail yards into Docklands, it travels north briefly on Harbour Esplanade before turning west into Docklands Drive, where it terminates at Waterfront City Docklands.

Operation

Route 86 is operated from Preston depot by E class trams, [29]B class and A class are not on the route 86 anymore. New Preston tram depot is E class only depot.

Map

Route 86
Bundoora RMIT - Waterfront City
via Preston, Northcote, Collingwood & City
Free tram zone covers stops D11 to 11, fare zone 1 applies from stop 12 to 71.
Suburb
Street
Stop
No.
Bundoora RMIT
Connections
Bundoora
Plenty Road
71
McKimmies Road
562, 564, 566
570, 572, 573
70
Janefield Drive
572
69
Taunton Drive
68
Greenhills Road
67
Bundoora Square Shopping Centre
66
Settlement Road
65
Grimshaw Street
566, 902
64
Mount Cooper Drive
63
Greenwood Drive
566
62
Bundoora MFB
61
Bundoora Park
60
La Trobe University
250, 301, 350, 548
550, 551, 561, 566
Kingsbury
Plenty Road
59
Preston Cemetery
58
Browning Street
Reservoir
Plenty Road
57
Reservoir High School
56
Loddon Avenue
55
Boldrewood Parade
556, 566, 567
54
Wilkinson Street
53
Ethel Grove
Preston
Plenty Road
52
Tyler Street
555, 562, 566, 567
Zone 1+2
Zone 1
51
Wood Street
50
Sylvester Grove
49
Murray Road
527, 903
48
Gower Street
47
Gower Street
East Preston tram depot (closed)
45
Bell Street
513
44
Osborne Grove
43
Raglan Street
42
Dundas Street
552, 553
Miller Street
No Service
Thornbury
High Street
41
Collins Street
Thornbury station
40
Mansfield Street
39
Gooch Street
38
Normanby Avenue
510
37
Woolton Avenue
36
Darebin Road
Croxton station
Northcote
High Street
35
Dennis Street
34
Bent Street
33
Arthurton Road
508
Northcote station
32
Mitchell Street
567
31
Northcote Town Hall
510
30
Clarke Street
Westgarth station
27
Westgarth Street
250, 251, 506
26
Walker Street
Clifton Hill station
Clifton Hill
Queens Parade
25
Clifton Hill Interchange
246, 250, 251, 504
24
Michael Street
504, 546
23
Wellington Street
22
Smith Street
546
Collingwood
Smith Street
21
Alexandra Parade
20
Keele Street
19
Johnston Street
200, 207
18
Hodgson Street
17
Charles Street
16
Peel Street
15
Gertrude Street
14
Napier Street
Brunswick Street
Tram 11
13
Brunswick Street
Nicholson Street
Tram 96
11
Melbourne Museum
Zone 1
Free Tram Zone
Victoria Parade
Tram 30
10
Parliament station
Parliament station
City Loop suburban lines
Spring Street
Tram City Circle
9
Spring Street
7
Russell Street
605
Swanston Street
Tram 1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72
6
Swanston Street
1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 64, 67, 72
5
Bourke Street Mall
19, 57, 59
Elizabeth Street
Tram 19, 57, 59
4
Queen Street
3
William Street
William Street
Tram 58
1
Southern Cross station
Spencer Street
Tram 96
St Kilda Beach
 
Southern Cross station
120
Lonsdale Street
119
La Trobe Street
30
City Circle
;
216, 219
684
La Trobe Street
Tram 30, City Circle
La Trobe Street Bridge
D1
Docklands Stadium
Harbour Esplanade
Tram 70, 75, City Circle
D2
Central Pier
Footscray Road Siding
 
Docklands Drive
D10
NewQuay
D11
The District
Suburb
Street
Stop
No.
Waterfront City
Connections
Note: Green denotes free tram zone


Possible Extension

A possible extension of the route has been proposed to run from the current termunist up Plenty Road and Bush Boulevard to South Morang Starion then around the Lakes Boulevard before turning back onto Plenty Road to Hawkstowe Station. This will replace multiple bus routes and give a direct link from the University to South Morang Station.

In 2010 Melbourne-based musical comedian The Bedroom Philosopher released an album Songs from the 86 Tram inspired by the tram route as well as an award-winning comedy show of the same name.[30]

Courtney Barnett and Giles Field's 2011 song "I Can't Hear You, We're Breaking Up" is set on the 86 tram route, featuring an ill-fated romance that begins with a 'Hollywood meeting on the 86 tram'.[31]

Route 95

Until 27 July 2014 additional capacity through the Melbourne CBD was provided by route 95 short workings from Melbourne Museum to Spencer Street via Bourke Street between 12:00 and 14:00 on weekdays.[32][33]

References

  1. Facts & figures Archived 29 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine Yarra Trams
  2. Route 86 Yarra Trams
  3. Tramway Guide to Melbourne and Suburbs pages 17
  4. Tramway Guide to Melbourne and Suburbs pages 13 & 15
  5. Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company Limited Running Journal volume 9 no 3 page 16
  6. "Northcote: the on again, off again cable tramway", Friends of Hawthorn Tram Depot, retrieved 3 October 2011
  7. "Milestones, 1911 - 1920", Yarra Trams, archived from the original on 27 September 2011, retrieved 3 October 2011
  8. "Milestones, 1921 - 1930", Yarra Trams, archived from the original on 20 March 2012, retrieved 9 October 2011
  9. "Milestones, 1931 - 1940", Yarra Trams, retrieved 3 October 2011
  10. "Milestones, 1951 - 1960", Yarra Trams, archived from the original on 20 March 2012, retrieved 3 October 2011
  11. History of Melbourne Trams Routes from 1950 to 2009 Archived 26 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine Yarra Trams
  12. "East Preston Line Extended" Trolley Wire issue 208 October 1983 page 18
  13. Here and There Trolley Wire February 1987 page 25 (large file)
  14. "Milestones, 1981 - 1990", Yarra Trams, retrieved 3 October 2011
  15. Jones, Colin (1993). Watch for Trams. Kenthurst: Kangaroo Press. p. 118. ISBN 0 86417 544 2.
  16. "Milestones, 1991 - 2000", Yarra Trams, archived from the original on 14 April 2012, retrieved 3 October 2011
  17. Lyndsay Neilson. "Appendix 1: Funding Allocation, Victorian Area Strategies". The ‘Building Better Cities’ program 1991-96: a nation-building initiative of the Commonwealth Government. epress.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
  18. "Melbourne - Yarra Trams" Trolley Wire issue 281 May 2000 page 30
  19. "Metros" Railway Gazette International May 2000 page 276
  20. Route 86 timetable Yarra Trams 24 March 2000
  21. "Completed tram initiatives", Department of Transport, retrieved 3 October 2011
  22. Ashley Gardiner (18 August 2008). "Smart card tests to begin on trams this week". Herald Sun. www.news.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.
  23. "Tram Route 86 Corridor Project", Darebin City Council, retrieved 4 October 2011
  24. "Tram Route 86 – High Street and Plenty Road", VicRoads, archived from the original on 21 March 2012, retrieved 4 October 2011
  25. South Morang - Future Transport Network City of Whittlesea
  26. Night Tram Public Transport Victoria
  27. Route 86 will be next to run E-Class Yarra Trams 15 April 2016
  28. Past meets future at new home of E-class trams Yarra Trams 17 April 2016
  29. "East Preston Depot", Vicsig, retrieved 4 October 2011
  30. The bedroom philosopher songs from the 86 tram Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2010
  31. Giles Field (Ft. Courtney Barnett) – I Can't Hear You, We're Breaking Up, retrieved 17 December 2020
  32. Route Guide & Map 86/95 Yarra Trams
  33. Capacity boost for tram passengers Archived 2014-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Yarra Trams 9 July 2014
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