History of the Tramway Museum, St Kilda
Located 24 kilometres north of Adelaide’s city centre, the Tramway Museum at St Kilda stands as Australia’s principal repository of South Australia’s tramway heritage. Operated by the Australian Electric Transport Museum (SA) Inc., this volunteer-run institution preserves and celebrates the evolution of electric and horse-drawn trams that once served Adelaide’s streets.
The museum’s origins trace back to 1954, when a group of tram enthusiasts formed a local branch of the Australian Electric Traction Association. Inspired by tramway museums in Sydney, Melbourne, and abroad, the Adelaide group sought to preserve trams from the Municipal Tramways Trust (MTT), which was then phasing out its street tram network. In 1956, the MTT agreed to set aside six trams for preservation, including Tram No. 1, the first electric tram to operate in Adelaide in 1909.
After several false starts in securing a permanent location, the group acquired a site at St Kilda in 1958, initially storing trams in open conditions. Despite vandalism and logistical challenges, the museum opened as a static display in 1967. A major turning point came in 1972, when the Salisbury Council secured funding through a state unemployment relief scheme to construct a 2-kilometre tramway from the museum to the nearby beach. Volunteers erected the overhead wiring, and the line officially opened in 1974, coinciding with St Kilda’s centenary.
From its modest beginnings, the museum has grown into a 5.3-hectare site housing 26 trams, 5 trolleybuses, 2 horse trams, and a 1950s diesel bus. It is one of the few museums globally to hold at least one example of every principal tram type that operated on Adelaide’s street system. The collection spans from horse-drawn trams of the 1870s to electric trams of the mid-20th century, including the iconic Type H “Glenelg” trams, which ran the City to Bay route.
Among the standout exhibits is Horse Tram No. 18, fully restored and representing the pre-electric era, and Type A trams Nos. 14 and 15, which were reactivated during World War II as coupled “Bib and Bub” pairs. The museum also features Melbourne W-class trams, including No. 294, built in Adelaide by Holden’s Body Builders, and Sydney’s R1 Class tram, on loan from the Sydney Tramway Museum.
The museum’s infrastructure has evolved alongside its collection. Workshops, depots, and interpretive galleries have been added over the decades, with a major upgrade in 2017 replacing the original depot and workshop. During the COVID-19 pandemic, operations paused while the museum updated its safety documentation to comply with the Rail Safety National Law Act 2012 (SA). This period also saw track and overhead improvements funded by the Salisbury Council.
Today, the museum offers unlimited tram rides on open days, running between the museum and the St Kilda Adventure Playground. It remains entirely volunteer-operated, relying on admissions, donations, and occasional government grants. The museum continues to serve as a living archive, preserving Adelaide’s tramway legacy while offering visitors a nostalgic journey through time.
This information was generated using AI and is based on publicly available sources, including Tramway Museum Adelaide, Wikipedia, Adelaide AZ, and Australian Museums and Galleries.
