From Durban in South Africa we get this postcard, published locally by A. Rittenberg about 1905, our copy being posted in 1908 from Durban to an address in Norway. It shows double-deck tram 26 in the Corporation's fleet at the beach tram terminus.
The first trams in Durban were horse cars which were run by the Durban Tramways Co. Ltd., starting on 25th March 1880, with a second tramway commencing on 19th October 1885 run by the Suburban Tramway Company. The two merged under the name of the Durban Borough Tramways Company in 1889. The first municipal route was laid in Florida Road and commenced service on 12th September 1892. On 1st August 1899, the Durban municipality bought out the private Company. The electric trams began on 1st May 1902, the first car, No. 1, being driven by the mayor.
Durban had a reputation for running very large double-deck trams, many built in their own workshops. Car 26 in our view was built by J.G.Brill in the US in 1902 for the opening and was one of a batch of eight numbered 23-30. A similar batch (1-22) were built in the UK at the same date by G.F.Milnes. They all originally had 50 transverse seats, rattan on the lower deck, wooden on the upper, but were later rebuilt to seat 58. The sides of the cars were open to the elements, but there were blinds which could be pulled down if it rained. They were on 7ft wheelbase Brill 21E trucks, each fitted with two GE58 37hp motors, and had B13 controllers with GE electric brakes. The single-deck car behind 26 in our view was one of five Milnes trailers which were electrified in 1905 and later rebuilt as double-deckers. At its peak the fleet rose to 120 cars, all double-deck. The original livery was cream with light blue lining.
From 24th February 1935 the trams were progressively replaced by trolleybuses, the last tram, car 7015 (they had been renumbered), running on 2nd August 1949. Trolleybus operation in its turn ceased in favour of motor buses on 11th April 1968.
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