Melbourne tram route 31 explained

Number:Route 31
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System:Melbourne tramway network
Operator:Yarra Trams
Depot:Kew
Open:25 October 2010
Close:25 July 2014
Start:Hoddle Street, Collingwood
Via:East Melbourne
Melbourne CBD (Collins Street)
End:Victoria Harbour
Day:Weekdays
Timetable Link:Route 31 timetable
Map Link:Route 31 map
Previous Line:Route 30
Next Line:City Circle (35)

Melbourne tram route 31 was operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network from Hoddle Street to Victoria Harbour. The route was designed as a supplementary service along Collins Street, with services running between peak hours with reduced services on weekends.

History

The first version of route 31 ran from St Vincent's Plaza to the end of Collins Street at Spencer Street. On 18 November 2002, the route, along with peak-hour routes of 11 and 42, was extended via a new extension of Collins Street past Spencer Street station and terminated at Collins Street West End.[1] From 28 June 2004 until 21 November 2005, the line was truncated back to Spencer Street while Spencer Street station (now Southern Cross station) was redeveloped.[2]

With the rerouting of route 48 onto Collins Street in September 2009, route 31 ceased to run.[3]

On 25 October 2010 an amended route 31 was reinstated, running from Hoddle Street, Collingwood to St Vincent's Plaza via Victoria Parade, then via Collins Street and continuing to Victoria Harbour (Merchant Street).[4] The service ran on weekdays between the peak hours.[5] [6]

On 26 January 2014, the route was extended westwards by one more stop to terminate at the intersection of Collins Street and Bourke Street, which became the new Victoria Harbour terminus.[7]

The route was discontinued on 25 July 2014 as part of a wider timetable change to the Yarra Trams network, replaced by a full-time routes 11, 12, 48 and 109 along Victoria Parade and Collins Street.[8] [9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Timetable Changes to Collins Street Services. Yarra Trams. 29 November 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20021206010446/http://www.yarratrams.com.au/news/news.asp. 6 December 2002. dead.
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20040627000554/http://www.yarratrams.com.au/service_changes/collins_street_3.asp Temporary Closure of Collins Street Extension
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20090919205543/http://www.yarratrams.com.au/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-39/44_read-2103 Changes to Routes 48 & 70 from Sunday 20 September 2009
  4. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/bee-trams-to-stay-but-at-what-price-20101012-16huk.html Bee trams to stay, but at what price?
  5. Melbourne - additional tram services Trolley Wire issue 323 November 2010 page 19
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20110220133800/http://www.yarratrams.com.au/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-39/44_read-2628/ Yarra Trams launches 480 new services each week
  7. https://web.archive.org/web/20160318211639/http://ptv.vic.gov.au/news-and-events/news/new-timetable-delivers-more-than-1-200-extra-trams-to-docklands-effective-from-sunday-26-january// New timetable delivers more than 1,200 extra trams to Docklands effective from Sunday 26 January
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20170226023218/http://www.yarratrams.com.au/media/43839/tramroutenumbers.pdf History of Melbourne Trams Routes from 1950 to 2009
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20140726093749/http://www.yarratrams.com.au/media-centre/news/articles/2014/capacity-boost-for-tram-passengers/ Capacity boost for tram passengers