Christchurch tramway system
The Christchurch tramway system was an extensive network in Christchurch, New Zealand, with steam and horse trams from 1882. Electric trams ran from 1905 to 1954, when the last line from Cashmere to Papanui was replaced by buses. In 1995, a central city loop heritage tram was reopened in the central city as a tourist attraction. This has now been is extended with a loop down to High Street which was opened in February 2015. The tram museum at the Ferrymead Heritage Park overhauls and restores the trams used on the Christchurch Tramway, and itself also runs operating trams on its site. History Background The difficulty experienced by Christchurch's early residents in conveying them and their export goods to Lyttelton brought about the first proposal for a tramway at a meeting held on 26 September 1855. The merits of both wooden and iron-based tramways were discussed and a resolution was passed in support of the construction of either a tramway or a railway. The issue arose again at a Provincial Council meeting on 16 October 1855 at which it was proposed that a line be built to Sumner and goods could then be transported to Lyttelton by boat. A couple