Adelaide Tramway Network Timeline Map: 140 Years of Trams (1878–2018)

The Adelaide tramway network radiated in all directions from the heart of the city, growing from separately owned horse-drawn lines into an interconnected electric tramway network. It rose to its height in 1952, whereafter it rapidly declined until only the Glenelg line remained in operation. This marked the end of Adelaide's 'first generation' of electric trams. In the mid-2000s, a renewal of the network began, with modern electric trams and a few line extensions. Adelaide's second generation of electric trams had begun. This timeline is reflective of the entire history of trams in the Adelaide metropolitan area. From the first horse-drawn tram to Kensington, to the latest network extensions to the Botanic Gardens and the Festival Plaza. This animated map shows, in chronological order, the opening and closing of every tram line in Adelaide. The timeline does not include other horse-drawn systems further afield, such as Victor Harbor or Gawler. Instead, it focuses on the network in the heart of Adelaide and its surrounding suburbs at that time. Researched, produced and animated by Bailey Underwood, 2022 with special thanks to Tom Wilson for fact-checking.