Melbourne tram route 12
Melbourne tram route 12 is operated by Yarra Trams on the Melbourne tram network. It operates from Victoria Gardens to St Kilda. The 16.2 kilometer is operated by A class trams from Southbank depot.
History
The current iteration of Route 12 began operation on 27 July 2014 following the cessation of Route 112, and commencement of full-time running for Route 11. The first ever use of the route number 12 was on the West Preston to St Kilda Beach service from 21 November 1929. At the time the North Fitzroy cable tram was yet to be electrified, and so all Preston services ran via Holden and Swanston Streets to the southern suburbs. However, when the line from St Georges Road to Collins Street was electrified on 27 October 1930, Route 12 was left unallocated for several years. When the South Melbourne cable tram line was electrified on 25 July 1937, Collins Street services could now run through to South Melbourne or St Kilda, and Route 12 was allocated to the line between South Melbourne Beach and the intersection of Collins and Gisborne Streets. For a long time, some Route 12 services would continue northwards towards West Preston via Brunswick Street under Route 10. Eventually, the elimination of shared depot routes on 30 April 1995 led to Route 10 becoming discontinued.Trams from Collins Street initially turned right at Clarendon Street to terminate at South Melbourne Beach, while trams from Swanston St terminated at St Kilda Beach. On 13 September 1953, this was amended so that both tram services ran through the junction, resulting in St Kilda Beach becoming the terminus of route 12. On 3 July 1973, a siding was constructed at Brunswick Street, which enabled Route 12 to terminate there instead of the busy crossover at Gisborne Street. Following the creation of Route 112 in April 2000, Route 12 became a peak hour only service. However, the peak-hour service was deemed unnecessary for the low-density and affluent suburbs in which it ran and on 18 November 2002, Route 12 was discontinued. It was then allocated as a short working for Route 16 trams terminating at Malvern Depot from 2004. On 27 July 2014, Yarra Tram's desire to discontinue all peak-hour services led to Route 24 and Route 112 to be discontinued, and Route 12 taking its place between Victoria Gardens and St Kilda.
The origins of route 12 lie in separate tram lines. The oldest section of track along Spencer Street between Collins and Flinders Street was part of Richmond cable tram line. It opened on 11 November 1885. This section was electrified on 14 July 1927. The following year, Melbourne Tramway & Omnibus Company opened the North Fitzroy Line between Spencer Street and St Vincent's Plaza on 2 October 1886. It was electrified on 8 December 1929. The line east of St Vincents Plaza opened later that year as the Victoria Bridge line on 22 November 1886. This section was electrified on 15 September 1929. Meanwhile, the South Melbourne cable tram line makes up today's Route 12 between City Road and Park Street, and was first opened on 17 June 1890. That section along with the line between City Road and Flinders Street was electrified and opened on 25 July 1953. Meanwhile, the line between Park Street and St Kilda Beach was constructed by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board on 30 October 1930.
The original terminus St Kilda Beach services via South Melbourne diverted at Mary Street and turned left at Beaconsfield Parade to meet the tracks at Fitzroy one block south of the current terminus. The junction was double-tracked so that some services would run further towards Luna Park. However, this rarely eventuated. The Mary Street tracks were replaced by the current day terminus at Park Street on 13 November 1959.
| Dates | Route | Notes |
| During PMTT operation | Camberwell - St Kilda Road | via Burke/Malvern Roads |
| 21 November 1929 - 26 October 1930 | West Preston to St Kilda Beach | via Holden Street and South Melbourne |
| 27 October 1930 - 24 July 1937 | Unallocated | |
| 25 July 1937 - 11 September 1953 | South Melbourne Beach to City | |
| 12 September 1953 - 2 July 1973 | South Melbourne/St Kilda Beach to City | |
| 3 July 1973 - 17 November 2002 | South Melbourne/St Kilda Beach to City | Became peak-only following creation of Route 112 in April 2000 |
| 18 November 2002 - 17 October 2004 | Unallocated | |
| 18 October 2004 - 26 July 2014 | Kew to Malvern Depot | Rarely used short working of Route 16 |
| 27 July 2014 - onwards | Victoria Gardens to St Kilda | Became full-time route following cessation of Route 112 from 27 July 2014 |