Historic tram turns 125

One of Brisbane's oldest operating trams is turning 125, and there's a birthday party planned to celebrate the milestone.

The Brisbane Tramway Museum at Ferny Grove will mark Tram 47's 125th birthday on Sunday, December 13, with an afternoon of historic tram rides, vintage buses and family entertainment.

Affectionately known as a 'Matchbox', Tram 47 has survived more than a century of changes to Brisbane's transport network, from carrying commuters through the city's streets to becoming a travelling billboard.

Built in Brisbane by the Brisbane Tramway Company Limited on a chassis imported from New York, it was one of 62 Matchbox trams, the first of which was built in 1897.

At just 8.5m long and 2.3m wide, the trams could carry up to 50 passengers, including 36 seated, and were a familiar sight on Brisbane's streets in the first half of the 20th century.

Tram 47 remained in passenger service until 1947, when it was converted into an advertising tram, complete with windscreens and large display panels along its sides.

It was even captured on film travelling along Adelaide St in April 1951, promoting Kraft Cheese.

Its working life came to an end in 1959 when another tram took over the advertising role, and it was placed in open storage at the Milton Workshops.

But that wasn't the end of the line for Tram 47.

Brisbane City Council apprentices later restored it to its original appearance before it was handed over to the Brisbane Tramway Museum in 1969, where it has been preserved as a working reminder of the city's transport history.

Now, 125 years after it first hit the tracks, the museum is inviting visitors to join the celebrations, with rides on historic trams and vintage Brisbane City Council buses among the attractions.

The birthday party will also feature emergency services displays, sniffer dog demonstrations, vintage vehicles and face painting, with ice cream, donuts, coffee and a sausage sizzle available.

Celebrations run from 3-7pm on Sunday, December 13, at the Brisbane Tramway Museum, Ferny Grove.

For ticket prices and further details, visit brisbanetramwaymuseum.org.