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Story: Wellington places

Runaway tram

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Runaway tram

A new route (now Brooklyn Road) had to be built before trams could climb the hill to Brooklyn. In May 1907 tragedy struck when a descending tram (centre) ran out of control and derailed near the bottom of the hill, killing a passenger.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/2-003714; G

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Chris Maclean, Wellington places – Southern suburbs, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13786/runaway-tram (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Chris Maclean, published 3 March 2009, updated 1 March 2016.