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Story: Wellington places

Cable car blueprint

In 1898 the Kelburne and Karori Tramway Company was set up to build a cable car, climbing from Lambton Quay to Upland Road. This was to provide easier access from the city to the new suburb of Kelburn, with a horse-drawn tram connecting the service to Karori. The cable car system was designed by James Fulton, and was a milestone in New Zealand engineering. As this 1899 cross-section shows, three tunnels and bridges were needed. The system rises 120 metres, and is 785 metres long.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: Plans-80-0716

by James Edward Fulton

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 – Western suburbs, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/13430/cable-car-blueprint (accessed 24 June 2026).

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