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Story: Whanganui region

The no. 12 tram

The no. 12 tram

This tram, which is believed to have run between the city centre and Castlecliff from 1912 to 1949, was restored by an Auckland society of volunteers at the initiative of David Harre. The refurbished vehicle was gifted to the people of Whanganui in 2005 and is now cared for by the Tramways Wanganui Trust, which offers regular tram rides.

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by Janine Faulknor

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How to cite this page

Diana Beaglehole, Whanganui region – Fighting stagnation, 1970s and beyond, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/19057/the-no-12-tram (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Diana Beaglehole, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 June 2015.

Comments

Dave Harre
04 June 2013
Our group in Auckland raised the money and purchased No 12 tram and then restored the body [4 years voluntary work], we found a truck for it in the USA [$28,000]and donated the restored tram to the people of Wanganui through the Whanganui District Council. Some volunteers in Wanganui did great work fitting the truck etc, but the restoration happened here in Oratia [Auckland] in a shed by our group. We later sent the tram to Whanganui with free transport supplied by Hooker Transport. Regards Dave Harre [Chair of "no 12 boon tram for Wanganui Soc Inc".