It's the weekend and we have spent the week discussing the issues of the
day. Now lets cast our view back some 35 years to the Brisbane tramways.

The first Handbrake Dropcentre 231 of 1925 waits at the end of the double
track in Waterworks Road, Ashgrove for FM 463 21 years her junior to leave
the short single track section that leads to the terminus. Note the SI's,
fresh concrete track and equilateral points. The small shopping centre was
ubiquitous at most tram termini in Brisbane. Photo taken in c.1967/8 with
231 on tour (note 'gunzels' to the left.)

The Ashgrove line was originally trough-routed to Bulimba Ferry (Route 76).
However, this line was closed to regular traffic on 24 December 1962 and
Ashgrove trams were altered to travel to Grange, as this line had lost its
trough route to Toowong (Rt 75). The new Ashgrove - Grange route was
numbered 76 and lasted until 5 August 1968 - the first line to go in the
final closure of the system.

231 is preserved. 463 was in service on the last day of operations on 13
April 1969. Indeed, 231 operated a tour on the previous day and became the
first and last Dropcentre to operate in Brisbane.