[7] The engines were widely deemed unsatisfactory, however — they created a great deal of soot, were heavy (increasing track maintenance costs), and often frightened horses.

[30][31] The line was 4.5 km in length and 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge and ran between the north end of Lambton Quay and a point just south of the Basin Reserve with the Governor, the Marquess of Normanby riding the first tram at 10 km/h.

[24] The steam trams caused complaints over noise, being a nuisance, soot, frightened horses, and collisions, which led to civil court cases.

[59] Reports back from the United States and England highlighted the innovation of trams powered by electricity, with current supplied through overhead wires.

[66] A London-based firm was awarded £NZ110,000 to lay tracks, install the overhead wire, provide wooden blocks, and set up tram poles.

Topped with a ball and spike finial for ornamental and water protection, bracket arms carried a double insulation system for overhead wires to power them to 500-550 volts.

On less central streets,  tram poles were simpler in design but still included moulded bases, ferrules, and finials, typically featuring a ball and spike style.

They tore up city streets and laid rails, inserting squares of Australian hardwood, specifically jarrah, were placed to soak in tar.

[74] Men who would run the then-new electric trams for the city were provided uniforms that included a cap, overcoat, oilskin, tunic, trousers, and leggings, costing the Tramways Department £NZ1,000 per year to outfit them all.

[91] The Hataitai tunnel cost £NZ70,000, it took over a year to complete, and involved a hundred miners working in three shifts, 25 bricklayers and apprentices, as well as teams of drivers and truckers to remove the spoil.

[109] For instance, Brooklyn and Wadestown did not expand considerably until the tramways were opened, which conquered the steep slopes and made these areas more accessible and attractive places to live.

[105] On 22 November 1933, the Fiducia tram was unveiled to the public during the New Zealand National Confidence Carnival to raise money for the Mayor's distress fund.

[126] Provincial candidates were required to be tall, slim, and strong to reach bells and navigate crowds, with some being rejected due to their short or wide stature.

[128] By 1944, there were 175 women conductors, accounting for nearly a third of the total Tramways staff, but the Department wanted 200, and an inspector went to New Plymouth, Whanganui and Napier to interview recruits.

[129][130] The road surface around the rails broke down because of vibrations, and during wet weather, increasingly large puddles formed, creating squelching sounds as each tram passed.

Although the Wellington City Council Works Committee assured applicants that they would not be involved in heavy labor, like lifting or digging up rails, they would instead be responsible for tasks such as sealing and tamping.

[132] One member drove a small truck, while the others took turns filling the holes with metal chips, pouring tar, and tamping down the patches while being supervised by workmen.

On August 20, the Minister of Industrial Manpower Angus McLagan who bowed to political pressure issued an order prohibiting the employment of women's in this role.

[130] During the war years, the trams experienced their busiest period ever, as commuting American servicemen and petrol rationing drove passenger numbers close to 63 million in 1944.

[136][137] In early 1945, after reviewing the report from the General Manager of the Transport and Electricity Departments, the City Council announced plans to convert one of the tram routes to single-operator trolleybuses.

[7] Several factors influenced this decision, including Wellington's challenging topography, the decline in passenger numbers after World War II, and the rise of operational costs of maintaining and purchasing trams and track renewals.

[143] However, Bob Stott of Rails highlighted that European trams were both fast and comfortable and that spare parts for them were still available, yet the City Council overlooked these options.

[107] To implement this plan, the City Council decided to discontinue the tram service and replace it with diesel buses until the new roads were completed, which would then accommodate cars and trolleybuses that were on order.

Led by Saul Goldsmith, the group fielded ten council candidates, including Ron Brierley, with the aim of preserving the city's tramways.

[179] However, after the paving work was completed on Willis Street, surface cracking occurred, indicating that the remaining tracks needed to be removed and repaved.

[194] The 'Superlink' plan proposed converting the Johnsonville line to light rail and extending the system to the Airport and Karori via a tunnel from Holloway Road in Aro Valley to Appleton Park, it won the endorsement of many locals and some politicians.

[196] In 1995, a joint study commissioned by the City and Regional Councils called the Works/MVA report of 1995 proposed a light rail route that would run from the Wellington Railway Station along the "Golden Mile" to Courtenay Place.

[197] An associated plan by the City Council that almost succeeded was a heritage tramway, similar to Christchurch, looping through the developing waterfront area and sharing light rail tracks along the "Golden Mile.

[204] Several weather shelters can be found scattered around the city, including one at the Newtown Park Zoo loop and others in Wadestown, Miramar, and Oriental Bay.

[229] Many artists and illustrators have created works depicting the tramways, including murals in the Wellington suburbs of Oriental Bay and Kilbirnie, as well as oil paintings by William Stewart that capture impressions of the steam and electric trams.