On 22 February 1902 the Kelburn cable car made its first trip up the 858 yard, 1:5.06 grade from the city terminus to Kelburn terminal, and history was made. Shortly after, the traffic offering was such that it was decided to use the then surplus horse trams as trailers, and this has been accepted practice until on 27 June 1974. The General Manager of the Wellington City Transport Department received notification from the District Commissioner of Works that the use of the trailers was to be discontinued as soon as practicable, and in any event within one month. The continued use of the grip cars (referred to as "brake cars" by the Commissioner) was permitted, subject to the fitting of steel members of an approved design to the timber chassis to transmit the loads from the balance rope to the rear of the chassis.
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