Clang Clang Clang: A Study of Melbourne’s Tramways

Transportation History Australian History Local History Urban Studies Tramway Enthusiast Technology History

Clang Clang Clang: A Study of Melbourne’s Tramways is the illustrated 1993 classic that tram-lovers and transport historians hunt for on the second-hand market. In just 92 tightly-written pages, veteran Australian author Marc Fiddian distils a century of Melbourne tram lore—horse, cable, electric—into a crisp, fact-packed narrative that still reads like a story rather than a dry textbook. Collectors prize the first edition paperback because it was printed in small numbers for the Victorian market and rarely turns up in tidy, complete condition.

Inside you’ll find rare photographs, route diagrams and behind-the-scenes anecdotes that never made it into official company histories: midnight “ghost” trams, wartime petrol shortages, the politics of track gauges, and the drivers who kept the city moving. Fiddian’s trademark mix of scholarly detail and popular storytelling makes the book perfect for young adults researching school projects, hobbyists building model layouts, or commuters who simply want to understand the clanging icons they ride every day.

This vintage copy shows only light exterior scuffing and a faint corner crease through the first dozen pages—common shelf-wear for a 30-year-old paperback—yet the binding is square, every illustration is crisp, and there is no writing, stamps or inscriptions to detract from its collectability. If you’re after an affordable, authentic slice of Melbourne transport history that you can still slip into a backpack or display on a narrow shelf, this is the copy to grab before it disappears into another private collection.

Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.

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