James Duncan Tramway Project Manager, MOTAT
Infant Sparks “The story behind the arrival of electric trams in Auckland – the trials, tribulations, tragedies, battles and successes of bringing what was then “space-age” technology to NZ’s largest city.
The story is brought to life with a large number of digital images, many rare and not seen previously, of this revolutionary form of street transport – this large vehicle that could propel itself along as if by magic, without horses or a steam engine in front!”
James grew up in Auckland during the 1960s and 1970s when Auckland was served by a large and extensive electric trolley bus system. At age 15, he joined the Tramway Division at MOTAT and has now been an active volunteer member of the tramway for 48 years. Most of his working life was spent in retail, but in 2011 he was asked to take on managing the operation of the new tramway down in Wynyard Quarter. Today, together with this role, and a full-time position at MOTAT looking after the infrastructure for the MOTAT Tramway, he says he is now like a pig in mud.