Malta’s public transport didn’t always necessarily consist of buses like it has always been during the past few decades.

Before buses became common practice in Malta, the island had a tramway system.

The electric tramway operated between 1905 and 1929 running alongside three different lines all leading to Valletta. One between Valletta, Marsa, Paola, Cospicua, the other between Valletta Hamrun, Qormi and Zebbug while the third one ran between Valletta, Hamrun and Birkirkara.

Shared by the National Archives of Malta, the below illustration is from 1926 and shows the detailed design of the Malta tramway.

Although the electric tramways were generally favoured by the public cab drivers opposed them immensely.

They cut the power lines on the eve of the grand inauguration and even made use of firearms.

The tramway company then went bankrupt almost 25 years later with the introduction of buses to the island.