Toowong, Rainworth and Bulimba Ferry (in the suburb of Newstead) were converted to diesel bus operation. These closures were the first significant route closures of the system and within 6½ years, the remainder of Brisbane's tram routes had been converted to diesel bus operation. The City Council hired a number of buses from the New South Wales government, in a move which some saw as a publicity stunt by the then Lord Mayor, Alderman Clem Jones. The Courier-Mail newspaper revealed that the City Council had been storing several of its own buses, which could have been made available rather than hiring buses from New South Wales. Irrespective of the brief and comparatively minor controversy over the use of the Sydney buses, Jones was able to argue that the availability of buses "to fill the breach" left by the fire was evidence of buses' greater operational flexibility compared to trams. One of the justifications subsequently raised by the Brisbane City Council when it decided in 1967 to abandon the tram system completely was the greater operational flexibility of buses. After the fire a number of components, particularly trucks and wheels, were salvaged from destroyed trams and incorporated in eight new trams. These trams had a distinctive pale blue colour scheme and featured a small picture of a phoenix under the driver's windows, signifying that the trams had "risen from the ashes", and were popularly referred to as "phoenix cars". Aftermath After the remains of the depot had been cleared, which took some years, the City Council sold the block and a shopping centre, now known as "Paddington Central" was built on the site. This was redeveloped in the late 1980s, with the new building's roofline echoing the pitched gables of the tram depot. See also Dalsenget fire – a tramway depot fire in Trondheim, Norway Woodland trolley depot fire – a trolley depot fire in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA References Brimson, Samuel, The Tramways of Australia, Dreamweaver Books, 1983. Clark, Howard R., and David R. Keenan, Brisbane Tramways – The Last Decade, Transit Press, 1977 (Reprinted 1985). External links Photo of tram 533 at the front of the depot in March 1962 Photo of the aftermath of the fire Photo of the aftermath of the fire 1962 in Australia History of Brisbane Disasters in Brisbane Public transport in Brisbane Fires in Australia 1962 fires in Oceania 1960s in Brisbane 1962 disasters in