It could be said that the populatity of the motorcar and the advent of motor buses caused the decline of the Maitland Tramways, but one could never know for sure. The system always ran at a loss during its entire life.

The long lived Morpeth tramway survived Maitland by another 26 years, operated by conventional railway rolling stock, but it too followed the Maitland lines into an oblivion on the 30th August, 1953.

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It is interesting to note that a total of four steam tramways ceased operation as from the 1st January, 1927, these being

Arncliffe

Parramatta

Maitland and

Broken Hill lines

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