Another great day’s outing for the Model A Ford Club of NSW today. Our Club were once again asked if we could support the Annual Vintage Tramway Festival open day of celebrations at the Sydney Tramway Museum at Loftus.
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| Lined up on Main Street of the Tramway Museum at Loftus vehicles from the Model A Ford Club of NSW help recreate the era. |
For more than 80-years until 1961, trams were an important part of life in Sydney. The 25th February 2019, will mark the 58th Anniversary of the day that the last tram ran on the Sydney tram network.
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| Unlimited tram rides are offered to all paying guests on the Museum's Tramway Festival open day |
The Sydney Tramway Museum was founded in 1950 to preserve examples of the city’s tramway heritage, the exhibits not only include almost every type of tram which ran on the former Sydney system, but extend to examples from other Australian & overseas cities, chosen to give a National & international picture of the development of tramcar design.
This museum has approximately 28 trams, however not all these trams are operational. Here is a list of the Trams that are indeed still in use at the Museum: 2 x C class (1896-1926). 1 x F class (1899-1916). 1 x L/P class (1918-1951). 2 x O class (1908-1958). 1 x P class (1921-1960). 2 x R class (1933-1960).
The 626 'O' Class cars serviced the Sydney Metropolitan area… particularly around Easter time, when the RAS (Royal Agricultural Society) held their Annual Show [State Fair] at the Moore Park complex. With a capacity of 80 seats + 80 standing, the famous old cross bench trams, when coupled, could shift a load of 320 people.
Sydney’s longest tram route was from the Fort Macquarie Tram Depot, now the location of the Sydney Opera House, via George Street & Pyrmont to Ryde, a distance of 17 km.
The expression “Shooting Through like a Bondi Tram’ comes from express steam trams on the Bondi line, the fastest form of transport a city reliant on horse drawn conveyances at the end of the 19th century.
These wonderful people movers (no pollution) also traveled over the Sydney Harbour Bridge up to the North Shore until 1958.
The standard height of the overhead wire on Sydney’s tramways was 5.8 metres (19 feet), Double-deck buses were 4.4 metres high (14.4 feet).
In 1909 a total of 564 trams crossed the Sydney CBD intersection of King & George Streets between 5.00 & 6.30 pm - a tram every ten seconds.
What do you think the current NSW Gladys Berejiklian's Liberal Government would give to have these statistics.
The last tram to operate in Sydney was in 1961, between the City & La Perouse.
As a child l can remember my Mum taking us kids into the CBD shopping & travelling from one end of the city to the other on board the trams, & for those of you that are old enough we even witnessed Bea Miles a famous eccentric identity of Sydney jumping from one tram to the other as they passed each other.
Wonderful, wonderful memories.
How fast do trams go? From the advent of four-motor trams such as the Sydney 'O' class, trams were expected to run at around 40 to 45 kmh (or approx 26 mph) on a level track with a full load. On good straight downhill track, speeds of 60 kmh could be achieved.
Modern Trams being built today for street operation typically will have normal running speeds of up to 70 kmh (approx 42 mph).
Now with all that useless information, l can highly recommend anyone that is interested in going back to a different era to spend a few hours at the Sydney Tramway Museum located at Loftus, less than 1-hour south of down-town Sydney.
It's Australia's oldest Tram Museum and the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. You will really enjoy the surroundings & friendly volunteers that are only too happy to take you back in time.
Until the next adventure, stay safe.
Cheers for now.
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| Plenty of colourful characters on the day |
This museum has approximately 28 trams, however not all these trams are operational. Here is a list of the Trams that are indeed still in use at the Museum: 2 x C class (1896-1926). 1 x F class (1899-1916). 1 x L/P class (1918-1951). 2 x O class (1908-1958). 1 x P class (1921-1960). 2 x R class (1933-1960).
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| A variety of trams lined up - all offering tram rides on sections of the Museum's own incorporated 3.5 kms of tram line |
The 626 'O' Class cars serviced the Sydney Metropolitan area… particularly around Easter time, when the RAS (Royal Agricultural Society) held their Annual Show [State Fair] at the Moore Park complex. With a capacity of 80 seats + 80 standing, the famous old cross bench trams, when coupled, could shift a load of 320 people.
 |
| The Display Hall houses the Museum's assemblage of trams and vast collection of tramway memorabilia. |
Sydney’s longest tram route was from the Fort Macquarie Tram Depot, now the location of the Sydney Opera House, via George Street & Pyrmont to Ryde, a distance of 17 km.
The expression “Shooting Through like a Bondi Tram’ comes from express steam trams on the Bondi line, the fastest form of transport a city reliant on horse drawn conveyances at the end of the 19th century.
 |
| Plenty of colourful characters to complement the colourful cars, buses & trams on display. |
These wonderful people movers (no pollution) also traveled over the Sydney Harbour Bridge up to the North Shore until 1958.
The standard height of the overhead wire on Sydney’s tramways was 5.8 metres (19 feet), Double-deck buses were 4.4 metres high (14.4 feet).
 |
The Display Hall houses the Museum's assemblage
of trams and vast collection of tramway memorabilia.
|
In 1909 a total of 564 trams crossed the Sydney CBD intersection of King & George Streets between 5.00 & 6.30 pm - a tram every ten seconds.
What do you think the current NSW Gladys Berejiklian's Liberal Government would give to have these statistics.
 |
| Operating throughout the day, a tram passes vehicles from the Model A Ford Club on static display |
The last tram to operate in Sydney was in 1961, between the City & La Perouse.
As a child l can remember my Mum taking us kids into the CBD shopping & travelling from one end of the city to the other on board the trams, & for those of you that are old enough we even witnessed Bea Miles a famous eccentric identity of Sydney jumping from one tram to the other as they passed each other.
Wonderful, wonderful memories.
 |
| Vintage cars along with vintage buildings, vintage trams & buses complete the integrated street scene setting on the Tramway Festival day |
How fast do trams go? From the advent of four-motor trams such as the Sydney 'O' class, trams were expected to run at around 40 to 45 kmh (or approx 26 mph) on a level track with a full load. On good straight downhill track, speeds of 60 kmh could be achieved.
Modern Trams being built today for street operation typically will have normal running speeds of up to 70 kmh (approx 42 mph).
 |
| The trams carry an amazing authentic array of advertising signage that convey you back in time to another era |
Now with all that useless information, l can highly recommend anyone that is interested in going back to a different era to spend a few hours at the Sydney Tramway Museum located at Loftus, less than 1-hour south of down-town Sydney.
It's Australia's oldest Tram Museum and the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. You will really enjoy the surroundings & friendly volunteers that are only too happy to take you back in time.
Until the next adventure, stay safe.
Cheers for now.
Warbo
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