Trams in Adelaide
Encyclopedia
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
from 1878 to 1914 and electric tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
s from 1909, but has primarily relied on bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es for public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
since 1958. Today there is a single remaining tram line with three classes of electric tram, built in 1929, 2006 and 2009 respectively.
The tram line connects the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, capital of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, to the seaside suburb of Glenelg
Glenelg, South Australia
Glenelg is a popular beach-side suburb of the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Located on the shore of Holdfast Bay in Gulf St Vincent, it has become a popular tourist destination due to its beach and many attractions, home to several hotels and dozens of restaurants.Established in 1836, it is...
. In recent years the line has been extended again through the city to the Adelaide Railway Station
Adelaide Railway Station
Adelaide Railway Station is the central terminus of the Adelaide Metro railway system. It is at on the north side of North Terrace, west of Parliament House. The Adelaide Casino is in part of the building that is no longer required for the station....
and as far as the Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Adelaide Entertainment Centre
The Adelaide Entertainment Centre is an indoor arena located in the South Australian capital of Adelaide, and is used for sporting and entertainment events. It is the principal venue for concerts, events and attractions for audiences between 2,000 and 12,000. It is located on Port Road in the...
in Hindmarsh. Electric trams and trolleybus
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es were Adelaide's main public transport throughout the life of the electric tram network and are enjoying a resurgence with the expansion of the remaining line and the first new tram purchases for more than 50 years.
The early use of trams was for recreation as well as daily travel
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
, by entire families and tourists
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Until the 1950s, trams were used for family outings to the extent that the Municipal Tramways Trust
Municipal Tramways Trust
The Municipal Tramways Trust was established in 1907 to operate Adelaide's street tram network. The MTT ceased to exist in 1975 upon the establishment of the State Transport Authority Bus and Tram Division.-History:...
(MTT) constructed gardens in the suburb of Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens, South Australia
Kensington Gardens is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Burnside.Formerly known as 'Pile's Paddock', after James Pile who was born in Yorkshire in 1800 and arrived in South Australia in 1849....
, extending the Kensington
Kensington, South Australia
Kensington is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peters. Unlike the rest of the city, Kensington's streets are laid out diagonally in order to follow Second Creek....
line to attract customers. By 1945 the MTT was collecting fares for 95 million trips annually—295 trips per head of population.
After the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the maintenance of the tramway system and the purchase of new trams suffered. Competition from private buses, the MTT's own bus fleet and the growth of private
Private transport
Private transport, as opposed to public transport, is transportation service which is not available for use by the general public. Private transport is the dominant form of transportation in most of the world. In the United States, for example, 86.2% of passenger miles traveled occur by passenger...
car ownership all took patrons from the tram network. By the 1950s, the tram network was losing money and being replaced by an electric and petrol-driven bus fleet. Adelaide's tram history is preserved by a volunteer-run museum and tramway at St Kilda
St Kilda, South Australia
St Kilda is a seaside suburb in Adelaide, South Australia that is home to an award-winning adventure playground, tram museum, mangrove forest walk and an abundance of birdlife. St Kilda has only a small number of houses and a 2006 population of 246...
, and the continuing use of 1929 H Class trams on the remaining Glenelg tram line
Glenelg Tram
The Glenelg Tram is a route from the centre of Adelaide, South Australia to the beach-side suburb of Glenelg. It is Adelaide's only remaining tramway, running at approximately 15-minute intervals, and is part of the integrated Adelaide Metro public transport network...
.
Horse trams
Goolwa, South Australia
Goolwa is a historic river port on the Murray River near the Murray Mouth in South Australia, and joined by a bridge to Hindmarsh Island. The name "Goolwa" means "elbow" in Ngarrindjeri, the local Aboriginal language....
and Port Elliot
Port Elliot, South Australia
Port Elliot is a town in South Australia toward the eastern end of the south coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is situated on the sheltered Horseshoe Bay, a small bay off the much larger Encounter Bay...
on the Fleurieu Peninsula
Fleurieu Peninsula
The Fleurieu Peninsula is a peninsula located south of Adelaide in South Australia, Australia. It was named after the French explorer and hydrographer Charles Pierre Claret de Fleurieu by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin as he mapped the south coast of Australia in 1802.Towns of interest in the...
. Just over twenty years later Adelaide became the first city in Australia to introduce horse trams, and eventually the last to discard them for more modern public transport. Although two trials of street level train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s were run, the state of Adelaide's streets, with mud in winter and dust in summer, led to the decision that they would not be reliable.
Sir Edwin T. Smith and W. C. Buik, the latter formerly mayor of Kensington and Norwood, spent some time inspecting European tramways during the 1870s. They were impressed with horse tram systems and, on returning to Adelaide, they promoted the concept leading to a prospectus being issued for the Adelaide and Suburban Tramway Co. (A&ST). Private commercial interests lobbied government for legislative support, over Adelaide council's objections related to licensing and control. As a result the Government of South Australia
Government of South Australia
The form of the Government of South Australia is prescribed in its constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
passed an 1876 private act
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
, authorising construction of Adelaide's first horse tram network. It was scheduled for completion within two years, with 10.8 miles (17.4 km) of lines from Adelaide's city-centre
Adelaide city centre
The Adelaide city centre is the innermost locality of Greater Adelaide, known by locals simply as "The City" or "Town". The locality is split into two key geographical distinctions: the city "square mile", bordered by North, East, South and West Terraces; and that part of the Adelaide Parklands...
to the suburbs of Kensington and North Adelaide
North Adelaide
North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands.-History:...
. Completed in May 1878, services began in June from Adelaide to Kensington Park
Kensington Park, South Australia
Kensington Park is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Burnside in South Australia....
with trams imported from John Stephenson Co. of New York, United States.
Until 1907 all horse tram operations were by private companies
Privately held company
A privately held company or close corporation is a business company owned either by non-governmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or company members which does not offer or trade its company stock to the general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the...
, with the government passing legislation authorising line construction. Growth of the network and rolling stock was driven largely by commercial considerations. On the opening day, the newly founded Adelaide and Suburban Tramway Co. (A&ST) began with six trams, expanding to 90 trams and 650 horses by 1907 with its own tram manufacturing facility at Kensington.
A Private act, passed in September 1881, allowed the construction of more private horse tramways and additional acts were passed authorising more line construction and services by more companies. Most of the companies operated double-decker tram, although some were single level cabs with many built by John Stephenson Co., Duncan and Fraser of Adelaide, and from 1897 by the A&ST at Kensington. The trams ran at an average speed of 5 mi/h, usually two horses pulling each tram from a pool of four to ten.
Horse tram network
Various companies expanded the network from its initial line to Kensington, with eleven companies operating within six years, three more having already failed before constructing tracks. The Adelaide to North AdelaideNorth Adelaide
North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands.-History:...
line opened in December 1878, a separate one from Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
to Albert Park
Albert Park, South Australia
Albert Park is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Charles Sturt.-History:Named for Prince Albert, Albert Park was laid out in 1877 by a W.R. Cave. The suburb was advertised as:...
in 1879, Adelaide to Mitcham
Mitcham, South Australia
Mitcham is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Mitcham.Created as a village separate from Adelaide , it was ancillary to a sheep station at Brown Hill Creek belonging to the South Australia Company. Prior to European settlement the area was inhabited by the Kaurna aboriginal people...
and Hindmarsh
Hindmarsh, South Australia
Hindmarsh is an inner urban suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Charles Sturt.-History:The suburb is named after South Australia's first Governor, Sir John Hindmarsh....
in 1881, Walkerville
Walkerville, South Australia
Walkerville is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It lies just north east of the city centre, about 4 kilometres from the Adelaide GPO.-History:Walkerville was named after Captain John Walker R. N...
1882, Burnside
Burnside, South Australia
Burnside is a small suburb that is part of the City of Burnside in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide. It is primarily a residential suburb, and was one of the first suburbs of Adelaide...
, Prospect
Prospect, South Australia
Prospect is a suburb located to the north of the centre of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia.Surrounding suburbs include Kilburn, Fitzroy, and Medindie. Prospect is a middle to upper class suburb of Adelaide...
, Nailsworth
Nailsworth, South Australia
Nailsworth is a suburb located four km north of Adelaide, South Australia. The suburb borders Sefton Park, Prospect, Broadview, Medindie Gardens and Collinswood. The North Road Cemetery is located within the suburb and was founded by Bishop Augustus Short in 1853...
and Enfield
Enfield, South Australia
Enfield is a suburb in Adelaide, Australia. The suburb is about a 10 minute drive north from Adelaide CBD. . The suburb is bordered by Gepps Cross, Blair Athol and Clearview at the Northern end, and Prospect, Sefton Park and Broadview at the Southern end.-History:Enfield was established as a...
in 1883, and Maylands
Maylands, South Australia
Maylands is a suburb of Adelaide located within the City of Norwood Payneham St Peters, and bounded by the main roads Portrush Road and Magill Road.- History :...
in 1892. Various streets were widened especially for the tram lines including Brougham place, North Adelaide by 10 feet (3 m) and Prospect road to a total width of 60 feet (18 m).
All but one line was built in 4 foot 8½ inch (1.435 m) standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
with the exception from Port Adelaide to Albert Park. This line was built in 5 foot 3 inch (1.6 m) broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
to accommodate steam engines, also requiring some of the line to be raised on embankment
Embankment (transportation)
To keep a road or railway line straight or flat, and where the comparative cost or practicality of alternate solutions is prohibitive, the land over which the road or rail line will travel is built up to form an embankment. An embankment is therefore in some sense the opposite of a cutting, and...
s to avoid swampy ground and flooding. There were 74 miles (119 km) of tramlines with 1062 horses and 162 cars by 1901 and isolated lines from Port Adelaide to Albert Park and Glenelg to Brighton, as well as a network joining many suburbs to Adelaide's CBD by 1907.
The network had termini in Henley Beach
Henley Beach, South Australia
Henley Beach is a seaside suburb of Adelaide in the City of Charles Sturt local government area , South Australia.-External links:*...
, Hindmarsh, Prospect, Nailsworth, Paradise
Paradise, South Australia
Paradise is a northeastern suburb of Adelaide in South Australia. It is bounded on the north side by the River Torrens. Amongst its neighboring suburbs are Highbury, Dernancourt, Athelstone, Newton and Campbelltown....
, Magill
Magill, South Australia
Magill is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Burnside and the City of Campbelltown.-History:Magill is a suburb located approximately 7 km from the Adelaide CBD in the eastern suburbs. Magill was first established as the Makgill Estate, owned by two Scots, Robert Cock and William Ferguson,...
, Burnside, Glen Osmond
Glen Osmond, South Australia
Glen Osmond is a small suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Burnside located in the foothills of the Adelaide Hills.-References:...
, Mitcham, Clarence Park
Clarence Park, South Australia
Clarence Park is an inner southern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Unley. Its borders are Mills Street , the Noarlunga railway line , Goodwood Road and Cross Road .-History:Goodwood Park Post Office opened on 27 December 1877, was renamed Goodwood South in...
, Hyde Park
Hyde Park, South Australia
Hyde Park is an inner-southern suburb of Adelaide in the City of Unley.It features King William Road, a popular shopping and dining destination, and Victoria Avenue, a street containing large houses built between the two World Wars....
and Walkerville. To accommodate the specific needs of horses, most streets were left unsealed
Dirt road
Dirt road is a common term for an unpaved road made from the native material of the land surface through which it passes, known to highway engineers as subgrade material. Dirt roads are suitable for vehicles; a narrower path for pedestrians, animals, and possibly small vehicles would be called a...
. The horses' urine
Urine
Urine is a typically sterile liquid by-product of the body that is secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra. Cellular metabolism generates numerous by-products, many rich in nitrogen, that require elimination from the bloodstream...
needed an unsealed surface for absorption and their hooves a soft surface for good traction.
Electric trams
Battery (electricity)
An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
tram fitted with "Julien's Patent Electric Traction" ran in 1889 to Henley Beach. The trial was unsuccessful due to the batteries poor capacity, and the promoters' deaths in a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
accident shortly after precluded further experiments.
As with horse trams, commercial interests pursued government support for the introduction of electric tramways. The most influential was the "Snow scheme", promoted by Francis H. Snow largely on behalf of two London companies, British Westinghouse
British Westinghouse
British Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company was a subsidiary of the American Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. British Westinghouse would become a subsidiary of Metropolitan-Vickers in 1919; and after Metropolitan Vickers merged with British Thomson-Houston in 1929, it...
and Callender's Cable Construction. The scheme involved the purchase of major horse tramways, merging into an electric tramway company with twenty-one years of exclusive running rights. Legislation was passed in 1901, a referendum held in 1902, but the required funds had been spent and the scheme collapsed. Adelaide's council proposed their own scheme backed by different companies, but couldn't raise the required capital, and J.H. Packard promoted various plans of his own devising that also never eventuated.
By 1901 Adelaide's horse trams were seen by the public as a blot on the city's image. With a population of 162,000 the slow speed of the trams, and the lines subsequent low traffic capacity, made them inadequate for public transport needs. The unsealed roads the horses required became quagmires in winter and sources of dust in summer. The 10 pounds of manure each horse left behind daily, was also not well regarded. Under these various pressures the government negotiated to purchase the horse tramway companies. A 28 March 1906 newspaper notice announced that the government had purchased all of the city tramways for £280,000
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
. Bill No.913, passed 22 December 1906, created the Municipal Tramways Trust (MTT) with the authority to build new and purchase existing tramways.
Marino, South Australia
Marino is a suburb in the south of Adelaide, South Australia. It sits on coastal hills overlooking Gulf St Vincent, within the City of Marion Local Government Area. It neighbours Seacliff, Hallett Cove and Kingston Park....
company continued operating separately until its failure in 1914. The government purchased the properties, plant and equipment
Fixed asset
Fixed assets, also known as a non-current asset or as property, plant, and equipment , is a term used in accounting for assets and property which cannot easily be converted into cash. This can be compared with current assets such as cash or bank accounts, which are described as liquid assets...
of existing tramways but did not purchase the companies themselves. The equipment included 162 trams, 22 other vehicles and 1056 horses. By 1909 at the launch of Adelaide's electric tram services there remained 163 horse trams and 650 horses under the control of the MTT.
Due to the time required to electrify the network the MTT continued to run horse trams until 1914. The cost of purchasing the tramways was funded by treasury bills
Government bond
A government bond is a bond issued by a national government denominated in the country's own currency. Bonds are debt investments whereby an investor loans a certain amount of money, for a certain amount of time, with a certain interest rate, to a company or country...
and the act capped total construction costs at £12,000 per mile of track. £457,000 was let in contracts to March 1908 for construction of the tramways, trams, strengthening the Adelaide bridge over the River Torrens
River Torrens
The River Torrens is the most significant river of the Adelaide Plains and was one of the reasons for the siting of the city of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. It flows from its source in the Adelaide Hills near Mount Pleasant, across the Adelaide Plains, past the city centre and empties...
and associated works. The official ceremony starting track construction was in May 1908, with tracks originally laid on Jarrah sleepers.
On Monday 30 November 1908 there were two trial runs, from the MTT's depot on Hackney Road to the nearby Adelaide Botanic Garden
Adelaide Botanic Garden
The Adelaide Botanic Garden is a public garden at the north-east corner of the Adelaide city centre, in the Adelaide Park Lands. It encompasses a fenced garden on North Terrace and behind it the Botanic Park...
and back, the evening trial carrying the Premier and Governor
Governors of South Australia
The Governor of South Australia is the representative in the Australian state of South Australia of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level.In...
. At the official opening ceremony on 9 March 1909, Electric Tram 1 was driven by Mrs. Price, wife of Premier
Premiers of South Australia
Before the 1890s when there was no formal party system in South Australia, MPs tended to have historical liberal or conservative beliefs. The liberals dominated government from 1893 to 1905 with Labor support, with the conservatives mostly in opposition. Labor took government with the support of...
Thomas Price
Thomas Price
Thomas Price was a stonecutter, teacher, lay preacher, businessman, stonemason, clerk-of-works, union secretary, union president and politician...
. Mrs Price opened the tramway and drove the tram from the Hackney Depot to Kensington and back, assisted by the MTT's chief engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
.
Municipal Tramways Trust
The MTT was created in 1906 and became part of the State Transport Authority in 1975. It was created as a tax-exempt body with eight members, mostly by appointed local councils but with some government appointees. They established a 9 acre (3.6 ha) tram depot site near the corner of Hackney Road and Botanic Road with a depot building, twenty-four incoming tracks and a large administration office. William George Toop Goodman was appointed as its first engineer, later general manager and remained as general manager until his 1950 retirement.To cater for family outings the MTT constructed gardens in the current suburb of Kensington Gardens, extending the Kensington line to attract customers. By 1945 the MTT was collecting fares for 95 million trips annually, representing 295 trips per head of population (350,000).
By 1958 the tram network was reduced to just the Glenelg line (see Decline of the network). The MTT continued to operate most of the local bus routes in the inner metropolitan area. In 1975 the services of the MTT became the Bus and Tram division of the State Transport Authority
State Transport Authority (South Australia)
The State Transport Authority was the government agency which controlled public transport within the State of South Australia between 1974 and 1994....
and the MTT ceased to exist.
Electric tram network
At the 1909 opening, 35 miles (56 kilometres) of track had been completed with electricity supplied by the Electric Lighting and Supply Co. The electric tram system ran on 600 VoltVolt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
s DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
supplied at first from two converter stations
Rectifier
A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current , which periodically reverses direction, to direct current , which flows in only one direction. The process is known as rectification...
, No.1 converter station on East Terrace
East Terrace, Adelaide
East Terrace marks the eastern edge of the city centre of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It is one of the main north-south thoroughfares through the east side of the city...
with 2,500 kW
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
of AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
to DC capacity and No.2 station at Thebarton
Thebarton, South Australia
Thebarton is a suburb of the city of Adelaide, South Australia. The suburb is bounded by the River Torrens to the north, Port Road and Bonython Park to the east, Kintore Street to the south, and South Road to the west....
with a capacity of 900 kW. To cope with variable loads on the system, very large storage lead–acid batteries were installed, the initial one at East Terrace comprising 293 cells and a 50 ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
tank of sulphuric acid
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
.
The Adelaide-Glenelg
Glenelg Tram
The Glenelg Tram is a route from the centre of Adelaide, South Australia to the beach-side suburb of Glenelg. It is Adelaide's only remaining tramway, running at approximately 15-minute intervals, and is part of the integrated Adelaide Metro public transport network...
line was, from 1873, a broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
steam railway that ran at street level into Victoria Square
Victoria Square, Adelaide
Victoria Square is a public square in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. The square is in the centre of the city's grid of one square mile, and was named by the Street Naming Committee on 23 May 1837 after Princess Victoria, heir presumptive of the British throne. Less than a month later the...
. Originally privately owned it was taken over by the South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
then transferred to the MTT in 1927. The line was closed to be rebuilt to standard gauge, electrified at 600 Volts DC and converted to tramway operation, reopening in late 1929.
The Port Adelaide line, which until that time had still used horse trams, began to be converted to electric operation in 1914 and opened 3 April 1917 A line from Magill to Morialta opened in 1915 for weekend tourist traffic with only a single return service on weekdays. The line ran in the valley of 4th creek, a tributary of the River Torrens
River Torrens
The River Torrens is the most significant river of the Adelaide Plains and was one of the reasons for the siting of the city of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. It flows from its source in the Adelaide Hills near Mount Pleasant, across the Adelaide Plains, past the city centre and empties...
, across farmland and along unmade and ungazetted roads.
All services on the Morialta line were replaced by buses in 1956. The last tram line built in Adelaide was the Erindale
Erindale, South Australia
Erindale is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Burnside. It is on the east side of Glynburn Road, where it borders Leabrook.-References:...
line which opened in early 1944. At maximum extent the lines connected Adelaide with the sea at Henley Beach, Grange and Glenelg, reached the base of the Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The...
at Morialta
Morialta Conservation Park
Morialta Conservation Park is a public reserve 10 km north-east of Adelaide, in the state of South Australia, Australia. The park is in a rugged bush environment, with a narrow gorge set with three waterfalls, bounded by steep ridges and cliffs...
and Mitcham and had Northern and Southern limits of Kilburn
Kilburn, South Australia
Kilburn is a suburb located in the north of Adelaide, South Australia. The suburb borders Blair Athol, Gepps Cross, Wingfield, Regency Park and Prospect. Kilburn shares the same postcode as Blair Athol which is 5084.-Education:...
and Colonel Light Gardens
Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia
Colonel Light Gardens is a model garden suburb, featuring wide, tree-lined streets, rounded street corners, and lots of open space, located within the City of Mitcham in the greater City of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. The area is 1.58 km²....
.
Electric tram types
From 1908 to 1909, a hundred electric trams were manufactured by Duncan and Fraser of Adelaide at a cost of approximately £100 each. Up to its last tram purchase in 1953, the MTT commissioned over three hundred electric trams, some of which have been kept in service for over seventy-five years. TransAdelaideTransAdelaide
TransAdelaide was a publicly owned corporation which provided suburban train and tram services in Adelaide, South Australia, under contract to the Government of South Australia....
, the publicly owned company now operating Adelaide trams, began introducing a new class of trams in January 2006 in the form of the Bombardier Flexity Classic. Another new series of trams (Alstom Citadis) started to enter service in December 2009.
| Designation | Known as | Tram numbers | First used | Last used | Seating/crush load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type A | California combination | 1-30,61-100 | 1909 | 1952 | 40/101 |
| Type B | Open crossbench (toastrack) | 31-60 | 1909 | 1930s | 50/102 |
| Type E | Bogie open combination | 101-120 | 1910 | 1936 | 54/152 |
| Type D | Bogie closed combination | 121-170, 191-194 | 1911 | 1954 | 50/152 |
| Type A1 | California combination | 44-60 | 1917 | 1950 | 40/101 |
| Type A2 | Tank cars | 41-43 | 1917 | 1935 | 40/101 |
| Type C | Desert gold | 171-190 | 1918 | 1954 | 40/102 |
| Type F | Dropcentre | 201-250 | 1922 | 1958 | 60/170 |
| Type F1 | Dropcentre | 251-284 | 1925 | 1958 | 60/170 |
| Type G | Birney Birney A Birney or Birney Safety Car is a type of streetcar that was manufactured in the United States in the 1910s and 1920s. The design was small and light and was intended to be an economical means of providing frequent service at a lower infrastructure and labor cost than conventional streetcars... safety car |
301-304 | 1925 | 1935 | 32/80 |
| Type H | Glenelg tram | 351-380 | 1929 | 5 in service (2008) | 64/170 |
| Type E1 | Bogie saloon | 101-120 | 1936 | 1958 | 49/152 |
| Type H1 | (prototype) | 381 | 1953 | 1957 | 52/184 |
| Type 100 (see note) | Flexity Classic Flexity Classic The Flexity Classic is a model of light-rail tram manufactured by Bombardier. Although it is marketed as the most traditionally-designed member of the Flexity family, it is nevertheless a modern bi-directional articulated tram with a low-floor section allowing improved accessibility, especially to... |
101-111, 103* | 2006 | 11 in service (2008) | 64/115 |
| Type 200 | Citadis Citadis The Citadis is a low-floor tram built by Alstom in La Rochelle, France, and Barcelona, Spain. 1,140 Citadis are currently in use in 28 cities, among others: Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Orléans, the Paris area, and Barcelona, Dublin, Gdańsk, Katowice, Adelaide, Melbourne, Jerusalem and... |
201-206 | 2009 | 6 in service (2010) | 54/186 |
*The original 103 was damaged during shipping from Germany. In its damaged form, it is now held for parts at TransAdelaide's Glengowrie depot. The replacement 103 was the final tram that was delivered, and is now in service.
Type 100 Note: The Type 100 trams are occasionally referred to a S type trams due to their resemblance to VGF's S class trams in use in Frankfurt am Main or NGT8 trams which is the designation used in Dortmund
Dortmund
Dortmund is a city in Germany. It is located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 585,045 makes it the 7th largest city in Germany and the 34th largest in the European Union....
*The 6 Citadis trams in Adelaide were originally purchased for use in Madrid by Mintra/MetroLigero for use on their system as part of an order for 70 Citadis trams. At the time of arrival, these 6 cars (along with several others) were deemed surplus to requirements and were placed in store from new. TransAdelaide acquired 6 cars (originally numbered 165 - 170) and were subsequently shipped to Australia and renumbered 201 - 206 in the TransAdelaide fleet.
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Type A
Type A trams were the most common on the newly opened lines with seventy of the initial hundred trams made in this single truck combination style. They incorporated a closed central saloon and open crossbenches on the same tram. Capable of up to 22 mi/h, they had a seating capacity of twenty in the saloons with an additional twenty in the open benches. The bodies were made by Duncan and Fraser, who had built horse tram cars for the AS&T as well as bodies of electric trams for Melbourne serviceTrams in Melbourne
The Melbourne tramway network is a major form of public transport in Melbourne, the capital city of the state of Victoria, Australia. , the network consisted of of track, 487 trams, 28 routes, and 1,773 tram stops. It was therefore the largest urban tramway network in the world, ahead of the...
. All 70 A type trams were originally fitted with Brill Winner style seats in the saloon section but in 1937, 20 cars (numbers unknown) had their seats replaced with Hale Kilburn fixed rattan seats, removed out of the 20 C type cars. The removed A type seats were then fitted into the C type trams. These trams were never fitted with airbrakes throughout their service lives and instead used a handbrake for normal use and a magnetic track brake for emergency use.
On 9 March 1909 the first type A was the lead car in the procession at the tramway systems official opening. From 1917, 6 A type trams were used on the isolated Port Adelaide system which closed in 1935. During the last part of 1936, tram 100 was briefly renumbered 100A, E1 type tram 101 having been temporarily renumbered 100 for its part in the South Australian Centenary celebrations in 1936 (more details in the E1 type section). A type 100 had its original number restored soon after. Most were removed from the lines and stored in the 1930s, returning to service in 1941 due to petrol rationing increasing passenger numbers. Fifty-eight were permanently joined in "Bib and Bub" (named after comic characters by May Gibbs
May Gibbs
Cecilia May Gibbs MBE was an Australian children's author, illustrator, and cartoonist. She is best-known for her gumnut babies , and the book Snugglepot and Cuddlepie....
) pairs to conserve manpower and used this way until 1950. Although the bib and bub pairs still required a conductor per tram to collect fares, they needed only one driver per pair resulting in a twenty-five percent reduction in labour. All type As were withdrawn from service by May 1952, with the formerly coupled trams being the last to go. Tram 30 was withdrawn from service three months earlier in February 1952 after sustaining accident damage. Many were sold for use as shacks, although trams 10, 69 and 92 had been sold in 1936 to the State Electricity Commission of Victoria
State Electricity Commission of Victoria
The State Electricity Commission of Victoria was a monopoly electricity generation, transmission and supply utility located in Victoria, Australia...
.
The 58 A type trams that were coupled into the 'Bib and Bub' sets were formed as follows:
1/2, 4/5, 6/12, 8/9, 11/13, 14/16, 17/18, 19/20, 21/23, 22/24, 25/26, 27/28, 29/30, 61/64, 62/65, 66/68, 70/72, 71/74, 73/75, 76/78, 77/79, 80/81, 82/83, 84/86, 85/88, 87/89, 90/91, 94/95, 97/98.
| Introduced | 1908–1909 |
| Builder | Duncan and Fraser |
| Weight | 10.90tons |
| Height | 10' 9½" |
| Length | 33' 5" |
| Width | 8' 10" |
| Truck type | Brill 21E |
| Traction motor type | (2x) Westinghouse 204 |
| HP per motor | 33 hp per motor |
| Type of controller | Westinghouse T1C |
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Type A1
Seventeen B type 'toastrack' trams were rebuilt by Duncan and Fraser (though it is believed that car 45 was rebuilt in house by the MTT at Hackney Workshops) were converted into A1 type 'California Combination' trams, similar to the A and later C types although the ends didn't drop down on the A1s. They were converted primarily for the isolated Port Adelaide tram system which was run by the MTT and ran between 1917 and 1935. These trams retained their previous B type numbers (refer to fleet table above). All cars had Hale Kilburn fixed rattan seating in the saloon except for car 44 which had wooden seats running along the sides of the saloon. Wooden seating was fitted to the open ends and these cars had the same passenger capacity (seated as well as 'crush load') as the A type. These trams were never fitted with airbrakes throughout their service lives and instead used a handbrake for normal use and a magnetic track brake for emergency use.All of these cars entered service on the Port Adelaide tram system from 1917 and ran in service there until final closure of the system in 1935. Several were withdrawn from service after closure and were stored in Port Adelaide depot, then transferred to Hackney Depot/Workshops until they were scrapped. After closure of the Port Adelaide system, a few A1 type trams managed to see quite varied 'inoperable' use by the MTT. Car 44 was used as a first aid room at Hackney Depot between 1946 and 1961. Cars 45, 48 and 52 were used as store rooms at Hackney Workshops to house the spare parts originally ordered for the proposed H1 fleet, a 'service' they finished in 1954. Car 47 was used as a lunch room at Hackney Workshops while car 50 was partly converted into a 'driver instruction' car in the early 1950s. The work involved mounting the body of car 50 onto the underframe and running gear of sprinkler car S2. This work was however never completed. A few of the A1 type trams managed to see further service after the closure of the Port Adelaide system and were transferred to the main system. Like the A type, 4 A1 type trams were converted into coupled sets known as 'Bib and Bub' sets. The trams involved were 55/56 and 57/58. These cars were the last A1 type trams to be withdrawn from service in November 1950 along with the sets of A type trams not converted back into single car operation. They were subsequently scrapped.
| Introduced | 1917 |
| Rebuilt by | Duncan and Fraser |
| Weight | 10.90 tons |
| Height | 10' 9⅝" |
| Length | 32' 6" |
| Width | 8' 5" |
| Truck type | Brill 21E |
| Traction motor type | (2x) Westinghouse 204 |
| HP per motor | 33 hp per motor |
| Type of controller | Westinghouse T1C |
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Type A2
The A2 type trams were again converted from B type 'toast rack' trams and also entered service on the Port Adelaide tram system in 1917, although the conversion work was this time undertaken in house by the MTT at Hackney Workshops. Unlike the A1 type which had traditional wooden sides, the A2 type trams had flat steel plates fitted and rivetted to the sides forming the saloon. Unlike the A, A1 and C types, the A2s had three large windows instead of 5 as per the other types. Despite the different body work for the saloon section, the seating and standing capacity for these trams were the same as the A, A1 and C types. These trams were never fitted with airbrakes throughout their service lives and instead used a handbrake for normal use and a magnetic track brake for emergency use.The A2 type were introduced for service onto the Port Adelaide system in 1917 and ran until closure of the system in the 1930s. However, they were transferred to Hackney Workshops where they remained until 1946. During that year, the bodies of 41 and 43 were sold (and eventually found their way to the Fleurieu Peninsula, where they reportedly still remain) but 42 was retained at Hackney Workshops so it could store advertising material. It remained in this capacity until 1958 when it was made available to the AETM (St Kilda Tramway Museum) for eventual restoration. It has since been rebuilt into its original B type configuration.
| Introduced | 1917 |
| Rebuilt by | MTT Hackney Workshops |
| Weight | 10.90 tons |
| Height | 10' 9½" |
| Length | 32' 6" |
| Width | 8' 6" |
| Truck type | Brill 21E |
| Traction motor type | (2x) Westinghouse 204 |
| HP per motor | 33 hp per motor |
| Type of controller | Westinghouse T1C |
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Type B
Thirty of the initial trams became known as Toast rackToast rack
A toast rack or toastrack is a serving piece having vertical partitions connected to a flat base, used for holding slices of toast...
trams due to their open structure. They were open trams with passengers seated on cross-benches, and no weather protection on the cars' sides. Duncan and Fraser built them with summer excursions in mind but they had limited utility due to the lack of weather proofing. These trams were never fitted with airbrakes throughout their service lives and instead used a handbrake for normal use and a magnetic track brake for emergency use.
Twenty of the cars were converted to combination trams in 1917 and redesignated as types A1 and A2. B type 38 was rebuilt in 1929 as a ballast motor for use on the Glenelg line conversion. The rebuild involved removal of the entire body work and most of the end cabins with the trolley pole mounted on a steel pole in the middle of the now all flat deck. All type B, A1 or A2 cars, except for trams 38 and 42, were withdrawn from service in 1936 and scrapped in 1946. Some vehicles (including 42) found other uses around Hackney depot such as store rooms and even as a fuel tank in the case of B 38 which was converted to that use after some years as a ballast motor.
| Introduced | 1909 |
| Builder | Duncan and Fraser |
| Weight | 10.61 tons |
| Height | 10' 9⅝" |
| Length | 32' 6" |
| Width | 8' 5" |
| Truck type | Brill 21E |
| Traction motor type | (2x) Westinghouse 204 |
| HP per motor | 33 hp per motor |
| Type of controller | Westinghouse T1C |
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Type E
Due to public antipathy to imported trams, type E trams were built by J.G. Brill & Co in Philadelphia, United States, then imported in parts and assembled by Pengelley & Co of Adelaide from 1910 to 1912. They were partially open trams with passengers sitting on cross bench seats and a closed saloon at one end. As combination trams, the E type could carry 54 seated passengers with a total 'crush load' of 150. In 1918, all 20 E type cars were remotored with more powerful GE 201 traction motors (rated at 65 hp each) replacing the original GE 202 units (rated at 50 hp each). The original traction motors were used in the construction of the 20 C type 'Desert Gold' cars which were being built at the same time.Their main use was on the Glen Osmond and St Peters routes, also taking picnic parties to Burnside and Magill. Type E trams were rebuilt into type E1 in 1936. Tram 118 was acquired by the St Kilda Tramway Museum as an E1 type but is currently being converted back to its original E type configuration as well as being returned to operational order.
| Introduced | 1910–1912 |
| Builder | A. Pengelley & Co. |
| Weight | 14.50 tons |
| Height | 11' 7" |
| Length | 43" 0' |
| Width | 7' 8¾" |
| Truck type | Brill 22E |
| Traction motor type | (2x) General Electric 202 (as built), (2x) General Electric 201 |
| HP per motor | 50 hp per motor (GE 202), 65 hp per motor (GE 201) |
| Type of controller | General Electric B23F |
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Type E1
When converted from Type E trams, the crossbenches were removed and the saloon extended the entire car length. The original timber saloon seats were transferred to the newly converted saloon section while the original saloon received new upholstered seating. One of the original crossbenches (attached to the motorman's bulkhead) was retained after conversion. As before conversion, these trams were used mainly on the Glen Osmond and St Peters routes. Tram 101 was temporarily renumbered 100, painted in ivory and gold, and used in the 1936 South Australian centenary celebrations.| Introduced | 1936 |
| Rebuilt by | MTT Hackney Workshops |
| Weight | 15.80 tons |
| Height | 11' 7" |
| Length | 43" 0' |
| Width | 7' 8¾" |
| Truck type | Brill 22E |
| Traction motor type | (2x) General Electric 201 |
| HP per motor | 65 hp per motor |
| Type of controller | General Electric B23F |
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Type D
Similar to Type E with crossbenches and a saloon, type D trams also had sliding doors at the end of the benches giving weather protection. Four similar cars were built in 1912 for the Prahan & Malvern Tramways Trust, Melbourne, on sold to the Hawthorn Tramways TrustMelbourne & Metropolitan Tramways Board
The Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board or MMTB was an authority that was responsible for the tram network in Melbourne, Australia between 1919 and 1983...
then purchased by the MTT in 1925 becoming trams 191-194. After injuries to conductors
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
collecting fares while standing on the footboards, a centre isle was cut through the centre bulkhead and four of the six crossbench seats of the trams in 1934. Trams 191-194 had been similarly modified in Melbourne prior to their purchase by the MTT.
| Introduced | 1910–1912 |
| Builder | A. Pengelley & Co. |
| Weight | 16.30 tons (121-125 and 191-194), 15.80 tons (126-170) |
| Height | 11' 7" |
| Length | 43' 0' |
| Width | 7' 8¾" |
| Truck type | Brill 22E |
| Traction motor type | (2x) General Electric 201 (121-125 and 191-194), (2x) Dick Kerr 11B (126-170) |
| HP per motor | 65 hp per motor (GE 201), 50 hp per motor (Dick Kerr 11B) |
| Type of controller | General Electric B23F (121-125), Westinghouse T1F (126-170), General Electric B23D (191-194) |
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Type C
A planned purchase of large trams was delayed by World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Type C trams were small combination cars, built in 1918–1919 as an interim measure. They were similar in basic design to the older A type but had a more modern curved roof rather than a clerestory roof. During their construction, the old motors from the E type (General Electric 202 motors) were fitted to these new trams. Rated at 50 hp each compared to the 33 hp units fitted to the A types, these trams were considerably faster.
Due to the their consequent higher speeds they became known as Desert Gold
Desert Gold
Desert Gold was a famous and successful New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who raced at the time of World War I. She raced in Australia and New Zealand, winning 36 races, including a still-standing record of 19 in succession ....
trams, after a New Zealand racehorse that had won races in Australia at the same time. This speed became useful in competition against unlicensed buses in the 1920s, and they were used in peak service until 1952 with the last use for the royal visit of 1954. Trams 181 to 190 inclusive were allocated to the Port Adelaide system for a short period in the 1930s before closure of the system, mainly used on the Port Adelaide - Albert Park line. During the 1930s, the original Hale Kilburn seating fitted to these trams were replaced with Brill Winner seats taken out of 20 A type trams (numbers unknown).
| Introduced | 1918–1919 |
| Builder | Duncan and Fraser |
| Weight | 11.20 tons |
| Height | 10' 5" |
| Length | 34' 0" |
| Width | 8' 11" |
| Truck type | Brill 21E |
| Traction motor type | (2x) General Electric 202 |
| HP per motor | 50 hp per motor |
| Type of controller | Westinghouse T1F |
One of the Type C Trams has found a home at Port Parham and been in the possession of the Jenkin family since the 1950s. Its number was 190. It retains many of the fittings internally. Photo taken and provided by Michael Jenkin. This is an infrared photo.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5254/5501240462_b7ce578ef3_b_d.jpg
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Types F and F1
The F and later F1 type trams were built between 1921 and 1929 were mostly by Pengelley & Co with three F1 type trams being built 'in house' by the Municipal Tramways Trust at Hackney Workshops. The F series trams being built from 1921 to 1925 with the F1 series being built from 1925 to 1929. These trams became known as 'Drop Centres' since the centre section of the tram had been lowered in height to ease boarding and alighting. They were the first trams to be fitted with airbrakes in Adelaide and were designed so that six streams of passengers could board or alight at the same time, with a large capacity and reportedly comfortable ride. The F and F1 series trams were the most common trams used in Adelaide from their introduction to the closure of the main tram network with a total of 84 of the drop centre trams built for use in Adelaide. The main difference between the two types lay in the construction of the underframe, with the F types having a combined steel and timber frame construction while the later F1 type having an all-steel underframe. There were other variations in the fleet which will be detailed later on.With such a number of trams in service, it should come as no surprise that a number of detail variations occurred in the fleet, only the main variations are listed here. In 1929, cars 274 and 275 were fitted with additional air brake pipes for use in hauling the horse transport cars between the City and Morphettville Racecourse on the Glenelg line. These airpipes were later removed, most possibly after the suspension of the horse transport service in 1936. As originally built, all the drop centre trams were built with General Electric PC5L2 and later PC5K2 control equipment (except for nos 251 - 261 which had English Electric control equipment). However, in 1952–1953, cars 259, 260 and 261 had their English Electric control gear replaced with General Electric control gear. At the same time, 251 - 258 and 264 had English Electric controllers of a different type fitted. The original control gear from 264 ended up in the solitary H1 car, 381.
While all 84 cars had completely timber seats in the drop centre section, the enclosed saloons had several different styles of seating. Cars 201-261 all had rattan seating in the saloons except for 250. All these cars except for 250 had imitation leather seating fitted after 1946. 250 and 262 had moquette seating. 263-284 had wooden seating fitted.
From October 1953, a number of F and F1 type trams were repainted from Tuscan and Cream livery into Carnation Red and Silver. The trams repainted were 201-204, 213, 216, 218-219, 224-225, 227-231, 246, 248, 254, 256-257, 260-261, 264-265, 267-269, 271-279, 283 and 284. Cars 224, 255 and 262 all had minor variations to the livery. Most (though not all) of the repainted cars had an emergency exit door fitted behind the motorman's compartment reducing the seating capacity in these trams from 60 to 56. A few un repainted cars were also fitted with these doors.
Cars 201-262 had been fitted with Brill 77E2 type trucks and 263-284 had been fitted with cast Commonwealth Steel type trucks. However, by the final year of operations in 1958, F type cars 234, 245 and 249 had been retrucked with the Commonwealth Steel type trucks taken off of 266, 284 and 263, the retrucked Fs taking the F1 numbers in that order. By this time, most of the original F type cars had been withdrawn from service. The F1 type tram was the last type of tram to see service on the main Adelaide street tramway system with F1 269 making the final run to Cheltenham and return on November 22, 1958, Adelaide tramway operations ceasing that night with the exception of the Glenelg line.
| Introduced | 1921–1925 (F type), 1925–1929 (F1 type) |
| Builder | A. Pengelley & Co. and MTT Hackney Workshops (262, 283 and 284 only) |
| Weight | 19.64 tons (201-225), 19.70 tons (226-250), 20.01 (251-262) and 20.10 (263-284) |
| Height | 10' 6" |
| Length | 49' 0" |
| Width | 8' 10" |
| Truck type | Brill 77E2 (201-262), Commonwealth Steel (263-284) |
| Traction motor type | (4x) General Electric 247B (201-225), (4x) Dick Kerr 84B (226-262), (4x) Dick Kerr 105F (263-284) |
| HP per motor | 40 hp per motor (GE 247B, 201-225), 50 hp per motor (DK 84B, 226-250), 40 hp per motor (DK 84B, 251-262), 50 hp per motor (DK 105F, 263-284) |
| Type of controller | General Electric PC5E1 (201-225), General Electric PC5L2 (226-250), English Electric (251-261), General Electric PC5L2 (263-284) |
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Type G
As a means of more economic operation over the lightly patronized Port Adelaide system, four 'Birney Safety Cars' were constructed by J.G. Brill and were imported complete by the Municipal Tramways Trust. Numbered 301 to 304, this small class of four trams were built with features such as folding doors and steps as well as being the only trams in Adelaide able to be operated by one man (thereby doing away with the need for a conductor). These were the only trams built new for the Port Adelaide system, the other trams in the fleet allocated to Port Adelaide being either transferred from the main system or converted from the B type toast rack trams (into A1 and A2 types). Until the arrival of the Flexity and Citadis trams over 80 years later, these were also the only trams in Adelaide to be entirely constructed overseas. Introduced into service from December 1925, these four trams only ran on the Port Adelaide system for 10 years before the system was completely closed in July 1935.In January and February 1936, the four were sold to the State Electricity Commission of Victoria for use in Geelong
Geelong, Victoria
Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, south-west of the state capital; Melbourne. It is the second most populated city in Victoria and the fifth most populated non-capital city in Australia...
and were renumbered 27 to 30 in the SEC Geelong fleet and joined two other Birney trams acquired from new for use in Geelong making 6 in all there. In 1947, the four former Adelaide 'Birney' trams were transferred to Bendigo
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
to operate on the tramway system there, also owned by the State Electricity Commission. The two Geelong 'Birney' cars were also transferred to Bendigo arriving in 1949. While in service in Bendigo, these trams ran in revenue service until 1972 when the system was closed down, with part of the track retained by the Bendigo Trust for tourist operation. All 6 of the 'Birney' trams that made it to Victoria have all been preserved in operational condition with former Adelaide tram 303 returning to South Australia in 1976.
| MTT number: | SEC number: |
|---|---|
| 301 | 30 |
| 302 | 29 |
| 303 | 27 |
| 304 | 28 |
| Introduced | 1924 |
| Builder | J.G.Brill & Co. |
| Weight | 7.6 tons |
| Height | 10' 1¾" |
| Length | 28' 1/2" |
| Width | 7' 9½" |
| Truck type | Brill 79E1 |
| Traction motor type | (2x) General Electric 264A |
| HP per motor | 25 hp per motor |
| Type of controller | General Electric K63 |
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Type H
Known as Glenelg trams, The Hs are a long rigid body tram that is end loading with a full length saloon and were built by Pengelley and Co in 1929 specifically for the Glenelg line, they commenced operations on 14 December 1929. Incredibly, 4 of the cars remained in limited heritage service on the Glenelg line at the start of 2009, nearly 80 years after they were introduced. They also saw service on the Henley North, Kensington Gardens and Cheltenham routes until their closure. They were built with Tomlinson automatic couplers and were also fitted with General Electric PC5L2 control gear and could be operated in multiple, either in pairs or until 1937, as triple car sets. After a few years in service, they were also fitted with air horns. Although specifically designed for use on the Glenelg line, the H type trams saw service from 1935 on the Henley North line and then on the Kensington line from 1952.A total of 30 H cars were built for service on the Glenelg line with the first cars (351 and 352) being run under trial for the first time in October 1929, these two cars opening the line on December 14, 1929. Until February 1937, some services on the line were run with triple car sets until an accident at Grovene (now called Glengowrie) which saw the practice discontinued.
During the 1930s, 5 H type were experimentally fitted with pantographs of 5 different patterns. 376 was fitted with a Simens Schukert pantograph, 377 was fitted with a Fischer bow collector, 378 was fitted with an ASEA pantograph, 379 was fitted with a Metropolitan Vickers pantograph and 380 was fitted with an English Electric pantograph. The pantographs on 376, 379 and 380 were all fitted on a small pantograph tower while 377 and 378 had their pantographs mounted on the roof itself. During the experiments, the pantographs were only used on the reserve track section which at the time was fitted with a railway like caternary overhead system rather than the traditional tramway style overhead used on the rest of the system. Because the overhead at the time was not staggered to suit pantograph operation, the pantographs fitted all suffered from uneven wear and as a result the experiment ceased. Ironically, all the surviving H type trams were fitted with pantographs 50 years later in October 1986.
The next major round of changes to the H types occurred in the 1950s, starting in c.1952 with a repainting of most of the fleet from the traditional Tuscan and Red to a new Carnation Red and Silver livery with an Ashbury Green interior which had been completed by the end of the decade. The first H types to be withdrawn from service were also taken out of service during the time (352 in December 1957 and the first 380 in May 1959. 351 was renumbered 380 at this time). This was the first in a series of renumberings of the H cars, designed to keep a consecutively numbered fleet for rostering purposes (i.e. 363-364 or 371-372). A table of the renumbered cars is listed further down. During 1956, the entire fleet had their original Dick Kerr motors replaced with English Electric motors originally intended for the H1 fleet. In 1968, 366 and 377 (original numbers) were scrapped with cars 353 and 354 renumbered to replace them (refer to renumbering table further below) with the result that the H type fleet had been reduced to 26 cars.
From 1971 onwards, cars 351, 357, 358, (2nd)363, (2nd)366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, (2nd)377, 379 and 380 were all refurbished and repainted into their original Tuscan and Cream livery except for 363 and 364 which originally entered service after refurbishment in an experimental Carnation Red and Grey livery in 1971. These two were repainted into Tuscan and Cream in 1973. Most of these cars had their original varnished timber interior restored as well although there were a few variations in the refurbishment program. 377 was also repainted into a one off black and gold livery to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Glenelg line in 1979. 377 retained this livery for a few years afterwards. 380 was also briefly repainted in 1979 into a special livery by a number of Glenelg area students as part of the SA schools 'Come out' festival of that year.
During the 1980s, most of the remaining unrefurbished cars (355, 356, 360, 362 and 378) were disposed of bringing the operating fleet down to 21 cars. In October 1986, along with the opening of a new tram depot at Glengowrie, 369 became the first car to be fitted with a pantograph on a permanent basis after the overhead had been altered to suit. All the other cars in the fleet were subsequently fitted pantographs as well as roller bearings on the trucks replacing the old plain bearings. For a short period after the installation of pantographs, a trolley pole was retained at one end 'just in case' but was finally removed soon afterwards. In 1987, the last of the silver trams (361) was refurbished under a new program which introduced a few more modern features to the cars. Eventually, 10 H types were refurbished under the new program (357, 358, 361, 364, 365, 368, 369, 371, 372 and 373).
Interestingly, 378 which had previously been disposed of in 1986 was repurchased and refurbished for use as a restaurant tram and was launched on November 1, 1990 as the 'Adelaide Tram Car Restaurant' was run by a private operator. This was not successful and the tram was later purchased by TransAdelaide and renamed 'Grand Lady'. Like the private operator, the operation was not a success under TransAdelaide but the tram was retained but very rarely used. It was last seen on the mainline in 2001. It spent a number of years stored under a tarpaulin at the back of Glengowrie depot and in 2006 was sold to the South Australian History Trust who made the tram available to the St Kilda Tramway Museum. It has since been run on occasions but still requires some restoration work.
In 2001 and 2002, cars 351, 367, 370, 374 and 380 were again refurbished to the extent of a complete rebuild. New modern chopper controls were added replacing the original GE PC5L2 control gear. As of 2007 these five restored trams still saw service for weekend, public holiday and charter trips. With an in service operational life of 80 years, these five trams are the oldest public transport vehicles still in service in Australia (although 374 hasn't been in service since 2004 after sustaining some underframe damage). With the purchase of replacement trams, sixteen H class trams were disposed of with some sold, for a total of $65,000, and the remainder donated. They were destined for uses as varied as a restaurant, an attraction at a bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
boarding house
Boarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
and a tourism display at Glenelg, Adelaide.
| First number: | Second number: | Third number: | Fourth number: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 351 | 359 (1959) | 380 (1960) | 351 (1979) |
| 353 | 377 (1968) | ||
| 354 | 366 (1968) | ||
| 359 | 380 (1960) | ||
| 361 | 363 (1971) | ||
| 363 | 361 (1971) | ||
| Introduced | 1929 |
| Builder | A. Pengelley & Co. |
| Weight | 23.1 tons |
| Height | 11' 9⅝" |
| Length | 56' 4" |
| Width | 8' 6½" |
| Truck type | Commonwealth Steel |
| Traction motor type | (4x) Dick Kerr 1089 (as built), English Electric 308 (remotored) |
| HP per motor | 60 hp per motor (Dick Kerr 1089), 65 hp per motor (English Electric 308) |
| Type of controller | General Electric PC5L2 |
----
Type H1
Until the arrival of the Flexity trams in 2005, H1 type car 381 was the most modern tram in Adelaide. Although the design dated from 1939, the Second World War caused a postponement of construction until 1952. Originally part of an order for 40 H1 type cars, 381 was just completed by JA Lawton & Sons of Adelaide when the reconstitution of the MTT caused cancellation of the remaining thirty-nine cars. A partly constructed 382 was scrapped before it was completed as a result of the change in policy. Like the H type upon which 381 was based on, it was fitted with PC5L2 type controllers although in this case, they were taken out of F1 type tram 264 (more details to be found in the F1 type section). Originally fitted with a standard link and pin type coupler, 381 was later fitted with a Tomlinson automatic style coupler (although it was not able to operate in multiple with the H type). Power operated doors were also fitted.381 ran its first trial run on January 22, 1953 and entered service the following month. For most of its short operational life, 381 was used on the Kensington and Henley North lines (which were through routed the same year 381 was built). 381 was also the last tram to operate over the Kensington line before closure in February 1957. It was withdrawn from revenue service in December 1957 when it was stored at Hackney Depot/Workshops. In June 1958, it was then moved to City Depot on Angas Street. In May 1959, it was again moved for further storage, this time to the permanent way depot at Maylands where it remained until 1965 when it was donated to the St Kilda Tramway Museum. As a result, it has spent many more years in preservation then it did in revenue service.
| Introduced | 1952 |
| Builder | J. A. Lawton |
| Weight | 26 tons |
| Height | 11' 1⅞" |
| Length | 56' 4" |
| Width | 8' 6½" |
| Truck type | Commonwealth Steel |
| Traction motor type | (4x) English Electric 308 |
| HP per motor | 65 hp per motor |
| Type of controller | General Electric PC5L2 |
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Flexity Classic / Type 100 / Type I
Beginning in January 2006, 30 metres (98 ft) long, articulated, low-floor Flexity ClassicFlexity Classic
The Flexity Classic is a model of light-rail tram manufactured by Bombardier. Although it is marketed as the most traditionally-designed member of the Flexity family, it is nevertheless a modern bi-directional articulated tram with a low-floor section allowing improved accessibility, especially to...
Light Rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
vehicles, built by Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
in Germany, began operation. Eleven trams were ordered at a total cost of $58 million to replace most of the then seventy-seven-year-old H class on the Glenelg line. Bombardier won the supply tender against one other bidder, receiving an initial order for nine trams in September 2004., another two Flexity trams were ordered for use on the Victoria Square to City West extension, opened in October 2007. Several of the earlier Flexity cars were unloaded at Outer Harbor in Adelaide while the later deliveries were shipped to Melbourne and offloaded there before being road hauled to Adelaide. Flexity 111 was noted running evaluation trips around parts of the Melbourne tram network before delivery to Adelaide. Station platforms were lowered to match the new trams lower floors, and some of the track and sleepers replaced to provide a smoother ride. There have been problems with the tram's airconditioning systems, during Adelaide's very hot summer weather, but these were rectified with engineering changes to the trams.
Classification of the trams has been controversial. The trams are generally referred to as Flexities or Flexity type by TransAdelaide, although are also referred to as type 100 (from their fleet numbers) or the I type following on from the MTT classification system. Other classifications by using designations in use on other systems with Flexity Classic trams, including S Class (VGF, Frankfurt), M06 (Norrköping) and NGT8 (Dortmund) have also been used.
By 2008 the state government was considering lengthening the trams, instead of purchasing more, to accommodate increasing passenger numbers. In September 2008, an order was placed with Bombardier for an additional 4 Flexity classic trams to be used on the City West to Adelaide Entertainment Centre section. These have been numbered 112–115. Despite being a fairly new class of tram, there have already been a couple of variations, most notably the constantly changing 'all over advertising' that changes the appearance of the tram quite considerably. Vehicle 102 has also had traditional leather hand holds installed instead of rubber hand holds which are fitted to the rest of the fleet.
| Introduced | 2006 |
| Builder | Bombardier |
| Weight | 40 tonnes |
| Height | 3,500mm |
| Length | 30,000mm |
| Width | 2,400mm |
| Truck type | Bombardier, pivoted |
| Traction motor type | Bombardier |
| HP per motor | (4x) 105 kW |
| Type of controller | Bombardier |
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Citadis 302 / Type 200 / Type J
The newest trams in Adelaide are six Alstom Citadis (model 302) trams which were purchased second hand from the Spanish city of MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. Compared to the Flexity Classic trams already in service, they have a higher 'crush loading' (186 compared with 115) but 10 fewer seats. They are also 2 metres longer and are formed of five articulated sections rather than three.
Originally built as part of an order for seventy Alstom Citadis trams by Spanish operator MetroLigero for service in Madrid, six Citadis trams were acquired by TransAdelaide for service on the Glenelg line as well as to provide services for the new line to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Adelaide Entertainment Centre
The Adelaide Entertainment Centre is an indoor arena located in the South Australian capital of Adelaide, and is used for sporting and entertainment events. It is the principal venue for concerts, events and attractions for audiences between 2,000 and 12,000. It is located on Port Road in the...
. Although originally planned to be used on the Madrid network, a subsequent scaling down of plans there resulted in a number of Citadis trams being placed into storage upon arrival in Madrid and never turned a wheel in service. The six trams bought by TransAdelaide came out of this stock. Five of the purchased trams had never run in Madrid and one (MetroLigero 169) saw just a couple of weeks service as a demonstration tram in Stockholm (demonstrated by the Manufacturer Alstom). The six trams purchased were modified at the Preston Tramway Workshops in Melbourne before arriving in Adelaide. They were renumbered from MetroLigero numbers 165–170 to the TransAdelaide 200 series with vehicle numbers 201–206.
| Introduced | 2009 |
| Builder | Alstom |
| Weight | - |
| Height | 3,600mm |
| Length | 32,300mm |
| Width | 2,400mm |
| Truck type | Alstom, rigidly attached |
| Traction motor type | Alstom |
| HP per motor | (4x) 120 kW |
| Type of controller | Alstom |
Trolleybuses
During the Great Depression the MTT needed to expand services but finances prevented laying new tracks. A decision was made to trial trolleybusTrolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
es, and a converted petrol bus began running experimentally on the Payneham and Paradise lines. Apart from the trial bus, the MTT eventually operated four models of trolleybuses.
By 1937 there was a fleet of double-decker trolleybuses running to Tusmore
Tusmore, South Australia
-History:In 1839, a pastoralist William Rogers, settled in the area and named his land Tusmore after his birthplace in Oxfordshire, England. In 1911 the area roughly corresponding to modern-day Tusmore, known as Section 291, was owned by the Colonial Board of Advice of the South Australian Company...
with extensions to Port Adelaide, Semaphore
Semaphore, South Australia
Semaphore is a north-western seaside suburb of Adelaide of the LeFevre Peninsula 14km from the CBD, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Semaphore South, Glanville, Exeter and Largs Bay. The postcode for Semaphore is 5019...
and Largs Bay
Largs Bay, South Australia
Largs Bay is a north-western suburb of Adelaide 16km from the CBD, on the LeFevre Peninsula, in the state of South Australia, Australia and falls under the City of Port Adelaide Enfield. It is adjacent to Largs North and Semaphore, Exeter and Peterhead. The post code for Largs Bay is 5016...
in 1938. Trolley buses continued running until July 1963 when the last run was converted to motorbuses.
Green Goddess
Petrol bus 216 was converted to electric operation and ran from May 1932 to August 1934. It was the first trolleybus in Australia and become known as "The Green Goddess" by its distinctive livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
. It seated twenty-three with room for twenty standing passengers.
A.E.C. double decker
Imported English trolleybus chassis were completed with bodywork by Lawtons of Adelaide in 1937, then numbered as buses 401 to 430. The A.E.C. trolleybuses seated fifty-seven with a crush load of eighty-four and were withdrawn in mid 1957, with a brief return to service in August 1958.
Leyland double decker
With chassis brought in from England prior to World War II, the MTT constructed buses 431 to 435. When put into service in 1942 the Leyland buses were the largest in the MTT fleet and remained so until withdrawn in 1958.
Leyland canton trolleybus
As part of the World War II supply effort, English bus chassis, with a final intended destination of the Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
province in China, were brought to Adelaide where they remained. The MTT built bodies for them from 1942 to 1944, as buses 501 to 530, with a seating capacity of thirty and a crush load of sixty. The became popularly known as cantons or wombats and remained in service until 1963.
Sunbeam trolleybus
Buses 501 to 530 were built by Lawtons of Adelaide on a Sunbeam chassis in late 1951. They seated forty passengers, had a crush load of seventy-seven and were used in services until mid 1963.
Decline of the network
Australian constitutional law
Australian constitutional law is the area of the law of Australia relating to the interpretation and application of the Constitution of Australia. Several major doctrines of Australian constitutional law have developed....
to their advantage. By notionally marking each ticket as a fare from the pickup point to Murrayville, Victoria
Murrayville, Victoria
Murrayville is a town on the section of the Mallee Highway between Ouyen and the South Australian border. It is about east of the South Australian border and north west of the state capital Melbourne, but east of Adelaide...
(but allowing passengers to board or alight sooner) companies avoided having to abide by the regulation for some time. Up until the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, most Adelaideans were dependent on public transport for daily journeys. The introduction of private automobiles decreased passenger numbers until petrol rationing during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
led to a resurgence in patronage; patronage remained higher than before the war, until rationing was discontinued in 1951.
From the start of the great depression until the closure of the network only one lot of trams was purchased by the MTT. Due to shortages there was minimal maintenance of the network during World War II and post-war shortages prevented the purchase of new trams. In 1951–1952 the MTT lost £313,320 and made the decision to convert the Erindale, Burnside and Linden park lines to electric trolleybuses. The last trams on these lines ran on 24 May 1952 with the lines lifted from 18 April 1953. A 1953 royal commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
was held to inquire into the financial affairs of the MTT resulting in a completely reconstituted board. Late the same year, with driver safety concerns about the conflict with increasing traffic on the road, the Glen Osmond line was temporarily converted to motor buses. The line was never converted back to trams and much comment was made about the continuing maintenance of unused overhead lines.
Trolley buses gradually made way for motor buses until the last electric tram or bus service ran on 12 July 1963 leaving only the Glenelg tramline as a remnant of a once extensive light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
network. Except for the Glenelg H class, the trams were sold or scrapped. Some were used as shacks, playrooms or preserved by museums.
Remaining line
The Glenelg line is a 11.9 kilometres (7.4 mi) route from the centre of Adelaide, South Australia to the beachside suburb of Glenelg. It is Adelaide's only remaining tramway, running at approximately twenty minute intervals, and is part of the integrated Adelaide MetroAdelaide Metro
Adelaide Metro is the public transport system of the South Australian capital of Adelaide and the brand name of the Public Transport Division of the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. It is an intermodal system with services provided by bus, tram or commuter rail throughout the...
public transport network. Until January 2006, H class cars provided all services on the Glenelg line. In 2005, the entire Glenelg line was upgraded with new track and improved tram stops, then in 2006, eleven, thirty metre long articulated low-floor Flexity Classic Light Rail vehicles, built by Bombardier in Germany, have since replaced the H-class trams in regular day-to-day service, although five refurbished H-class trams have been retained and operate a restricted 'heritage service' timetable on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. They have been fitted with safety measures similar to those of the new trams, including vigilance control and electro-magnetic track brakes.
A 1.2 kilometre (0.745647283979768 mi) extension from Victoria Square, along King William St
King William Street, Adelaide
King William Street is the part of a major arterial road that traverses the CBD and centre of Adelaide . It was named by the Street Naming Committee on 23 May 1837 after King William IV, the then reigning monarch, who died within a month...
and North Tce
North Terrace, Adelaide
North Terrace is one of the four terraces that bound the central business and residential district of the city of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. It runs east-west, along the northern edge of the CBD.-North Side of North Terrace:...
opened to the public on 14 October 2007. Further extensions were the subject of public debate. Tourism minister, Jane Lomax-Smith
Jane Lomax-Smith
Jane Diane Lomax-Smith is a former Australian politician in the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Adelaide representing the Labor Party from 2002 to 2010, and Lord Mayor of Adelaide from 1997 to 2000...
has, in 2007, expressed support for the line to be extended to North Adelaide and Prospect although the Transport minister has stated that this is not a practical option, with his preferred option the creation of a fare free city loop.
In the 2008 state budget, the government announced that it would extend the tram line further. The first extension, completed in early 2010, was from the existing North Terrace terminus to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre in the inner north-west suburb of Hindmarsh
Hindmarsh, South Australia
Hindmarsh is an inner urban suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Charles Sturt.-History:The suburb is named after South Australia's first Governor, Sir John Hindmarsh....
, with a park and ride service set up on Port Road. Following the expected electrification of the Outer Harbor and Grange Rail lines in 2010, new tram-trains are to run to West Lakes by 2013, and Port Adelaide and Semaphore by 2018, which will complete a coast-to-coast light rail system.
Adelaide trams in museums
| Tram Type | Trams in Museums (2007) |
|---|---|
| Horse Trams | Horse trams 15 and 18 are at the St Kilda museum with car 15 in very poor condition and car 18 restored to operational condition but not used in service. |
| Type A | Trams 1,10,14,15,17 are at the St Kilda Museum. Cars 14&15 are also at the museum to be restored as a "bib and bub" set and trams 1 and 10 are operational. |
| Type B | Tram 42 was converted into a type A2 (straight sided saloon car) and used on the Port Adelaide until its closure in 1935. It was stored then moved to the St Kilda museum where, by 1994, it had been returned to original condition and service. |
| Type C | Tram 186 was recovered from use as a junior school playroom at Woodlands school and has been rebuilt at the St Kilda museum. |
| Type E | Tram 118 was converted back from an E1 to an E type at the St Kilda Tramway Museum and was completed in 2010. |
| Type E1 | Tram 111 is at the St Kilda museum and is operational. |
| Type D | Tram 192 ( formerly M&MTB tram 130) is at the St Kilda museum and was refurbished in 1979. Tram 156 can be seen at The Old Canberra Tram Company. |
| Types F, F1 | Trams 244,264,282 are at the St Kilda museum with 264 and 282 having been restored. |
| Type G | Tram 303 is on show at the St Kilda museum. Trams 301,302 and 304 are preserved at the Bendigo tramway museum. |
| Type H | Tram 356 is on display at The Old Canberra Tram Company. Trams 357 and 358 are preserved at the Sydney Tramway Museum at Loftus in 'as withdrawn' condition by TransAdelaide. Trams 360, 362 and 364 are preserved by the St Kilda Tramway Museum in Adelaide. 360 is in circa 1929 condition, 362 is in circa 1952 silver and 364 is preserved in 'as withdrawn' condition by TransAdelaide. Tram 368 is preserved by the W2 568 Group in Melbourne in 'as withdrawn' condition by TransAdelaide. Tram 369 is preserved by the Bendigo Tramway Museum in a slightly altered version of the original tuscan and cream livery of the MTT. Trams 371 and 372 are preserved by the Perth Electric Tramway Society at Whiteman Park in 'as withdrawn' condition by TransAdelaide. Tram 373 is preserved by the Tramway Museum Society of Victoria at Bylands in 'as withdrawn' condition by TransAdelaide |
| Type H1 | The only tram in this class is on display at the St Kilda museum |
| Trolleybuses | The Green Goddess and one of each of the other Adelaide trolleybus models, excluding a Leyland double decker, are on display at the St Kilda museum. |
See also
- Glenelg TramGlenelg TramThe Glenelg Tram is a route from the centre of Adelaide, South Australia to the beach-side suburb of Glenelg. It is Adelaide's only remaining tramway, running at approximately 15-minute intervals, and is part of the integrated Adelaide Metro public transport network...
- Transport in AdelaideTransport in AdelaideThe city of Adelaide, South Australia is served by a wide variety of transport, being centrally located on the Australian mainland and forms a hub for east-west and north-south routes. The road network includes the Southern Expressway, a reversible one way freeway...
- State Transport Authority (South Australia)State Transport Authority (South Australia)The State Transport Authority was the government agency which controlled public transport within the State of South Australia between 1974 and 1994....
- Municipal Tramways TrustMunicipal Tramways TrustThe Municipal Tramways Trust was established in 1907 to operate Adelaide's street tram network. The MTT ceased to exist in 1975 upon the establishment of the State Transport Authority Bus and Tram Division.-History:...
- Henwood v Municipal Tramways TrustHenwood v Municipal Tramways Trust-Brief overview:Henwood, while riding the tram, was overcome by a fit of nausea and stuck his head out the window. This breached a bylaw made by the tram authority as a safety precaution, and he was struck twice by standards outside the tram.-Ruling:...
- Railways in AdelaideRailways in AdelaideThe rail network in Adelaide, South Australia, consists of five lines and 81 stations, totalling 125.9 km. It is operated by Adelaide Metro, and is part of the city-wide Adelaide Metro]public transport system. Apart from the Glenelg Tram, Adelaide's railway system is serviced entirely by...
- Trams in AustraliaTrams in AustraliaTrams in Australia are now used extensively as public transport only in Melbourne, and to a lesser extent, Adelaide and Bendigo while Sydney operates a modern light rail system. Several other major cities had tram networks however these networks were largely dismantled during the 1950s and some as...