When Adelaide’s extensive street tram system ceased on 22 November 1958, one line remained – from Victoria Square in the city to the beachside suburb of Glenelg.  28 of the 30 ‘H’ type interurban cars which were built to serve the line when it opened on 14 December 1929 were retained for the service.  The trams were externally painted in a silver colour scheme introduced in1952.  The trams were housed in City Depot, around the corner from Victoria Square in Angas Street.

Initially, the trams terminated in the south western quadrant of Victoria Square as they had done since 1929.  A new terminus was established in the centre of the southern half of Victoria Square in December 1966.  During the mid 1960s the fleet was reduced to 26 cars.

From 1971 most of the ‘H’ cars were progressively refurbished and returned to the original Tuscan red livery.  During the late 1970s work commenced on the complete upgrading of the permanent way which took a number of years to complete (the flyover over the rail lines at Goodwood was rebuilt in 1979).

In the 1980s the fleet was reduced to 21 cars by disposing of the remaining silver (un-refurbished cars).  Three of these cars (355, 360 and 362) were transferred to the Tramway Museum (355 was later disposed of).

A new tram depot was constructed at Glengowrie near the Morphettville Racecourse and opened on 19 October 1986.  Pantograph operation in place of the trolley poles commenced on the same day.  The City Depot was then closed and the connecting track later removed.

10 of the cars were refurbished with a number of ‘modern’ features from the late 1980s.  Car 361, the last of the silver cars was the first car out shopped in this program in 1987.

Interestingly, one of the disposed cars (378) returned in 1990 as a restaurant tram.  This venture was not successful and after a few years, the tram was stored in the rear yard of Glengowrie Depot.

The fleet was reduced to 20 cars (plus the restaurant tram) by the late 1990s.  From the year 2000 a further five cars were refurbished.

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Cars 378 – 377 at the old Wayville Railway Station building stop on 30 May 1967.
The Glenelg line was a steam railway from 1873 until 1929 when the trams took over.
John Radcliffe


1980s style refurbished tram 364 and Restaurant tram 378 at South Terrace
on 9 March 2002. Both trams are now housed at the Tramway Museum.
John Radcliffe

The best known of tramway terminals in Victoria Square was that provided for the Glenelg line in the south-west quadrant in 1929. It lasted until 1966 when this photograph was taken. Surrounded by the Supreme Court and Charles Moores, a coupled set of silver and red 'H' type cars receive a consignment of newspapers to be delivered to a newsagent.
From Adelaide on the Move 1898-1978


The city terminus of the Glenelg line from 1966 to 2007 was in the centre of the
southern part of Victoria Square. Silver trams 378 and 358 are seen in the late
1960s.
John Radcliffe

Cars 362 – 361 on single track working over the Goodwood flyover on 26 March
1979 in the final stages of its reconstruction. Car 362 is now at the Tramway Museum.
John Radcliffe


A weekend heritage service is being run by a coupled set led by car 351 at South
Terrace. Car 351 was one of five ‘H’ cars retained to run the heritage service from late 2007.
Bill Drury

City West to Glenelg Service
In May 2003 the South Australian Government announced a $56 million upgrade for the Glenelg tram line, including the purchase of nine new articulated light rail vehicles.  The upgrading was completed in readiness for the new trams.  The first of the new Bombardier Flexity trams arrived in November 2005.  They were numbered 101 – 109.  Car 103 was damaged beyond economic repair on the ship during transit to Adelaide and was eventually replaced by a 12th Flexity tram which was given no. 103.

In 2005 a bill was passed in Parliament for the extension of the tram line from Victoria Square along King William Street in the city and to the Western end of North Terrace (City West) – a distance of 1.8 kilometres.  Two extra Flexity trams were ordered for the extension (110 – 111).

In September 2005 tenders were called for the disposal 15 ‘H’ type cars plus the restaurant tram.  Eight of these cars were awarded to Australian tramway preservation groups in Perth, Melbourne, Bendigo and Sydney, car 364 going to the Tramway Museum at St. Kilda, S.A. to join its other ‘H’ Cars.  The restaurant tram was eventually transferred to the History Trust of S.A. and is housed at the Tramway Museum.  The five ‘H’ cars refurbished around year 2000 (cars 351, 367, 370, 374 and 380) were retained (although car 374 remained out of service).

The tramway extension – the first since 1929 - was officially opened on Sunday 14 October 2007.  The service commencing the next day.  Car 101 led the procession followed by 351-367 and car 102.  Museum members were fortunate to ride on car 351.

From City West back to the South Terrace tram stop, a free shuttle service was introduced and a siding constructed at South Terrace.  These shuttles alternate with the fare paying trips to Glenelg (although travel on all cars is free from City West to South Terrace).

Ten Flexity trams are required for the weekday service (nine in the off-peak).  ‘H’ cars provide a weekend heritage service.

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Flexity tram 102 departs the South Terrace siding on a City Shuttle service to City
West.
Steve McNicol


Flexity tram 109 at the Pirie Street stop in King William Street on a journey to City
West.
Steve McNicol

Flexity tram 103 at the ‘new’ Victoria Square stop in the south-western section of
Victoria Square.
Steve McNicol


Flexity 110 in Jetty Road, Glenelg.
Steve McNicol

Flexity tram 102 in King William Street about to turn into North Terrace.
Steve McNicol




Flexity tram 104 turns from North Terrace into King William Street.
Steve McNicol




Flexity tram 102 passes under the Morphett Street Bridge as it arrives at the City West terminus.
Steve McNicol