|
 |
|
The history of trams in Adelaide |
| |
|
Photo: R Browning |
Type ‘C’ trams
Originally known as ‘Desert Golds’ after a fast race horse of the time.
During the First World War (1914-18), the MTT urgently needed more tramcars because of passenger traffic generated by line extensions and the Port Adelaide system. Wartime conditions made it hard to obtain equipment, so twenty tram cars similar to the seventy type A trams were built – again by Adelaide car-building firm Duncan & Fraser. They looked very modern because of the simple arched roof, but this was simply a cost saving measure, not a design feature.
|
Larger motors made them faster. Like the A types they were modelled on, they seated forty passengers and carried a further sixty-two standees. |
|
Troublesome
In later years, by then popularly called “Bouncing Billies”, Type C’s became notorious for having no air brakes. The MTT drivers once went out on strike over safety concerns. Photo: DA Colquhoun
A fast tram
During the 1920s, private buses competed with the tram services. Because these trams were fast, they were often assigned to routes where they could keep ahead of the buses. Photo: P Lambert
Croyden - Keswick service
These trams worked mostly on the Croydon-Keswick service, but were also used on the Port Adelaide system in the early 1930’s. Photo: W Jack
|
| |
|
|
|
Photo: R Browning
Photo: R Browning |
Type ‘F’ trams
Popularly known as ‘Drop-Centres’
The Type F and its variant (F1) was a highly successful design offering generous space and comfort.
More modern running gear taking up less space meant that the car body was lower to the ground, making the tram easier to board. Six feet (180 cm) longer than the earlier type D and E bogie cars, there were 60 seats with space for a further one hundred and ten standees.
‘Drop-centres’ were used over most of the tramway system and were especially suitable for heavy traffic like race meetings, football, the showground and the beach.
Eighty-one cars were built by Pengelley & Co and three were built in the MTT’s own workshops during the 1920s. The Drop-centres remained in service from 1922 until the end of the street tramway system in November 1958.
|
|
Crowd swallowers
The Drop-centre cars were well known for their carrying capacity. Photo: John Alfred
Photo: Noel Reed
A new look
During the 1950s about half the drop-centre cars were spray-painted silver with carnation red trim. Photo: Unknown
Anew life
The Museum operates two F1 types and the body of F type tram 244 is in storage awaiting restoration. Photo: JC Radcliffe
|
| |
|
|
|
Photo: R Browning
 |
Type ‘G’ trams
Popularly known as ‘Birneys’
The G type trams were known mostly to patrons using the small, self-contained system radiating out from the Black Diamond corner at Port Adelaide, to Semaphore, Largs, Rosewater, and Albert Park. These lines did not connect to the rest of the Adelaide system. The trams ran for eighteen years before being replaced by fuel buses and trolley buses, which ran from the City along Port Road. |
|
Much travelled
Adelaide’s four Birney cars worked in three Australian cities.
Port Adelaide 1925 – 35
Geelong 1935 – 47
Bendigo 1947 – 72
Some of the Birney cars are still in service as tourist trams in Bendigo.
Photo: Bendigo Trust
A bit short
The four G types, built by JG Brill of Philadelphia and assembled in the MTT workshops made up the smallest group of MTT trams with the shortest running life. They were also the shortest cars operated by the MTT, seating just 32 passengers with space for 18 standees. Photo: GS Hutton
Lightweight
Birney cars were useful for lightly used services. They were lightweight, used minimal power and were operated by the motorman only who also collected the fares.
|
| |
|
|
|
Photo: R Browning |
Type ‘H’ trams
Popularly known as ‘Bay Trams’
In 1927 the SA Railways passed their two Glenelg passenger lines to the MTT to be electrified as tramways. In April 1929 the South Tce. line was closed for electrification and conversion to standard gauge.
Thirty large ‘inter-urban’ cars were ordered from Pengelley & Co and they were all delivered by Dec 1929 ready for opening the new electric line to Glenelg on Sat 14 Dec 1929.
Thus came into being the world famous H types most of which were destined to run for over seventy-six years.
|
|
Coupled sets
The ‘Bay Trams’ as they become known were designed to run in two or three car sets. By the mid thirties the trams only ran in two car sets at busy times.
At the time, these trams attracted much attention from visitors to Adelaide and the line has maintained the highest standard of service in Adelaide over a single route.
Photo: MTT
The streamliner
A variant of the H type, styled H1, entered service in 1953 as a prototype for an order of forty new trams to modernise Adelaide’s ageing fleet - the first new tram since 1929. It remained in service until 1957. The other thirty-nine cars were not built. Photo: Noel Reed
Fifties mod
During the 1950s the Bay cars were repainted in a modern silver and red scheme, which remained unchanged for over twenty years. Photo: Noel Reed
The survivors
Five H types were reconditioned and fitted with modern electrical equipment (chopper controls) so they could continue in service with the new Flexity trams. Photo: JC Radcliffe
.
A la carte
During a late 1980s general refurbishment program, car 378 was rebuilt for a private venture as a restaurant tram, but the venture was unsuccessful. The tram is now owned by the History Trust of SA and on loan to the Museum. Photo: C Summers
Photo: C Summers |
| < BACK TO PREVIOUS PAGE |
|
|
|
