Sydney Tramway Museum
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Established | 1965 |
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Location | Pitt Street, Loftus, New South Wales, Australia |
Coordinates | 34°02′40″S 151°03′07″E / 34.044321°S 151.051966°E |
Type | Tramway museum |
Nearest car park | On site |
Website | www.sydneytramwaymuseum.com.au |
The Sydney Tramway Museum (operated by the South Pacific Electric Railway) is Australia's oldest tramway museum and the largest in the southern hemisphere. It is located at Loftus in the southern suburbs of Sydney.
History[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Tram_stop_at_Sydney_Tramway_Museum.jpg/220px-Tram_stop_at_Sydney_Tramway_Museum.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/2020-04-19_Royal_National_Park_railway_line%2C_Sydney.jpg/220px-2020-04-19_Royal_National_Park_railway_line%2C_Sydney.jpg)
Construction of the museum at its original site on the edge of the Royal National Park commenced in August 1956.[1] It was officially opened in March 1965 by NSW Deputy Premier Pat Hills. The facilities were basic, initially a four-track shed built with second hand materials and approximately 800 metres of running track.[2][3]
In 1975, the Government of New South Wales approved the museum moving to a new site across the Princes Highway adjacent to Loftus railway station.[4] Construction commenced in April 1980, with the first trams transferred from the old site in November 1982.[5][6] It officially opened on 19 March 1988.[7][8] The former Railway Square tramway shelter that had been disassembled in 1973 was reassembled.[9][10] The last tram left the Royal National Park in May 1989.[11]
In 1989, a traverser from Comeng's, Granville factory was purchased.[12] Following CityRail closing the two kilometre Royal National Park line in 1991, the museum was able to commence operating services on the line on 1 May 1993.[13][14]
In 2001, the museum was the recipient of the YMCA facade, that was previously located at the corner of Pitt and Bathurst Street in the Sydney central business district. The facade was relocated by Meriton to make way for a new building being constructed at the same location. This huge impressive sandstone structure dating from the 1880s makes a spectacular backdrop when entering the museum complex from the front gates. The building is not finished yet, and is still being worked on as funding permits.[15] The gates from the original Gladesville Bridge were installed as the depot gates in 2010.[16]
On 23 October 2015, the museum storage shed was broken into by graffiti artists and caught fire. Located off the main museum site, at the Museums original location in the Royal National Park near Loftus Oval, the shed housed the museum's reserve collection of six trams, four buses and a double-decker bus chassis dating to 1937. The shed and contents were destroyed in the blaze.[17]
The 2018 film Ladies in Black had both live action scenes and film stock for CGI segments filmed around the Railway Square Waiting Shed that is located in the southern end of the museum site.[18]
Operations[]
The museum has an extensive collection of trams from Sydney and other cities in Australia, as well as from other places around the world. The museum operates 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) of track. One line runs 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) north towards Sutherland, paralleling Rawson Avenue in the way that parts of Sydney's tram system operated. The second runs 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) to the south and utilises the Royal National Park branch railway line that was constructed in 1886 and closed by CityRail in June 1991.[19]
In 1993, the museum converted the line to tramway standards and connected it to the then existing Sutherland line to establish what is now a popular means of access to the world's second oldest national park.[14][20] The line terminates at Royal National Park railway station.
The museum opens and operates trams on Wednesdays, Sundays, public holidays (except Christmas Day) and on selected weekdays during school holidays.
The Sydney Tramway Museum is run entirely by volunteers and self funds its day-to-day activities, restorations, maintenance and construction programs from gate takings and donations from the generous public.
Preservation[]
Rolling Stock[21] | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No | Description | Manufacturer | Type | Year Built |
Length m |
Weight t |
Date Acquired |
Status | Comments | |
12 | C-Class Tram | Hudson Bros | Single truck | 1899 | 7.62 | 8.60 | 1997 | Scrapped | Converted to breakdown car 56s in 1909. Converted back to passenger in 1959 By NSWDOT. Originally donated to NSW Tramway Historical Society. Body in poor condition. Stored at the old RNP depot site. Burnt and scrapped after the fire. | |
29 | C-Class Tram | Hudson Bros | Single truck | 1898 | 7.62 | 8.60 | 1961 | IO | Converted to breakdown car 60s in 1910. Converted back to passenger in 1995 at STM. Operational in 2001. | |
33 | C-Class Tram | Hudson Bros | Single truck | 1898 | 7.62 | 8.60 | 1995 | URF | Converted to experimental double deck car in 1907 and lasted until 1908. Converted to breakdown car 33s in 1924 at Randwick Workshop. Body only recovered in 1995 from Newcastle Tramway Museum, Rutherford. Being restored in Bendigo to double deck tram. | |
37 | C-Class Tram | Hudson Bros | Single truck | 1899 | 7.62 | 8.60 | 2010 | URN | Sold in 1924. Donated by the Tradesmens Union Club, Canberra in 2010. Moved to Sydney 20 April 2010 for restoration and to be sent to Christchurch, NZ on completion. | |
290 | C-Class Tram | Morrison | Single truck | 1896 | 7.93 | 8.60 | 1957 | IOS | Converted to breakdown car 115s in 1927 by NSWDOT. Restored to Passenger tram by SPER. | |
23 | Cable trailer | Ritchie Brothers | Single truck | 1894 | 5.64 | 2.50 | 1976 | DCO | Under restoration | |
117 | D-Class Tram | Clyde | Single truck | 1899 | 9.40 | 9.66 | 1994 | URN | Converted to breakdown car 112s in 1913 by NSWDOT. Major restoration back to passenger car | |
529 | E-Class Tram | Clyde | Single truck | 1903 | 8.37 | 10.20 | 1957 | URN | Under restoration | |
530 | E-Class Tram | Clyde | Single truck | 1903 | 8.37 | 10.20 | 1957 | URN | Under restoration | |
393 | F-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1902 | 11.75 | 13.00 | 1957 | IOS | Converted to Eye Sight car 127s in 1927. Restored to original condition at STM. | |
24s | Freight car | NSWGT | Bogie | 1903 | 9.60 | 12.70 | 1957 | IOS | Car preserved without motors. Body restored for display. | |
675 | J-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Single truck | 1904 | 8.89 | 11.70 | 1996 | IO | Restored to operating condition. In service 2009. Out of service after accident with Nagasaki 1054 | |
1295 | K-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Single truck | 1913 | 8.89 | 10.90 | 1997 | Scrapped | Originally donated to NSW Tramway Historical Society. Body in poor condition. Stored at old RNP site depot. Burnt in a fire in 2015. Scrapped | |
1296 | K-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Single truck | 1913 | 8.89 | 10.90 | 1957 | DCO | ||
154 | L/P-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1900 | 12.45 | 15.20 | 1957 | IO | Built as an F-Class Tram and converted to L class in 1910. Converted to L/P in 1926 | |
257 | L/P-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1901 | 12.45 | 15.20 | 1995 | SFI | Body stored at HPOTS, Cessnock poor condition. | |
298 | L/P-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1901 | 12.45 | 15.20 | 1995 | SFI | Body stored at HPOTS, Cessnock poor condition | |
341 | L/P-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1901 | 12.45 | 15.20 | 1995 | SFI | Body stored at HPOTS, Cessnock poor condition | |
710 | N-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1906 | 11.99 | 15.10 | 2007 | Scrapped | Stored at Old site, RNP* poor condition of body. Burnt in fire in 2015. Scrapped | |
718 | N-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1906 | 11.99 | 15.10 | 1995 | SFI | Stored at HPOTS, Cessnock poor condition of body | |
728 | N-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1906 | 11.99 | 15.10 | 1957 | IOS | ||
824 | O-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1909 | 13.58 | 17.80 | 1995 | SFI | Stored at HPOTS, Cessnock poor condition of body | |
957 | O-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1910 | 13.58 | 17.80 | 1978 | URN | Under restoration | |
1111 | O-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1912 | 13.58 | 17.80 | 1959 | IO | Oldest tram in regular operation | |
1089 | O/P-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1912 | 13.58 | 17.90 | 1974 | URN | Originally an O-Class Tram; rebuilt by NSWDOT to O/P on 15 June 1920. Under restoration | |
99u | Overhead Line car | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1913 | 12.65 | 18.90 | 1959 | IOW | Operational | |
1497 | P-Class Tram | NSWGT | Bogie | 1922 | 13.85 | 16.90 | 1961 | IO | ||
1501 | P-Class Tram | NSWGT | Bogie | 1922 | 13.85 | 16.90 | 1999 | SFI | Stored at Bendigo pending review for restoration | |
1729 | P-Class Tram | Morts Dock | Bogie | 1929 | 13.85 | 16.90 | 2010 | URN | Donated by the Tradesmens Union Club, Canberra in 2010. Moved to Sydney 24 January 2010. Under restoration. New P type bogies fitted 10/11/18. Currently awaiting further restoration due to workshop queue | |
1573 | P/R1-Class Tram | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1923 | 13.85 | 18.60 | 1965 | SNO | P car rebuilt as PR1 in 1949 by NSWDOT. To be restored | |
948 | Prison Tram | NSWGT | Bogie | 1909 | 12.04 | 15.60 | 1957 | DCO | Car preserved without motors. | |
1740 | R-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1933 | 14.35 | 18.00 | 1961 | IO | ||
1741 | R-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1933 | 14.35 | 18.00 | 2003 | SNO | Burnt in fire in 2015 | |
1753 | R-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1933 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1999 | SFI | Body stored at Rozelle Depot-ex Citytram Assoc. | |
1798 | R-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1934 | 14.35 | 18.00 | 1999 | SNO | Body stored at HPOTS, Cessnock poor condition. | |
1808 | R-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1934 | 14.35 | 18.00 | 1999 | OOS | Restored at Bendigo in 2000 to operational condition. Stored at Melbourne in Preston Workshops. Leased to MOTAT in New Zealand December 2009 and used in Auckland until June 2017. Transported to Christchurch for Welcome Aboard Limited's Christchurch City Tramway August 2017. | |
1819 | R-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1934 | 14.35 | 18.00 | 2006 | Scrapped | Moved From Canberra Tradesmens Union Club. Stored at old RNP site*. Burnt in fire in 2015. Scrapped | |
1917 | R-Class Tram | Bogie | 1935 | 14.35 | 18.00 | 2003 | Scrapped | Burnt in fire in 2015. Scrapped | ||
1923 | R-Class Tram | Bogie | 1935 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1997 | SFI | Body stored at Rozelle Depot-ex Citytram Assoc. | ||
1933 | R/R1 class tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1935 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1990 | SNO | Car preserved without motors. Currently used as Book Shop | |
1943 | R1-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1935 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1997 | SFI | Body stored at Rozelle Depot-ex Citytram Assoc. Future to be decided-July 2012. | |
1951 | R1-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1935 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1994 | SFI | Stored at Newstead, Victoria Partly restored | |
1971 | R1-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1936 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1979 | OOS | On loan, operating at Tramway Museum, St Kilda in South Australia in 2005 | |
1979 | R1-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1936 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1974 | IO | ||
1980 | R1-Class Tram | Clyde | Bogie | 1936 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1999 | SFI | Body stored at HPOTS, Cessnock poor condition. | |
1995 | R1-Class Tram | Comeng | Bogie | 1951 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1997 | SFI | Cosmetically restored for display in the redeveloped Rozelle Tram Depot | |
2001 | R1-Class Tram | Comeng | Bogie | 1951 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 2001 | IO | Acquired by STM as a body in 2001. Restored at Bendigo in 2001 for the proposed Federation Tramways. Overhaul Complete December 2019, In Temporary Service. Will be Withdrawn for repainting to green and cream livery in January 2020. Repainting complete October 2020. | |
2044 | R1-Class Tram | Comeng | Bogie | 1952 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 1983 | SNO | Car preserved without motors. Currently used as Traffic Office | |
2050 | R1-Class Tram | Comeng | Bogie | 1952 | 14.35 | 17.90 | 2011 | SFI | Tram stored at Rozelle Depot- originally owned by Sydney City Council now ownership passed to STM- | |
2107 | Variotram | Adtranz, Dandenong | 5 Module Low floor | 1997 | 29.5 | 36.5 | 2018 | DCO | Ex Sydney Light Rail, acquired by Transport Heritage NSW and placed on permanent loan with STM in October 2018, operational awaiting certification[22] | |
3 | Reciprocating Rail Grinder | S&E Co, Bath | Single truck | 1920 | 4.27 | 6.10 | 1971 | OOS | Operable, converted to current design by MMTB in 1958. Loaned to MOTAT despatched from STM May 2011, overhauled and shipped back to Sydney, September 2017 | |
11W | Scrubber | Meadowbank | Single truck | 1908 | 8.89 | 10.90 | 2003 | SFO | Originally K-Class Tram 797, converted to scrubber in 1953 by NSWDOT and coded 139s. Sold to MMTB in 1961. Stored in Melbourne at Preston Workshops until 2015, retutned to service in 2019 | |
134s | Scrubber tram | Ritchie Brothers | Single truck | 1899 | 9.40 | 12.50 | 1961 | IOW | Originally D class tram 102, converted to scrubber in 1930 and coded 134s, operational. | |
147s | Track Tamper | Single truck | IOW | Originally TDX45 on NSWGR register. Currently at Lithgow for conversion and to make operational. | ||||||
19 | Trolleybus | Ritchie Brothers | AEC 664T | 1937 | 9.30 | 8.80 | 1978 | URN | Under restoration | |
1275 | Bus | Waddingtons | Leyland Tiger | 1937 | Operational | |||||
2619 | Bus | Clyde | AEC Regent III | 1952 | Operational | |||||
144s | Weed Burner | NSWGT | Single truck | 1956 | 3.00 | 3.60 | 1961 | IOS | ||
93u | Ballast Motor | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1913 | 12.65 | 18.90 | 1967 | URN | Restored for display only in 1991. | |
42s | Ballast Motor-U2 | NSWGT | Bogie | 1907 | 11.43 | 15.70 | 1981 | IOW | Numbered L707 in NSWGR service from 1926 to 1980. | |
Balmain Counterweight | Clyde | Single truck | 1903 | 3.28 | 2.00 | 1955 | IOS | Restored at Hunter Valley Training Company in 1990. On display in Display Hall | ||
141s | Breakdown car | Meadowbank | Bogie | 1911 | 13.85 | 18.03 | 1964 | IOW | Originally O-Class Tram 1030, converted to breakdown car in 1955 by NSWDOT and coded 141s. | |
111 | Z2-Class Tram | Comeng | Bogie | 1979 | 16.52 | 19.20 | 2003 | IO | 111 mostly operates during Autumn, Winter and Spring | |
249 | W2-Class Tram | Moore | Bogie | 1924 | 14.63 | 16.52 | 1996 | URN | In Federal Capital Commission Tramways Livery. Repainting in progress | |
611 | Y1-Class Tram | MMTB | Bogie | 1930 | 13.72 | 20.09 | 2014 | IO | ||
180 | Brisbane Dreadnought Tram | Gardiner | Bogie | 1924 | 11.58 | 12.20 | 1964 | IO | ||
295 | Brisbane Dropcentre Tram | Brisbane City Council | Bogie | 1930 | 13.87 | 15.30 | 1968 | IO | ||
548 | Brisbane FM Class | Brisbane City Council | Bogie | 1963 | 14.94 | 16.10 | 1969 | IO | ||
1692 | Peter Witt streetcar | Breda | Bogie | 1929 | 13.89 | 15.00 | 2001 | URN | Will enter service once modifications are made to overhead and air compressor issues are resolved. Former Milan ATM Class 1500 tram. Based at Brunswick tram depot before transfer to Sydney | |
1014 | PCC Tram | St Louis Car Company | Bogie | 1948 | 15.37 | 18.20 | 1987 | URN | Donated as bicentenary gift in 1988. Awaiting parts. Former San Francisco Municipal Railway tram | |
1054 | Nagasaki Electric Tramway Class 1050 | Nigata Iron Works | Bogie | 1952 | 11.40 | 14.30 | 1992 | IO | In Sendai, Japan the number was 121. Regauged and sent to Nagasaki Tramway system.[23] Donated as bicentenary gift. Involved in accident with J675 May 2016. Repairs completed and re-entered service in early 2018 | |
2656 | Trams in Munich | Waggonfabri Joseph Rathgeber | Bogie | 1965 | 1999 | Donated 1999[24] | ||||
2666 | Trams in Munich | Waggonfabri Joseph Rathgeber | Bogie | 1965 | 1999 | Donated 1999[24] |
Publications[]
The Sydney Tramway Museum publishes Trolley Wire on behalf of most tramway museums around the country. Published quarterly, it carries articles on tramways around the world and news from the various Australasian heritage tramways.
Engineering heritage award[]
The museum received a Historic Engineering Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.[25]
References[]
- ^ Looking Back Trolley Wire issue 105 August 1966 page 7
- ^ SPER Tramway Museum Officially Opened Railway Digest February 1965 page 9
- ^ Australia's Newest Electric Railway Railway Transportation April 1965 page 5
- ^ Sydney Tramway Museum Trolley Wire issue 158 June 1975 page 18
- ^ South Pacific Electric Railway Trolley Wire issue 188 June 1980 page 31
- ^ Trams on the Move Trolley Wire issue 203 December 1982 page 31
- ^ New Sydney Tramway Museum Opens Trolley Wire issue 233 May 1988 pages 3-5
- ^ The End of the Beginning Trolley Wire issue 233 May 1988 pages 6-18
- ^ Railway Square Waiting Shed and Signal Box Trolley Wire issue 245 May 1991 page 30
- ^ Railway Square Australian Bus Panorama issue 11/1 July 1995 page 20
- ^ Last Trams Leave National Park Trolley Wire issue 238 August 1989 page 42
- ^ Traverser Trolley Wire issue 239 November 1989 page 31
- ^ Parklink - Across Highway One Trolley Wire issue 253 May 1993 page 9
- ^ a b By tram to the National Park Railway Gazette International June 1993 page 367
- ^ Tram museum needs $300k St George & Sutherland Shire Leader 10 October 2012
- ^ Loftus Trolley Wire issue 322 August 2010 page 38
- ^ Fire destroys Loftus tram storage shed, police suspect arson St George & Sutherland Shire Leader 25 October 2015
- ^ Filming locations of Ladies in Black IMDb
- ^ Royal National Park services stopped Railway Digest September 1991 page 314
- ^ National Park Line Railway Digest May 1992 page 194
- ^ "Sydney Tramway Museum Fleet Register" (PDF). Sydney Tramway Museum. December 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2015.
- ^ Preservation & Tourist Railway Digest November 2018 page 52
- ^ The Acquisition of Nagasaki 1054 Trolley Wire issue 255 November 1993 pages 3-5
- ^ a b Munchen to Sydney Trolley Wire issue 277 May 1999 pages 3-14
- ^ "Sydney Tramway Museum, 1950 –". Engineers Australia. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
External links[]
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- Heritage railways in Australia
- Museums established in 1965
- Museums in Sydney
- Railway museums in New South Wales
- Recipients of Engineers Australia engineering heritage markers
- Tourist railways in New South Wales
- Trams in Sydney
- Tram museums
- Transport museums in New South Wales