Our daughter picked us up at the airport in Sydney and took us down into 'The Shire' for a visit to the Sydney Tramway Museum, something that has been on my Bucket List for many years. Although the forecast was for rain, the weather was very kind to us with the occasional blue sky period. To our great surprise, the daily tram ride from the museum into the Royal National Park today was on the Phoenix 548, an old FM car from Brisbane, manufactured in 1963. I remember the Brisbane trams well, having used them every day to go to work. Stopping the trams in Brisbane in 1969 was the most stupid decision the Brisbane City Council ever made. Clem Jones was the Lord Mayor at the time. He was entirely disliked by the population after that.
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| Phoenix 548 is getting ready at the Tramway Museum to take us for a ride |
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| The Blogger and Carol enjoy the ride |
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| So are the oldies |
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| A volunteer Driver took us along the tracks |
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| Made in 1963 by the BCC Tramway Workshop |
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| Out of the open Door |
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| A volunteer Train Conductor |
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| The National Highway comes to a stop when the old tram crosses |
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| Carol enjoys the ride |
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| So does the Blogger |
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| Hello there |
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| No. 548 at the Royal National Park station |
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| Close up of the suspension |
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| The sign says Enoggera but that is 1100km away |
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| The electric rod picks up power to run the motor |
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| The Museum Station with signal box on top |
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| The old Liverpool Street signal box |
There is also a large tram shed, housing dozens of trams from around the country in the Sydney Tramway Museum,
One of the interesting cars on display, is a prison tram car used to transport prisoners from Long Bay Jail to the court house and back again, all day long.
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| The prison tram car |
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| "Let Me Out" |
Hmmm! Well as you know I did sort out your mystery test in my super detective style and now as promised
ReplyDeleteyou have shown the full story. I vaguely - I think - remember trams rumbling around Big Town ( in those days Brisbane)
back in the early 1980's when I arrived here!
The only trams I enjoyed in Sydney tram days was the Bondi "Bullet"or whatever it was affectionately known as, and
most of that trip from the CBD was done off the roadways! I forget the main route - City, then Moore Park, past Randwick racecourse and then via - ????? - to Bondi and down that hill!
Well done William of Tell.
Sunny here in BNE this morning.
Cheers
Colin
Can't have been Brisbane, Colin, Clem Jones got rid of them in 1969, a ridiculous decision if you ask me.
DeleteYes - I obviously was thinking way back to the days when the family went to Caloundra for holidays - the 1950's from Moree days!!! Silly me - ha ha.
DeleteNot sunny here anymore BNE - looks like another drenching this afternoon!!!
Cheers
Colin
The museum is terrific. The national highway mostly comes to a stop for trams to cross, but not quite always. I see the Brisbane tram has a wheel to contact the wire, rather than a carbon skid. Are you aware of the phoenix that is trams built after the devastating Paddington tram shed fire, risen from the ashes. They have some trams from overseas too. I recall a Japanese tram. Darcy Dugan broke out of the prison tram through the roof. Sorry if you know all this already. Great photos.
ReplyDeleteYes we did see the Phoenix tram and we read about the prison escapees. Didn't know about skids.
DeleteThe FM type 548 is actually named Phoenix 548. It was great having a ride in it, even though it was rather short.
DeleteI really enjoyed this trip not only because of the tram museum but Loftus is the suburb where I grew up. It was very nostalgic and sad in a way to see how things have changed. I didn't realise the train to The Royal National Park doesn't run anymore. I often used to catch that one home. My friend and I used to ride our bikes down to Audley in the park. We were only kids then , can't imagine riding on those roads today.
ReplyDeleteSuch Brisbane and Sydney got rid of the trams. It's great to see that at least Sydney is planning to put in a 'lite rail' down George St. Maybe one day they'll be everywhere like Melbourne?
ReplyDeleteFunny that! The Queensland Government is now talking about bringing in a light rail cross river tunnel between the City and the southern suburbs. I'll believe it if I see it.
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