Category: Events and special hires

Sunday the 23rd of February 2020 saw the museum once again hold its annual Vintage Tramway Festival. This year saw a very good turnout for visitors, with many taking the opportunity to ride on the museum’s fleet of traditional Sydney trams, including our coupled O car set 805+1111. As was the case last year, the museum’s post-war AEC double decker bus No. 2619 provided shuttle trips between the museum and Sutherland, and the Sydney Bus Museum brought even more visitors to the event, in their Leyland double decker bus No. 1579.

This year’s festival also saw two notable attractions make their official public operating debuts (or re-debut in one case). Those being Scrubber Car 11 (ex-139s), fresh from it’s nearly year long overhaul. And Essanee Rail Grinder No. 3 (ex-No. 2). Both cars are unique in the museum’s collection, in that they were once based out of Sydney, and used as rail cleaning vehicles, before eventually finding a new life on Melbourne’s tramway system upon closure of the Sydney system, where they were considerably altered from their original appearance. While not carrying passengers, the two trams occasionally did trips between the museum and Sutherland and the National Park; proving to be an interesting site for visitors.

Another notable exhibit which made its debut at this year’s festival, was a model layout that’s based on the original Sydney Tramway Network. This layout, located in the Sutherland Railway Substation building, was donated to the museum last year, and much work was put into setting it up for the event as a static display. It is intended to eventually make the layout fully operational.

All in all the day’s activities went seamlessly, and many of the museum’s volunteers are to be congratulated for their efforts in making the event as successful as it was.

On the 8th of December 1899, Sydney city’s first electric tramway opened between Circular Quay, the Railway and Pyrmont via George St and Harris St, terminating at John St, Pyrmont. From these small beginnings, the Sydney tramways quickly expanded to become the largest system in Australasia and one of the largest electric tramways in the world.

120 years later, the Sydney Tramway Museum commemorated the anniversary of this opening by operating its collection of Victorian and Edwardian era Sydney trams. These trams were C 290 (built 1896), C 29 (built 1898), F 393 (built 1902), and N 728 (built 1906). All these classes of tram were commonly used in the first few years of tramway operations along George St, some of which saw continued use until the early 50’s.

Also on display during the event, was Sydney Steam Tram Motor 1A, on loan to us from the Powerhouse Museum. Whilst steam trams never ran down George St, they were commonly seen operating alongside electric trams on the main Sydney system until around 1910. As such, Motor 1A was taken out of the Display Hall and placed in Cross St for public viewing; recreating for the very first time at Loftus, an authentic Edwardian period scene when steam and electric trams were last together in Sydney.

As was the case with the Vintage Tramway Festival back in February, Channel 7 News ran a story about the museum, tying it into the upcoming opening of the CBD & South East Light Rail line out to Randwick and Kingsford. The first stage of the line from Circular Quay to Randwick, is expected to open on the 14th December 2019; a whole 120 years and one week since the opening of the original George St tramway.

In late February, the museum held its annual Vintage Tramway Festival, an event that commemorates the closure of the original Sydney tramway network on the 25th February 1961. Whilst the turnout was not as large compared to previous years, the day was still very busy with decent sized crowds, and a range of attractions on offer.

Not the least of which was the display of the museum’s newest exhibit: Variotram 2107. Sitting on the depot access track in Lakewood Park, this tram was available for people to walk around in and observe, with cardboard models of the tram available for purchase.

As was the case last year, the museum’s own double-decker bus from 1952, AEC Regent No. 2619, provided shuttles between the museum, and Sutherland Railway station, in parallel with the day’s regular tram operations.

In addition, the Sutherland Railway Substation was opened for public viewing for the first time. This had been previously opened to members and friends during the museum’s Christmas party in December last year.

The event also brought with it some visitors from the Sydney Bus Museum, who arrived in their double-decker Leyland Titan No. 1579, and the Australian Motorlife Museum, who provided a selection of vintage cars for display along Tramway Avenue.

In a bit of publicity for the museum, Channel 7 News ran a story about the event, which was broadcast during their regular evening news bulletin. A video of the story was uploaded to their Facebook page, and is embedded below for viewing.