QUOTE: they were said to hit 80km/h on the run down to Bondi

I was lucky enough to ride that notorious route, only once, but remember it well, it was a long straight decline and I'd estimate it did wind up to the speed you mention!

That was where the "shoot through like a Bondi tram" came from.

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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

QUOTE: "shoot through like a Bondi tram"

It's true! An exciting ride, who needs Luna Park, the day I was on it the driver really let it rip; these things were never meant to go that fast!
We were migrating from Vic to Qld and stopped in Syd not long before the demise of the trams. My mother took us to nostalgic spots around town as you see she was a clippy during WWII!

The speed limit on most of the old system was 50km/h but that was on the streets. I am not sure what it was on reservations.

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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

These references to the Bondi tram caused a severe attack of nostalgia!

While at high school, I lived in Bondi Road, about 300-400 metres from the previously mentioned cutting.

Hanging in my living room, I have two original paintings that were used in Libby Hathorn's book, "The Tram to Bondi Beach", beautifully illustrated by Julie Vivas. I caught this tram to school every day.

Harold

I recall a tour we did in CPH railmotors, 1924 vintage, coming back late into Newcastle when we were routed onto the coal line - a very smooth, straight piece of track. 120km/h on that stretch. I'm sure that was well over the posted limit!

These things were re-engined with WW2 surplus GM diesels in 1949.

Photo uploaded to Post 20.

Ian, if they are the ones that have the radiators up on the roof, they last saw service on the Sandown Line in Clyde, stopping at Rosehill, Sandown, Hardies and Goodyear. That was back when Clyde was an industrial precinct rather than a wasteground with a few shops on it.

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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

QUOTE: The different rail gauge debacle was a classic case of bureaucratic infighting. It was never foreseen that the systems would ever need to link up anyway!

The trams systems were std gauge and the power voltages the same or similar enough so that if the trams had been extended to state borders there would not have been the problem which heavy rail has had.

I can't see how an interstate tram route would have ever eventuated. Any politician at the time thinking that it would have would have been off his rocker. Back in the 1950s, when trams were the rage in many state capitals, the longest line was that between Sydney and West Ryde, travelling through Pyrmont, over the Glebe Island Bridge and along Victoria Road, originally terminating on Blaxland Road at Ryde before being extended to West Ryde Railway Station.

There was a separate tram system in Parramatta which closed down in 1949 and this was never connected to any of Sydney's other lines and the original steam trams survived on the Parramatta system until the closure date. Even though the current government is committed to a bigger involvement of light rail, the sheer size of the old system is not likely to be replicated. Melbourne's current set up has around 585 trams. The old Sydney system had just over 1,500 at its peak.

Elsewhere on this site there is a link to a video which showed 400 trams being used to take punters home from Royal Randwick after the Sydney Cup was run and won in 1930. These were mostly O and P-class toastracks as they held the most people and it was easier for them to 'jog' along the platforms allowing punters to get on without the need to stop the trams, which would have created delays.

I wish them well bringing back a set up like that - the do gooders would have a field day.

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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

There were a whole bunch of separated lines in Sydney.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Sydney

Yes Brad, CPH railmotors are the ones with the radiators on the roof.

https://www.trms.org.au/

These people have their painted in the original 1924 colours, All CPHs were repainted Tuscan Red, when they were re-engined in 1949 I think.

As a design engineer I love the minimalist design of the CPH railmotor. To remain in revenue service from 1924 to 1990 was a testament to the original design. Example - no cooling fans are used on the radiators.

These things are very popular with heritage rail tour operators. They are a lot of fun to travel in - there are seats alongside the drivers cabs - kids love these - and a big "freight" area in the middle for standing around....

The sneaky thing about the middle area is if you look under the little seat there, you'll see a wire loop sticking out of a small pipe. Pulling on the wire shuts down the engine. So don't pull on it to see what happens.