News & Discussion: Trams

[Nathan]

I'm all for preserving the Old H cars, but why are they bothering to track test trams they have no intention of placing into service?!

Did you read the article? 351 is going back into service, with two runs each Sunday during August as a trial, and see how goes from there.

[Vjkdigital]

Ahh, completely missed it, and can't even find it now that I went hunting for it.

[BillD]

Here are some shots from the first tourist run. Friends on-board said that many people couldn't get on the first rum.

[SouthAussie94]

I think it's fantastic that some of the H-Class trams are being restored and are back running again. One thing is bugging me though..

Why did they paint the front window frames brown?? They should have left them the yellowy colour they were before so that they match the window frames on the side. Or is there a reason for the colour scheme they've chosen?

[Will409]

Why did they paint the front window frames brown?? They should have left them the yellowy colour they were before so that they match the window frames on the side. Or is there a reason for the colour scheme they've chosen?

H 351 has been repainted in to a representation of its original 1929 livery which didn't have the windshield frames painted cream. H 360 at St Kilda has been restored in this manner as well. The cream windshield frames didn't happen until the 1930s/1940s. The standee windows above the main windows are treated in the same manner.

[Xaragmata]

351 at Thebarton:

[BillD]

Here's a shot of H-Type 367 heading off to the workshops.
Unfortunately I couldn't wait for the departure but in the shot, the trailer was about to reverse into position.

[Waewick]

http://indaily.com.au/news/2013/09/24/p ... inal-stop/

Adelaide | The long-touted Port Adelaide tram extension looks like a dead proposition with the Transport Department approving a plan to build a café at the end of the Entertainment Centre tram stop.

A $520 million plan to extend the tram down to Semaphore and West Lakes was put on the agenda by Premier Mike Rann in 2010 – but it was later scrapped in the 2012 Budget.

On Thursday state public transport head Bill Fragoulis hinted the café proposal signified the extension might never be put on the agenda again.

“We’ve just given approval to build a cafe right at the end of the Entertainment Centre, so I don’t know what that means in terms of continuing that tram line,” said Fragoulis, the executive director of Public Transport Services at the Department of Planning, Transport, and Infrastructure.

Asked at a public transport forum whether the department had any plans to extend the tram line, Fragoulis said he personally would like to see the service extended but the café probably meant that wouldn’t happen.

“With the tram network, that’s why I was really careful in saying we’ve just given approval at the Entertainment Centre to build a cafe right at the end.

“I don’t know what that says. I’d like more extensions to the tram network, and we’re still evaluating whether tram is the way to go all the way out to Outer Harbour, to Port Adelaide.

“I’ve heard tram to North Adelaide, I’ve heard tram up to Norwood Parade, but at the moment nothing concrete has come of it.”

Port Adelaide Mayor Gary Johanson described the café decision as woefully short-sighted.

“Anyone that would consider putting a cafeteria against the end of a tram track, to me that would be just ridiculous,” he said.

“That’s so short-sighted it doesn’t even hardly rate a comment.

“They’ve gone completely quiet on the whole thing. Mike Rann had such a passion to create this for the Port. I can remember the launch of it down at Semaphore.

“With them (Rann’s administration) out of the equation effectively, there just appears to be no interest at all in it.”

Entertainment Centre management told InDaily they were unaware of the café proposal and they not involved in the plans.

The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure did not respond to questions from InDaily before deadline.

[crawf]

A cafe can easily be demolished in the future......

[Waewick]

that is what I thought to.

still I'd prefer one up the parade first (only because I'm moving to the Eastern Suburbs and have 2 crappy bus routes to chose from.)

[[Shuz]]

I am kind of surprised to hear of this development, because I am aware that there had been quite extensive planning already done into extending the tram line to Port Adelaide / Semaphore. It was essentially shovel-ready - just needed the funding.

However, it's kind of a blessing in disguise as by allowing the development of this café (I'm surprised one has even been approved in middle of the Port Road median) it's a clear signal that the next tram extension will be the CBD Loop or go someplace else like Norwood, North Adelaide, etc. Most likely CBD Loop first (of which detailed planning has already been done also) and then North Adelaide - which concept drawings have been drafted but to my knowledge, detailed investigation has not gone any further.

Going forward, DPTI are focusing on two key areas of project delivery - basically the two biggest infrastructure priorities in Adelaide - the North-South Motorway, and the continuation of the Rail Revitalization program - underground CBD tunnel, station upgrades, etc.

[monotonehell]

that is what I thought to.

still I'd prefer one up the parade first (only because I'm moving to the Eastern Suburbs and have 2 crappy bus routes to chose from.)

Don't be silly, Waewick. There's plenty of cafe`s up the Parade.

[Patrick_27]

Why not do all proposed tram extensions together? Make a large one-off investment...

I can see why they have stalled with the tram to the Port, it's almost expected that if you're to build a tram-line down the middle of Port road, that upgrades must be done to the road as a whole which would easily cost another couple of hundred million. I hope it does happen, I hope with on-going interest for investment at the Port that the government fork out the money. Semaphore and Port Adelaide deserve better connection to the CBD.

[Waewick]

that is what I thought to.

still I'd prefer one up the parade first (only because I'm moving to the Eastern Suburbs and have 2 crappy bus routes to chose from.)

Don't be silly, Waewick. There's plenty of cafe`s up the Parade.

[claybro]

It would seem the tram extension to the Port/Semaphore/west Lakes is dead in the water. Without any plans for this extension, it does now seem a waste that it was extended to hindmarsh at all. Given there is a train station just across the road at Bowden, access to the Ent Cent by PT was hardly an issue, so this now appears to be a complete white elephant. A shame really, because the NW suburbs really lend themselves to a light rail network using the existing outer harbour corridor. The potential of this line has never been realised, even given the CWT is baulking at more density along Port road etc. I would say any further tram extensions will be at least 10 years off now as it appears the current government has been spooked by the anti tram brigade.. (or longer if the Libs win the next state election).