From the Archives: Sydney's trams of the east in the late 1950's Part 1

From the SPER archives. Footage of vintage Sydney tram operations along what remained of the eastern suburbs lines in the late 1950's. This part looks at services along the Botany and Alexandria, Randwick Racecourse, Woollahra and Bondi lines. All would be closed by the end of 1960.
Clips from this film can also be seen in several chapters of the STM film "Shooting Through".
Footage taken by the late Ben Parle.

[@chrislincoln7455]

Awesome to see Sydney as my dad & his dad saw it..what a treat !!!

[@jackpallace275]

Thanks for the great vintage film looking at yesterday' Sydney. Had fun trying to reckognizing some of the areas.

[@kenwatson5562]

@ 21.30 Features east bound journey from Oxford Street Taylor Square through to Paddington town Hall on the right.

[@rangertocpt]

Very familiar scenes. Many changes since.

[@tompchromedome]

I would give my left ball to go back

[@RobertMurphy-sx8lc]

Ouch !!!

[@kenwatson5562]

@ tompchromedome No you wouldn't. You revisionist phony.

[@victorsauvage1890]

Great civilisation - But you may take heart from the fact that whatever were the forces of nature which gave rise to that beautiful civilisation - it was more evolved - and so however far this current reversal extends - some distant civilisation will move towards the same way of life and cityscape which you admire so very much! That same humane, uncomplicated, fully aware, sincere, idealistic and romantic way of life - complete with the sensitively designed architecture - will re-emerge. The grounds upon which I base my prognosis could not be more sound : Ask yourself whether a more evolved man would rather live in the society which inhabited Sydney during the 1930s to the 1950s - Or whether he would prefer to interact with the new generation of petty drudges?

[@allanritchie4243]

what gauge were they

[@nathanw7114]

Regular standard (4ft 8.5”/1435mm). Most tramways in Australia were built like this.