Adelaide Trams from 1965 to 1976. Silent Movie

18 Minutes

[@stevem575]

Absolutely gorgeous! So nostalgic, thank you for your gift! 😊

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍

[@ThePerson1959]

I came to live in Adelaide in 1966 from the UK. When I was old enough to go out and explore I used to travel the whole metropolitan area or buses, trains and of course the trams which I loved. I loved riding over the bridge or watching them go over the top from underneath. Goodwood was a favourite spot to observe trams and trains. I loved those days and I still miss them. Thanks so much for the post.

[@tressteleg1]

I had only a short visit to Adelaide in 1965, so really only had time to concentrate on the tram but it was something exceptional, and I say that as somebody growing up in Sydney when there were still trams on quite a few lines. We both missed the trolleybuses by just a year or two I believe.

[@rdyam]

Stunning footage of the City/Bay Tram, I wish I had a dollar for every time I rode it...❤

[@tressteleg1]

I’m pleased that you did like it. My old movie film turned out reasonably well, I thought. It’s a pity that having gone to a lot of trouble to refurbish one in silver and another in Brown, that they were soon removed from the property. Just no official interest in those fine old trams.

[@MarkHenstridge]

Another gem, it took me about an hour to watch as I had to pause rewind pause rewind and reminisce. My late brother John had a small business in Ethel St Goodwood, it was a foundry and he produced brass taps, My brother was a great deal older than me as I was born in 61 and he was born in the mid-'30s. Anyway, my father used to help my brother out on a Saturday making taps and I remember when I was about 6 or 7 my two older sisters (4 & 5 yrs older than me) would go with him on a regular basis. Once there my sisters and I would go off and explore. I being a train mad would almost demand we walk to Goodwood Station so I could catch a glimpse of hopefully some steam trains which were still around back then in the late '60s. We would walk up Leader St to the level crossing, I can remember the shop that was there but what I remember most was the single Traffic light adjacent to the railway crossing. That light remained there for a few years. Then we would get to the station and my two sisters would abandon me there whilst they would take off and leave me there for an hour or two, I was only too happy to stay there as I could see trains close up and at the same time I could see the trams on the old wood flyover above the platforms at Goodwood. At Goodwood, you could see so many clas's of steam and diesel trains unlike at my then local station "Taperoo". I think I saw my last 75 class Brill at Goodwood. Thanks for posting these important films from our past.

[@tressteleg1]

I’m pleased to be able to bring back such happy memories. Why don’t you download the video so you can view it whenever and however you like?

[@MarkHenstridge]

@@tressteleg1 G'day and thanks for the tip, just like to point out your comment on this video at 6:55 is a good call but I would say perhaps the 55 & 75class Brills should be considered for that title after all they did have toilets.

[@tressteleg1]

I only just had time to check the video location. I did not mean ‘best ever’. I meant the newest and largely the only available suburban trains at that time. If the types you mention were still running in 1965, I never saw them. But I rode a Bluebird on the last stage from Broken Hill to Adelaide and thought them to be quite nice railcars, even if uncomfortable with blazing lights and mid-seat armrests trying to sleep in the wee small hours before dawn.

[@MarkHenstridge]

@@tressteleg1 Sorry mate just a bit of tongue in cheek reply over my passion for all things railways, The 55 class Brills were introduced to South Australian railways in the mid-1920s and the 75 class Brills two or three years later. They remained in service until 1971 sufficient stock of Bluebirds and Redhens built to replace the Brills. The build of Redhens to replace the 55 class Brills commenced in 1955, the last one built was in 1971, the Bluebirds mainly replaced The 75 class Brills. In 1965 you could have caught the Outer Harbor train and change trains at Glanville for the Semaphore train. This very short trip down Semaphore Rd to the beach was mainly assigned to two 55 class Brills until 1971, so for nearly 50 years the Brills served us well.

[@joeldecoster8816]

omg, i lived in rose tce and would take the tram to goodwood primary school.I remember waiting for the tram to come home at the goodwood stop looking for it to come into view over the hill in the distance.wow....we had a conductor then...and the driver would help you with your pram.And you could take your bike if you stood at the back, like the buses. what a simple life .In the days where i would do this commute at the age of 5, on my own.

[@RGC198]

Wow!! Excellent video. Thanks for sharing. My dad visited Adelaide back in 1974 and at the time the H class Glenelg trams were changing their colour scheme from silver to brown. The Adelaide to Glenelg line was the only surviving line in Adelaide after the remainder of the system closed in 1958.

[@tressteleg1]

😊 I always thought that the silver looked very smart.

[@Marc_von_Hoffrichter]

Thanks for the memories mate. Remember these scenes oh so well. Went to Immanuel College from Goodwood on them. The old wooden Goodwood flyover!

[@tressteleg1]

👍

[@reboot5598]

This ... is amazing

[@tressteleg1]

😊👍

[@theflaca]

Fear not! The tram has returned to Adelaide and passes along North Terrace. Small Steps but they will return.

[@tressteleg1]

Yes I know the system has grown a fair bit in the last 20 or so years. It’s a pity they don’t give the trams any traffic light priority in Adelaide city streets. It sounds like you have not seen this video mine. Glenelg Tram Traffic Priority kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3Tcen-DrLyJeKs

[@christopherlovelock9104]

Fascinating video I've never seen Adelaide ones before, - they don't appear to carry any city crest or name on them which surprises me for the Capital of Australia. Photo's will be sent after this weekend of the trackwork that is going on. Sorry for the delay, 1st my camera had the hiccups, then it wouldn't upload to my computer, I think we are OK now, so I will write after the weekend.

[@tressteleg1]

No I don’t think in silver days they carried a crest. Same with buses. No worries about photos.

[@christopherlovelock9104]

Smart looking trams though, didn't see any buses in your video. Re photos, in the end I got my son in law to upload them for me, - success, - now all I've got to do is sort them, (that is the in-focus ones from the out-of-focus), and I will send you an email with all of them together with some interesting news, and yes it is going to be twin-track.

[@tressteleg1]

A lot of buses replaced the rest of the tram system in 1958. Victoria Square is right on the southern edge of the city commercial/shopping area. The buses were more in the city heart, and generally went in other directions. I’ll await your photos 😊

[@christopherlovelock9104]

Hence the large tram depot I presume. You'll certainly get the photos quicker than we will get trams running up to the station, estimated starting date now 2021.

[@tressteleg1]

The depot had many roads but I think it was only 2 trams deep. In earlier times the H cars ran on 1 or more other routes. Then over the years the fleet was reduced in size bit by bit as loadings declined. So not all those roads were in use at the closure of that depot.

[@davidbarnes1563]

Did Adelaide get influenced by an American trolley car?There's a tram in the Seashore Trolley museum in Maine from the 'Third Avenue Electric Railway' which looks like the H class

[@tressteleg1]

The SAR certainly had an American input, and it’s possible that the tramway did also. Even more like the H cars are the St Charles streetcars still running in New Orleans, but the Hs were somewhat faster. There are probably plenty of other US examples like the H class.

[@VoyagersType]

the time when Glenelg tram line survived the closures and remained in operation.

[@tressteleg1]

I guess it survived because it ‘did not interfere with central city traffic’ nor spoil the image of ‘a modern bus city’.

[@shenysys]

Did the tramline used to run into Morphetville race track ?

[@tressteleg1]

Not into the racecourse itself, but there were several sidings on each side of the main line outside the entrance as you saw in the video. As more and more people went by car, tram usage to the races fell off and today there is no need for storage sidings there. Anyway with the new tram depot almost next door, any race extras could simply run back into the depot.

[@matthewmassarotti2596]

r there any left?

[@tressteleg1]

2 were totally restored a couple of years ago in Adelaide. One silver, one red. They ran a few times but are now stored off the system. Tram museums in Sydney, Bendigo and Adelaide have one or 2 each. There could be a couple elsewhere. I don’t think any were burnt or otherwise destroyed and went to private or government owners here and there.

[@matthewmassarotti2596]

@@tressteleg1 oh i c, i was curious thats all, but thx for the info

[@davidcroft9320]

pity about the Brisbane tram service, thanks Clem J for your corruption and theft NOT!!! - it was a wonderful service

[@tressteleg1]

Agreed. I never forgave him.