Wish we could go back before 1962 and have a driver's view from the old terminus at Williamstown Road Yarraville and the other two Footscray tram routes that closed in 1962
Unfortunately very few rail fans had movie cameras at that time, but as plenty of film of Sydney exists, there probably is some of this as well, but whether it has been published, or where it might be today, I would not know.
I remember when the top end of Gordon Street had all the munitions factories and stores... a very different look today.. I also loved going to the Drive In and watching the W's trundle along behind the screen during the films...
That’s for certain! I drove trams there 1988 - 1994 and even since then a lot has changed, especially all the new low floor trams and the virtual disappearance of the W types.
It does more than that to me. While proof-checking my new videos before uploading them to RU-vid, I sit and watch them in my recliner chair. Without fail, long before the end, I keep nodding off then have to rewind a minute or two and try again! And again.....
the sharpest turn on the entire network is actually on the route 3. it's in a very weird curvy section of the route, near the terminus in Malvern East. that whole south-eastern area is pretty interesting in general, you've got the 67 Carnegie terminus which is the only curved tram stop in Melbourne, the 64 East Brighton terminus which is the southernmost tram stop in the world, and Balaclava Junction, which is the only grand union tramway junction in the southern hemisphere
Happy new year 2019! If you haven't already yet, make sure you visit www.melbournetramsuccess.com for an enjoyable read, gift or souvenir! Stay cool in the heat everyone.
Thanks! If you feel like watching some more lines, most are covered here: Melbourne Trams - Driver's Views, Rides ru-vid.com/group/PLLtOIHp49XNAm1qAXx3Oc73LehZsggS3t
As far as I know, one of only two non-radial (don't have any part of their route through the CBD) tram routes in Melbourne, together with the Chapel St trams. We used to have the 69 tram that ran from Acland St St Kilda to Cotham Rd in Kew, but that got joined up with the 15/16 tram route. And at 19:48. it's Epsom Rd not Epson. More to do with racecourses than printers.
100 or so years ago there was an isolated tramway, ?Footscray Tramway Trust operating several lines around Footscray station. During WW2 , this was connected to the 57. Around 1955 the lines beyond Footscray station were closed, the 82 being the remnant. As you say, the Chapel St line is the only other non-city line. The 69 and 16 were combined ?2000 when all the Ws were suddenly withdrawn due to brake problems, and the joining saved a few trams. Passengers found the through service more useful, so it stayed.
Thanks for that. There are quite a few obsolete suburban train lines. I used to live near the Rosstown Rail Trail which I believe ran on one trip only…from a (beet) sugar mill in Carnegie down to Point Ormond…and there were the Inner Circle (through Carlton and Fitzroy) and the Outer Circle (now part of the Alamein line I think). Do you know of any others?
I was only a short term Melburnian so I don’t know much about obscure rail history. I don’t know which one Rosstown would be, but if it does not involve a branch somewhere from Kew, this would be another.
I should have read this more carefully as I see you mention Carnegie. I could read some of your later comment, but for some reason it was inaccessible. It certainly was a short-lived line.
Very nice - really enjoyed the 'street running', - something lacking in our Country now. Even though we have a few "new" systems they try and build them on 'reserved' stretches. A short new single track piece in our town they are building is going up a 'two-way' road but they are 'banning' all traffic from it except buses - mad.
As you will see from others of my videos, the vast majority of Melbourne is street running mixed with traffic. The Gold Coast line is totally segregated except for one very short block in the middle of Surfers Paradise where cars can only run on the tram line. How is Blackpool North work going? I’m surprised that it will be single track. There should be no need to keep road traffic out of the street. How can people access their houses?
Well for a start, the road has only shops, pubs, and a church in it (right at the sea-front end) - no houses. However that does not stop people wanting to use the shops, who are either moving out due to lack of trade or complaining like mad. The Council have just received a very stiff ultimatum from the local taxi firms and are 'considering' whether they will allow them to use it. They are running at least 6 months behind with the building of it, and have now 'discreetly' removed the boards saying when it will open as they had to keep changing the date. They haven't erected any traffic lights on the promenade yet - something of a mystery as they obviously have to cross the road to go up it. We are all surprised it is only single track, - to my mind it shows that they are not expecting a very high volume of patronage, (then only seasonal). It is going to be interesting to see how many trams a day use it in the 'off season' as I can hardly see it being used for 'commuting'. In my opinion they would have done far better to run 3 or 4 short 'spurs' off the prom and into the massive car parks that are behind the streets leading to the promenade. You are of course aware that we have been without any trains into B'pool North, for the last 6+ winter months or so whilst they shut the line from Manchester in order to erect 'overhead catenary' - still being done now although 'single line' working is in place. They have for the last couple of years been talking of demolishing a large supermarket that has a very large 'multi-storey' car park on the top by the station, and replacing it with a very upmarket shopping mall - why no one knows as it will not make any space for the trams, plus I can hardly see the 'locals' patronising it. As it is the other one we have already have has vacant shops in it so I don't really see the point. If you wish I will keep you updated with our 'snail speed' work on the tramway.
I appreciate all that information but think it might be more appropriate if you contact me by email. tressteleg@icloud.com There are a few points I’m not certain of. Thanks!
Overall nice like usual but the camera began swaying a lot around 9:00 so my stomach didn't feel so good. I do feel that the section prior to 9:00 that was street running had too many turns at intersections though - when signals go wrong all of the red lights are really painful.
Sometimes a driver lets me put the camera on a little tripod in the cab. Sometimes it is not possible. Sorry about swaying but you try standing locked in place with a camera in a moving vehicle, and you will know what aching means 😊. Traffic lights largely hindering, or just ignoring trams is ‘normal Melbourne’.
I guess you mean the best tram network. Depending on what sort of places you want to go to, it is possible to live in Melbourne without a motorcar and get nearly everywhere you want to by public transport, mostly trams and trains but with buses to fill the gaps, mostly in outer areas.
Generally in the English language, a route is just one single line running from A to B. When there are several routes it is usually called a system while big ones might be called a network.
@@tressteleg1 my ans was based on the route shown in video as i am not aware of how many routes aus have anyway as per you the network covers some nice areas but i really cannot comment on how good and efficient the tram network is
tressteleg1 True. And Kew ( Cotham Rd ) to St. Kilda is another one. Did my share of trips on that one growing up in Melbourne as a kid in the 60's. Enjoy your videos very much btw. Bring back a lot of memories of my old home town. Almost like I'm back there.
Not true any more. When Ws were still in service and all were suddenly withdrawn with braking problems, the 16 University to St Kilda was joined with 69 into the one route and that still is the case today as the 16.
When I used Footscray station in the early 60s there were two further tram routes terminating by the station: Ballarat Rd, and Williamstown Rd if my old memory serves me. Also, the bridge over the Maribyrnong River was then tram only. The present combined bridge is defined here.
Yeah. Windscreens often are dirty but when taking the video it is rarely possible for me to clean them first. And we were riding the usual Z3 on the 82.
The video was recorded on a Saturday afternoon during the summer holiday season. But as I never show the interior of the tram, there is no way of knowing just how many people really were on board but it should be noted that, especially at the Footscray end of the line, the tram was stopping at nearly every stop so there must have been plenty of people on board. Don’t forget that until privatisation of buses started in the early 1990s, this tram was a service operated by one man buses Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday.