North Sydney's Tramlines (And A Never Built Railway) 

We lived in North Sydney when I was a child, and as we didn't have a car we travelled everywhere by train and tram. I suspect I would be one of the very few people here who can claim to have travelled by tram, many times, across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as well as on many of the other lines depicted here. Great video, brought back many happy childhood memories. Thanks!

I remember my dads (1931-1993) stories of the trams, but I had no idea the network was so extensive. 🇦🇺🙂

So we put in tramlines, then we rip them out to make room for motorways and six lane arterial roads, then we put a much more limited network of tramlines back in a few spots but we call it Metro Light Rail this time around because that sounds more fashionably modern than "trams"... such progress! :) Thanks for this interesting look at some almost forgotten local history. The comments are full of interesting bits and pieces too! Watching this has prompted me to go and use google maps to solve an old question regarding the sidings behind Luna Park and the loop of train line around Lavender Bay. I used to eat my workday lunch in the parklands down there, and I always wondered about this cool looking bit of elevated line which runs over a viaduct and disappears into a tunnel under King George St in McMahon's Point. A quick scroll with Maps reveals that the tunnel is only a short one - about 250M - which comes out on the other side of McMahon's point adjacent to French street. The single line then runs up the east side of Berrys Bay before joining the North Shore line just south of Waverton. I presume this spur used to serve the wharves and warehouses at what is now the Luna Park site on the eastern side of Lavender Bay/western side of Milsons Point. There were a bunch of the decommissioned Tangara commuter sets parked up there when the latest google maps image was taken. Anyway, always wondered about it and now I know, thanks to being reminded about it by watching a random video about Sydney's transportation history. So cheers for that!

Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed your presentation. I grew up in the 1950s and lived at the George's heights army married quarters. Dad was a sergeant major. The trams from Mosman turned left at Gordon St. and terminated at Balmoral beach. That was about 400 metres from the the George's heights turn off. From there the private "blue bus " took us to George's heights and then then went to the navy base Penguin. The fare was one halfpenny!!! How times have changed. I miss those days. Thanks again God Bless

Thanks for producing these amazing videos on Sydney's trams! My Mum grew up in Willoughby and told me many times about catching the tram to Chatswood and then the train to school, as well as getting the tram to Balmoral Beach on the weekend. The whole system was long gone by the time I visited Sydney as a boy and I've always been fascinated by how Sydney must have looked when trams were the major form of road transport. Your videos give a glimpse of how it was back then.

I remember my mum taking me to the city and visiting stores like Anthony Hordens, Gowings and Marks & Spencer's on the tram. We lived on Willoughby Rd and the tram stopped right outside our door. Going across the bridge you could see the mothball fleet anchored by Taronga zoo. I also remember them pulling the tracks up and the noisy smelly Leyland Tigers that replaced them.

Wouldn't mind a tram down to Mosman Bay Wharf again...The current 230 bus schedule is designed to line up with the Ferry arriving, but almost every time you come into the wharf, they drive off before you have a chance to alight from the ferry!

That ride down Parriwi St brings back memories......

Really interesting. Thanks very much. I remember when I first moved to the North Sydney area in the mid 1980s that there were very odd starting times for the Sunday masses at St Mary's North Sydney (in Miller Street, opposite North Sydney Oval) e.g. 7.40am or 9.10am. I asked one of the older priests about this. He said that the strange starting times were a relic of the tram timetable that had been in force at the time when the trams were removed. Masses had been aligned with the arrival of the trams coming up the Miller Street hill.

If it had been left as it was Sydney's transportation to the north shore would be some of the best in the world between Trains, Trams, Buses and Ferries. So many less cars. I still think the bridge should return to having trams on it and down military road

Great video as always, can't wait for the next one.

Memories for a childhood tram traveller. Thank You.❤

Getting rid of trams in Sydney was a bad idea. Now they're putting them back in.

Just imagine if they had been kept and modernised just how much more pleasant North Sydney would be. What truly fascinates me is just how (deliberately?) badly transport is designed.

Maybe I missed it but the Wynyard tram terminus was underground and the only underground tram terminus in Australia. Wynyard station was build in an excavation, with Wynyard park put on top when finished. As mentioned there was a proposed Northern Beach railway line that did not go ahead and trams instead crossed the bridge. They went into the tunnel to what was going to be platforms 1 and 2. It is why Wynyard stations start at 3. When the trams stopped in 1958, the tram terminus was walled off from the rest of the station and converted to a car park for the Menzies Hotel. The Cumberland St exit from the car park used the old tram tunnel. The entrance was from Wynyard Lane behind the hotel in Carrington St.

An interesting and informative video, Thank You. The maps are really good for illustrating the extent of the systems. Too many automobiles these days, I am nostalgic for the trams.

That was so interesting!! Thank you for the wonderfully made documentary on a part of Sydney's great history!!

What a shame the line to The Spit, and beyond, was closed. It's much needed today! Great video, thanks. I even saw my apartment in one shot! 😀

I think the bus stop shed near the bathers pavilion at balmoral was a tram stop.

9:11 There was a connection from the North Shore rail line to the tramline at St Leonards Station, and it survived until the redevelopment of St Leonards Station in 1990. I have seen a photo taken in the 1920s I would assume of a steam tram motor towing a rake of three O Class trams on the North Shore Line near Artarmon. From 1934 onwards transfer of trams over the rail lines ceased and that "Lizard" vehicle took over.

I live in the Lane Cove area and this is very interesting, thank you

Another great video. One tiny detail, I don't have the Keenan books but Ian McCowan's book says Northbridge was cut back to Falcon St in 1948 rather than 1958.

Thanks for another great video!

Without doubt 1 of the greatest stuff ups ever getting rid of trams

Revitalizing Pacific Hwy would be good (so far a freeway bypasses it up until Lane Cove). Between North Sydney and Lane Cove put back a tram line (possibly extending it to the zoo), widen the footpaths, remove car parking (replace with off-street parking underground or behind stores) and make the road a destination rather than an eyesore.

7:24 damn it! I can't believe there was a former tram line that went past my old house, without me even being aware of it until today. Edit: the 225 bus takes the route of the Cremorne AND Neutral Bay lines nowadays

The "tram bridge" was built for northern beaches trains. It would take them to North Sydney Station and to branching tunnels inside the tunnels north of North Sydney station,

Hi there, my mum was a conductor on the trams running out of North Sydney during WW2, it was noted in a Journal a few years ago, but I have not been able find it, it stated that she was one of the first to do so, her name was Grace Barford, maybe you might be able fine it, cheers Gary Barford

Hi Marty, Thanks for a great video. The North Sydney tram lines were always a favourite with me. I especially enjoyed crossing the Harbour Bridge in the trams. This seemed to be very unique for the trams, especially with them using the tunnel to Wynyard station. Incidentally, on Wynyard station, it was easy to see the trams from the railway platforms, as it was just divided by a wooden fence, similar to in a backyard. Anyway, take care. Rob in Melbourne Australia.

Very well done!!! Despite all my knowledge of the Sydney Tramway system there is little even I can add to your coverage, except to say that there is "right of way" visible beside the road as the trams made their way up from the southern side of the Suspension Bridge to Clontarf. Also there used to be a painting of an O class at one of the waiting shelters at Balmoral Beach. Aside from the tunnel portals visible under the Cahill Expressway, that's about all I can think of to add to this video. 🙂

Mate this is an excellent video and excellent content! Detailed, and straight to the point. Well done and hope your channel grows as I continue watching with great interest

Just discovered your channel and have subscribed. I like the historical stuff including the "then and now" comparison photos.

Great video 🙏🏻

Originally, the tram up Miller and Falcon St was a cable tram, with the engine in The Independent Theatre building, so I understand. Streets like Falcon, which once had trams, are often the finest, well graded, and broadest of streets.

Great video! I think you said that the bridge from Nth Sydney station to the east side of the Hbr Bridge was built because it was decided to run trams instead of trains there. But my understanding is that the proposed train line would have crossed it into Nth Sydney station anyway (that’s why the station has 4 platforms and has tunnel stubs built in preparation for the northern beaches train line). Are you saying the bridge would have been built differently or more strongly if the trains had gone ahead?

Good work on this series! I always wanted to do something like this. I have all of David R. Keenan’s books on Sydney’s trams.

Good history about the tram lines, but where's the bit about the never-built railway line (in the title)?

Apart from a couple of brief mentions, you seem not to have covered the Georges Heights route - only open for six years! See p.47/48 in "The North Sydney Lines" by David Keenan.

Do you plan to do a vid on the trams to the western suburbs...e.g Dulwich Hill terminus, Canterbury, Belfield, Belmore etc. Spent a lot of time in trams till Askin ripped them all out in efforts to 'modernize' Sydney...now Sydney has gone full circle and put trams back in some areas.

Great vid. Just curious that the map says Tarconga Park Zoo instead of Taronga Park Zoo. But a minor detail.

Sydney had the best tram system in the world.

Marty, love this interesting history. Are you available to give a talk to a seniors group in Sydney? If so, please advise contact details. Thanks, PhilC

The Pacific Highway used to be called Lane Cove Road, not Longueville Road.

it still amazes me how Sydney had the answer to the current traffic issues today and it was removed. So sad and stupid. Melbourne has a lot of new advanced trams. If only sydney kept the tracks at least it wouldve been much easier

We're still so lucky to have such forward thinking politicians , not.

Yyy You're wrong spit rd didnt connect at Mosman Junction

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Thanks Marty a wonderful look back to the good old days cheers bob.🚊🚉🍺🤠