Trolley Wire February 2007

93232 TW Feb 07 6/3/07 12:12 PM Page 1 TTRROOLLLLEEYY No. 308 WWIIRREE FEBRUARY 2007 Print Post Approved PP245358/00021 $8.80* In this issue • Pioneer Electric Tramways in Victoria • Remembering Tempe Tram Depot 93232 TW Feb 07 6/3/07 12:12 PM Page 2 TROLLEY WIRE FEBRUARY 2007 AUSTRALIA’S TRAMWAY MUSEUM MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2007 No. 308 Vol. 48 No. 1 - ISSN 0155-1264 CONTENTS PIONEER ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS IN VICTORIA...............3 REMEMBERING TEMPE TRAM DEPOT...............................8 HERE AND THERE...................................................................14 MUSEUM NEWS.......................................................................17 Published by the South Pacific Electric Railway Co-operative Society Limited, PO Box 103, Sutherland, NSW 1499 Phone: (02) 9542 3646 Fax: (02) 9545 3390 Editor......................................................Bob Merchant Sub-editing and Production..........................Dale Budd Randall Wilson Adelaide H cars at the Australian Electric Transport Ross Willson Museum, St Kilda, South Australia. The line up of cars 360, 364 and 365 occurred whilst shunting 364 from *Cover price $8.80 (incl. GST) the workshop and 360 to Road 7. Subscription Rates (for four issues per year) to expire Ian Seymour in December. Australia .........................................................$A36.00 New Zealand/Asia...........................................$A42.00 Elsewhere........................................................$A46.00 All correspondence in relation to TROLLEY WIRE and other publishing and sales matters should be forwarded to PO Box 103, Sutherland, NSW 1499 The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the publishers or the participating societies. Typesetting and finished art by National Advertising & Design Studios - Canberra Tel: (02) 6231 2565 email: [email protected] Printed by National Capital Printing - Canberra Tel: (02) 6280 7477 Fax: (02) 6280 7817 Front Cover: The Sydney Tramway Museum’s H class No. 358 was trialled on the Royal National Park Line after being fitted with trolley poles. A stop for photographs was arranged during the trial run on 13 January 2007. Martin Pinches 2 93232 TW Feb 07 6/3/07 12:12 PM Page 3 TROLLEY WIRE FEBRUARY 2007 MELBOURNE’S ELECTRIC TRAMS By Ross Willson During 1890 and 1891 the Parliamentary Standing and his Worship the Mayor of Sandhurst, J.P. Carolin, Committee on Public Works of the NSW legislature Esq. Mr. Denovan kindly furnished me with a printed considered, in considerable depth, a proposal to paper … giving the following information concerning construct a cable tramway from King Street wharf, via the Sandhurst tramways: William Street, to Ocean Street, Edgecliff. In particular, the question of the possible adoption of lst. Reference to Acts of Parliament and orders in electric traction was dealt with in much detail. This Council. involved obtaining information on developments in 2nd. Conditions under which tenders for concessions Great Britain and America as well as Budapest. were invited. 3rd. Contract between the Councils of Sandhurst, In 1890, the Committee requested one of its Eaglehawk, and Marong, and Messrs. Booth, 12 members, Jacob Garrard (1846-1931), to visit Ellson, and Co. Sandhurst. He also visited Melbourne and so was able 4th. Delegation of orders for construction of tramways to inspect the nascent and pioneer electric tramways in from the Corporations aforesaid, to Messrs Booth, these cities. His detailed and candid observations on Ellson, and Co. (with consent of Governor in the two lines follow. Particulars of Garrard’s career and Council). activities can be found at www.parliament.nsw.gov.au 5th. Assignment of concessions to construct tramways or in that volume of the Australian Dictionary of from Messrs. Booth, Ellson, and Co., to the Biography covering the period from 1851 to 1890. Sandhurst and Eaglehawk Electric Tramway Readers will recall his involvement as a member of the Company (Limited) with consent of the Councils Balmain Municipal Council and as a member of the of Sandhurst, Eaglehawk, and Marong. Legislative Assembly in the prolonged Balmain 6th. Tenders marked A and B. tramway saga. Briefly the facts shown are, that, by the powers An Order-in-Council made on 4 May 1891 under the vested in the City Council of Sandhurst, the Borough Local Government Act 1890 altered the name of the Council of Eaglehawk, and the Shire Council of City of Sandhurst to the City of Bendigo. The Marong, these Councils agreed to grant certain Victorian Railways effected the same change from 1 concessions to Messrs. Booth, Ellson, and Co., September 1891. electrical engineers of Melbourne, in consideration of their constructing, maintaining, and working certain Bendigo electrical tramways, viz., No. 1, from Sandhurst Railway Station to Eaglehawk Town Hall; No. 2, from With regard to Bendigo, it is fortunate that Garrard Kangaroo Flat to the White Hil1s. The Eaglehawk line inspected the electric system before its abandonment. to be completed within two years, and the Kangaroo Press reports indicate that a half-hourly service was Flat line within four years, the concession to be for started on 14 June 1890 between the Sandhurst station thirty years, the Councils to have the right to purchase and Wattle Street and on 25 June extended to Ironbark at any time, by paying the total capital expended with Hill and subsequently to Eaglehawk. The trams ceased interest at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum to the end on 23 September 1890 because of the failure of the of the thirty years, if right of purchase not exercised accumulator system. until expiry of thirty years. Then, permanent way to become property of Councils, and plant to be taken at Garrard reported as follows: a valuation. In the event of the Councils desiring other lines of tramway to be constructed, Messrs. Booth, To the Chairman and Members of the Parliamentary Ellson, & Co. to have prior right to construct and work Standing Committee on Public Works. the same. Messrs. Booth, Ellson, & Co. to pay the Sydney, 18 June, 1890 Councils from the date of signing the contract, and until the completion of the Eaglehawk line, a rent Gentlemen, equal to £100 per annum, and when completed and in running order, a rent equal to £500 per annum, and In accordance with your request, that I should visit one-fourth of the net profits over 10 per cent. over and inspect the Electrical Tramway at Sandhurst, annum, speed to be not less than 7 and not more than Victoria, I now have the honour to report that I arrived 10 miles per hour – a ten-minutes’ service – and a at Sandhurst on Monday, June 9th, and immediately bond of £1,000 for due fulfilment of contract. interviewed the Town Clerk, W.D.C. Denovan, Esq., 3 93232 TW Feb 07 6/3/07 12:12 PM Page 4 TROLLEY WIRE FEBRUARY 2007 These rights were subsequently transferred to the I understand that, so far as the trials have gone, the Sandhurst and Eaglehawk Electric Tramway Company best results have been obtained from the (Limited), Messrs Booth, Ellson, & Co. acting as Anglo-American Brush Company’s cars. engineers to the Company. The total distance from Sandhurst Railway Station With Mr. Carolin I next visited the Company’s to Eaglehawk Town Hall is 41/4 miles, but there are offices, car-shed, and power station, which is situated 5 miles 43 chains of actual track, which includes the in Mollison-street, near the corner of Williamson- loops on single track for passing trams, the branch line street and about 300 yards from the Sandhurst Railway from car-shed to railway station, and 70 chains of Station. The buildings are one storey and built of brick double track from the station along Mitchell-street, to and iron (upon leasehold land), and there are three sets the corner of View and Barnard streets, at which point of rails running in from the street. the sharpest curve occurs, the others being very slight. The grades on the line after crossing the main street in Mr. P.E.S. Cooper, the Secretary of the Company, main street in Sandhurst (Pall Mall) are, with the furnished me with certain information, and arranged exception of one run of about 400 yards, on the Mount for a more complete inspection on the next day. On the Korong-road, rather severe, reaching 1 in 161/2, and following morning (Tuesday) I met Messrs. Booth and crossing the valleys known as Ironbark, Long Cooper at the Company’s works and made a close California, and Job’s Gullies, terminating near the inspection of the whole of the machinery and plant, Town Hall, Eaglehawk, the height at each terminal Mr. Booth freely and fully explaining all details. point being within a few feet of the same. The generating plant consists of three of Babcock The gauge of the track is the standard, 4 feet and Wilcox’s patent boilers, supplying steam to three 81/2 inches. pair of 30 h.p. vertical compound engines driving three large dynamos. The plant appeared to be fitted with all The rail is the usual girder tram rail, 45lbs. per yard, the usual electrical appliances, such as switches, &c., on transverse red gum sleepers, 2 feet 5 inches apart, with connections to the car-shed where the cells or packed on broken metal, and the surface of the road accumulators are charged, loaded, and unloaded from well-rolled macadam. There is considerable vehicular the cars. It is estimated that the engines and dynamos traffic on the road which causes a quantity of mud in are capable of developing at least 30 per cent more wet and dust in dry weather to accumulate on the rails, power than will be required for the running plant, which must prove detrimental to smooth or economical which will consist of eight cars, similar in construction running.

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