Newsletter of the Ferrymead Tramway Historical Society Inc P. O. Box 1126 Christchurch TTramram TT ractsracts August 2008 Taylor family sees former bach transformed hen Mr Ivan Taylor donated habitable condition when the was the interior. And on Sunday 10 August, we the body of what started life as removed. Secondly, could such a much were able to show Mr Taylor and members Wdouble deck tram No 26 to the altered relic possibly be restored to a of his extended family that we have almost society, he had two good reaons to be working tram? finished delivering on the second. sceptical. Firstly the tram had been Well, having removed the tram from It was a great pleasure to entertain incorporated into the fabric of the family the house, we delivered on the first the Taylor family, many of whom had bach at the mouth of the Ashburton river condition by working over several travelled up from Ashburton specially for and one of the conditions was that the bach weekends to close in the gap where the tram the occasion. As well as inspecting 26, they would have to be returned to good and had been, and even redecorated much of had a ride in No 1 and enjoyed one of Phillis’s sumptuous afternoon teas. Fortunately the weather was fine and warm but the previous wet spell had left its mark under foot. The story of 26’s extraction from the house is a story in itself and will doubtless be told when the car is launched into service. Left: the party outside the tram barn, Mr Taylor sixth from left. Lower left: Mr Taylor in front of the nearly completed tram. Inset: the bach at the Ashburton river mouth. The windows of the tram are clearly visible. Annual Dinner The Society annual dinner will be held on Sunday 28 September at 6-30pm at the “Garden Restaurant” 110 Marshland Road, Shirley. Prices are as follows. Adults $24.80c Senior Citzens $22.80c (with suitable ID) Children (5 — 12 yrs) $1.20c per year of age. Please either ring Phillis on 3524872 or email her [email protected] before Tuesday 23 September with numbers so she can comfirm our booking with the restaurant. Next work party The next work party is scheduled for Saturday 20 September 2008. Formal work parties are held every third Saturday of the month but there are also activities every Saturday and on Monday evenings. Editorial address: Joe Pickering, P. O. Box 17, Woodend, North Canterbury 7641. Phone 03 312 2578. Email [email protected] 2 Ferrymead Tram Tracts, August 2008 The “Talking ” of Bendigo ALLEN HARBROW continues his peregrinations in Australia

talking tram? Is this a ‘Thomas’ weekend or something? Well, no. It’s the Acommentary you get as you tour the City on Bendigo Tramway’s vintage tram tour. I’m told from a reliable source that the talking trams concept came from the Bendigo Tramways first newsletter Tram Talk. The commentary tells you about the ‘golden past of the City founded on Australia’s richest goldfield’. The tour starts at the city end of the tram route which is at the Central Deborah Gold Mine, another city tourist attraction, and makes its way through the city on single and double track to an old Chinese Joss House in Northern Bendigo. The Motorman and who staff each tram are dressed in smart, almost European style uniforms, dark blue with red trim, that replicates that of the Electric Supply Company of Victoria which undertook the first operation of trams in the State. Battery trams were the first trams in Bendigo after overhead wires were deemed to be too messy, but they were underpowered and continually derailed. Within three years they were replaced by steam trams. However, by 1903 progress dictated that the steam trams should be replaced by electric traction and so the first little electric four-wheel trams commenced service. In 1972, after nearly 70 years of operation, the tramway closed down and, the Bendigo Tramways tourist operation began. Back to the tour—about halfway through the tour, the tram stops at the original tram depot which houses a number of operational trams and some under restoration. The tramway boasts a collection from Bendigo, , Geelong, Adelaide, Sydney and elsewhere and it includes a few Birney Cars, similar to the two from Invercargill that we have in our sheds awaiting restoration.. They have a well equipped and roomy workshop and undertake restoration work under contract for other tramway preservation groups. Bendigo Tramways run a Restaurant Tram on Saturday nights and there was much interest in how our one in Christchurch was operating. Some of the work on the Christchurch Restaurant Tram was done in the Bendigo workshops, so we have a connection of interest there. My thanks to John Ritchie and Rob Fisher (pictured), motorman and conductor on my tour. Also to John Penhall who took me on the depot tour.

Top: Bendigo Tramways Birney 30 (ex Geelong) Middle: John and Rob with Melbourne SW5 Class No 808 Bottom: Adelaide H Car 369 alongside Bendigo Tramways No 21. Photos: Allen Harbrow Ferrymead Tram Tracts, August 2008 3 Origins of Tracts Duckhouse seats... DID YOU KNOW that the first issue of Tracts was produced by Dave Hinman in September 1967? It was done on a spirit duplicator called a Banda machine which could produce typewritten or hand written script or line graphics, even in a variety of colours, but not photographs. Unfortunately our copy of Vol 1 No 1 is too faint to reproduce but we had slightly better luck with Vol 2 No1 of January 1968 by which time we had graduated to use of a Gestetner duplicator. In those distant days newsletters were produced using the common or garden typewriter and achieving a professional looking layout was a difficult and time consuming process. We were, however, fortunate to have the services of Ian Spicer who not only typed the text, but did so in such a way that the lines were right justified. Headlines were created using “Lettraset” stick-on letters. For graphics, a special stencil was needed, and to the only person we knew who was able to produce these was the Anglican vicar of Leeston to whom a visit had to be paid whenever the events of the day merited the inclusion of such sophisticated features. The tramway opening 40 years ago clearly did!

Below: the official opening of the Ferrymead tramway was brilliantly reported in the second issue of Ferrymead Tram Tracts.

One of the ex Duckhouse seats referred to by Stuart Hobbs in his article last month. Photo: Barry Marchant ...and a tank stand for Kitty

Some time ago THS came into the possession of a tank stand. Alex has been working away to make it serviceable and it is intended to erect it by the Square Shelter to provide water for Kitty. A very appropriate addition to our landscape. Rumour has it that one John Shanks has suggested a working hydraulic ram be installed to supply it! Photo: Barry Marchant 4 Ferrymead Tram Tracts, August 2008 Cable car trailer forges ahead A warrior bold Left: Don Mc Ara, This is an extract from an watched by Linda article by the then general Fox, applies paint to manager Frank Thompson, Mornington cable published in 1930 in a car trailer No 111 booklet entitled back in June. Photo: Alan Roi Christchurch Tramways— Official Review of Progress Below and bottom: and Development. The story Progress is evident has become part of the as signage is starting to appear on this car Christchurch tramway thanks to Don’s folklore. diligence and skill. rs Knight was her name. The Photos: Barry Marchant [New Brighton Tramway] MCompany acquired the freehold of a strip of land 66 ft wide extending from Breezes Road to Bexley Road on which lay the line. Adjacent residents were given an easement over this land for access purposes. Mrs. Knight, having some grievance against the Company, exercised this “ right-of-way “ by leisurely driving a horse and dray along the tramway track while business men on the “ business” tram trip into town impatiently followed in her train. On other occasions she and her sons barricaded the road. One moonlight night with tram thus “held-up’” the warlike lady put gorse stick to shoulder so effectively that the outside tram passengers sought cover with haste. The old lady chuckled greatly while reciting this incident to the writer. The Clerk of the Magistrate’s Court crouched under the tram stairway. A leading Customs Agent of the day dived headlong for the ditch, emerging later when quiet on the western front was restored, in a humorously bedraggled condition. When the Tramway Board “took over” in 1906 they were required to purchase this freehold. In due time they gave the land to the Heathcote County Council for road purposes. Their generosity was rewarded by finding this short cut patronised by first the bicycle and then the motorcar competitor, but their cup of woe was full when this gift of road of theirs was in later years used by an opposition motorbus. Get Tracts by email. You’ll get it sooner and in full colour—and you’ll save the Society money! Contact Barry Marchant, [email protected]