Forty-nine years ago, the Sydney tram shook and rattled it's way down Sydney's streets for the final time. R1.1995 operated what would be the end of an era, a very rich era in Australia's transport.
On the 25th of February, 1961, Sydney said farewell to the tram.
Most people don't even remember trams in Sydney, or were even aware that trams once rumbled down George Street towards Circular Quay. In fact, Sydney once had the largest tram system in the Southern Hemisphere, with more than double the amount of trams Melbourne has today.
So how did such a large system fall?
The post-war mentality triggered a sense of pride in petrol-powered motorcars. The bus soon became a more comfortable and faster way of travelling compared to the tram. Myths that trams took up more road-space than several hundred cars were taken as truth. And peak motoring body group the NRMA supported the closure of Sydney's trams.
Yet, amongst all that, Sydneysiders didn't want to let go, but the Government had other ideas.
The system that once ruled the Harbour city was doomed after the end of World War II.
Pitt Street, Sydney in 1949. Photo courtesy of the National Archives.
Looking back, it's amazing to see how foolish most Australian cities were in closing their tram systems. Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide are now working towards trying to re-establish trams in their cities after decades since they disappeared from their streets.
It seems that old technology is helping cities move towards creating a network that can move the masses at minimal cost. It is the humble tram that is revolutionising and revitalising transport networks around the world.
Those in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's who said that buses were the way ahead, and trams would pull us backwards, were wrong. And it certainly shows in Sydney, who's bus services are primarily modelled on the tram system.
The amount of cars and buses in the City Centre is causing a lot more congestion then what trams would. Buses now fight for space at Circular Quay, kicking passengers off a block before reaching the Quay, saying that it's the last stop.
Yesterday's Daily Telegraph published an embarrassing blow to Sydney Buses. They showed that it took 35 minutes for a bus to travel just 3.5km from the Railway Square to Glebe. THAT'S A STAGGERING 10 MINUTES PER KILOMETRE!! A tram with a right-of-way, or a "tramway reserve", would have done that in less than 10 minutes.
In fact, by the late-1960's, we were already aware of the flow-on effects removing trams would have on our roads.
One, little fact has always been passed over when comparing trams to buses, even when Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide wound down their tram systems. Buses carry less than trams.
Sydney's unique system allowed for trams to couple during the peaks, effectively making two trams run as one. One set of coupled O or P-Class toast-rack trams carried more passengers than a double-decker bus (which replaced trams in the '50s). A single R-Class corridor tram could carry more than a standard single-decker bus even today.
And quite ironically, almost 50 years to the day since Sydney lost it's trams, NSW Premier, Kristina Keneally announced that trams will make a come-back to their streets, linking Circular Quay to the current light-rail at Haymarket.
So, Mr.1940's, 50's and 60's, who's laughing now? It's certainly not the car or the bus.
Today may be a sad day in Australian transport history, but with any luck, Sydney will be shaking, rattling and rolling again in the next 50 years,
An R1-Class tram on Glebe Point Road in 1958. Image courtesy of Sydney Architecture.
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