Post #29

 Many, many years ago I was a member of the Sydney Tramway Museum. When my modelling interest changed in the early eighties I left the organisation as basically a cost saving issue and having too many fingers in the pie so to speak. I admire modellers who have time to devote to more than one modelling interest. Sometimes it is hard to find the time just to follow one aspect of the hobby.

Having left narrow gauge modelling (though still interested and a Life member of Puffing Billy) when I decided to revisit tramway modelling I thought it would be good to chance to get reinterested in the Tramway Museum. My working days on the end of a shovel should have been utilised when both my interest and strength were at their peak back in the eighties.

Once a year the Sydney Tramway Museum at Loftus located in the southern side of Sydney have a major event towards the end of February that co-incides with end of tramways in Sydney. An effort is made to have trams that are not seen that often to get out of the shed and have a run.

The museum in its second location if located at Loftus right adjacent to the local railway station so it easily accessible by public transport. The museum is well established and quite a few hours can be had there. Exhibition halls are full of trams, many photos and other memorabilia to see.

So on the day I started my journey 40km north of Sydney. I met a friend on the way and so headed off down the north shore line, over the Sydney Harbour bridge. First stop was to be Central where a change of train was to take us down to Loftus. The prior information obtained by a 'Trip Planner' and the railways info line were the same so we had some assurance the trip would run as planned. Sydney on the Sunday was awash with many lines having bus replacements, no metro running and to top it off the day was very humid and hot. The assumed five minute transfer actually turned out to be over a half an hour (after bailing up a rail worker on the platform) Eventually a train turned up heading for the beachside suburb of Cronulla, we boarded and were advised to change at Sutherland (one station short of our destination). Getting off the train at Sutherland we then had another fifteen minute wait for a four minute trip.

We finally got there around three hours after I left my home station, it may have been hot and humid but thankfully no rain on the day. The promotion of the day seemed to have worked and there were plenty of people there and many families. Having sent my application to be a 'Friends of the Sydney Tramway Museum' member I was prior advised that my mebers card would be ready at the gate so I picked it up. Luckily this co-incided with the release of the new A4 format of their house journal 'Trolley Wire' and after seeing a copy earlier it looks an excellent production.

Having looked up what events would be available on the day I noticed mention made of a model tramway setup would be on display at the substation building. This location was towards Sutherland and a long ride on the tram would get you there. We found an LP ex Newcastle tram heading that way and after a short trip arrived at the substation building. It was great to get out of the heat and inside. There were a few remnants of electrical equipment left behind and there were various groups of other kindred interests, such as buses and ferries. And along one wall was the model tramway set up. It was made in HO scale and I seem to rember seeing it at past exhibitions in the past. It is good that it has been saved and the layout is being looked after by a group that enjoys modelling as well as the full sizes trams.

Having viewed the layout, we then ventured out into the heat again to wait for another tram to take up back the the depot area. This time we were able to get the latest tram that Sydney had purchased, it was a fully enclosed corridor car and the seats were upholstered compared with the forward journey tram that had hard wooden seats. No air-conditioning available (other than the doors or windows open), we are spoiled for choice these days.

Our two tram rides for the day

 Back at the museum and it was time to start looking for a train home. 

After a short walk to the station and a ten minute wait a train turned up and as the Illawarra train were not running to Bondi Junction, they ran around the City Circle. The planets aligned, we arrived on Platform 17 and after a three minute wait a connecting train on Platform 16 took me home. So after a frustrating start the days visit at the museum and the good connection at the end of the day all made for a great day out.