The City to Bay Tram

Adelaide, although a rather central transit point in the Australian railway system, is a quiet city. It is, however, a vibrant beautiful city with a blessed climate and a quality of life that other cities can only dream about.

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I arrived late in the afternoon on the Indian Pacific Railway from Sydney. The next morning I was scheduled to depart on the legendary Ghan railroad. Thus, after quickly checking into my hotel, I rushed back outside at 5:20 p.m. to begin my sightseeing. The curious time zone of South Australia is one half hour later than the East Coast of Australia. I was dismayed to discover that all the shops close promptly at 5:30 p.m. No worries, I had my Adelaide Transit map from the net (see link in list below) that I had cleverly downloaded and printed out. Being a rail purist, I headed directly for Victoria Square at King William Street to take the tram to Glenelg at the seaside. There I found many wonderful restaurants to choose from, and the Cadeaux De Luxe souvenir shop at 31 Jetty Road (where I fulfilled my need to buy several tram pins and patches for my collection).

Seaside Tram Dusk

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The City to Bay Tram travels 10.8 kilometers, mostly on its own right-of-way, from the centre of Adelaide to the seaside at Glenelg. The tram line celebrated its 70th Birthday in 1999.

Tram Interior

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Originally a train line, it uses H class trams built in Edwardstown, South Australia. The fleet consist of 19 or 20 carriages, half of which have been refurbished; one as a restaurant car. In 1986 the trams were changed from electropoles to 600 volt pantographs. Each carriage has 64 seats and 30 standing positions.

Uncoupling

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Informational links about the Adelaide Tramway:
Adelaide Transit Map
Route map
Info on H class trams
Adelaide Tram History
Glenelg tram line history

As a result of the above story, I have been advised that HO resin kits of these cars are available. For details, E-mail:eastaff_jd@picknowl.com.au