The Sydney Steam Motor Trams were built for and operated by the New South Wales Government Tramways of

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History

Steam trams were introduced when four steam tram motors imported to Sydney as a temporary transport for the International Exhibition of 1879. It was built at the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, United States and hauled double decker trailers conveying passengers from the Redfern railway terminus to near the Botanic Gardens. A Beyer, Peacock and Company steam tram of 1885 was sent to Australia in 1886 as a trial unit by the NSWGT for comparison against the Baldwin steam tram. The Baldwin design prevailed and this engine returned to England in 1889 to become Beyer Peacock works shunter No. 2. The engine is rumoured to have fallen into the sea on its return voyage.

Design

The steam tram motor is essentially a small enclosed saddle tank locomotive steam motor with four driving wheels in an

0-4-0 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven. The wheels on the earliest four-coupled locomotives were ...

arrangement. A wooden cab encloses the entire locomotive, which features five windows along each side. Access to the cab is through doors from either the front or back platform. The tram is powered by an orthodox locomotive type boiler, American bar type framing, conventional "D" type slide valves and spring suspension. Coke and later coal was carried in a bunker on the rear platform and water in the semi-circular saddle tank. Typical specifications for an 11" Baldwin steam tram motor: *Cylinders: 11" diameter x 16" stroke *Tractive Effort: 120 psi steam, 5,500 lb at 10 mph *Weight: 14 tons 2 cwt *Length: 17 feet 2 inches *Width: 8 feet 6 inches

Service

The Redfern to Botanic Gardens tramway was planned to operate for the duration of the exhibition. Proving so popular an extension to Randwick was opened in 1880. The peak of steam working was reached during 1894, when the length of the tramway reached 40 miles (64.7 km) when there were over 100 steam trams in service. In 1905-6 steam tram routes were replaced by electric trams with steam trams gradually relegated to outer suburbs. Steam trams also operated on regional New South Wales tramways at Newcastle, Maitland, and

Broken Hill Broken Hill is an inland mining city in the far west of outback New South Wales, Australia. It is near the border with South Australia on the crossing of the Barrier Highway (A32) and the Silver City Highway (B79), in the Barrier Range. It is ...

. The Steam Tram Motors in service were: (*) Numbers 42 and 43 were two

Kitson Kitson may refer to: People with the surname Kitson: * Kitson (surname) Other * Kitsonville, West Virginia, an unincorporated community, United States * Kitson & Co., locomotive builders * Kitson Meyer, an articulated locomotive * Kitson (store) ...

steam motors, ordered in 1881, that were unreliable in service. (**) Number 55 was an experimental steam motor, made by Merryweather & Sons, that arrived in 1881. (***) Numbers 70 to 75 were six 'Baldwin-Downe' steam motors, delivered 1883—1884, that were first bogies of combined motor-passenger cars known as 'Jumbos'.

Demise and Preservation

The last NSWGT steam motor was withdrawn from service in 1937 and replaced by a trolley bus service. Preserved trams are: * Steam Tram Motor No. 1A, owned by Powerhouse Museum The identity No.1A was applied by the Powerhouse Museum. It is actually Henry Vale & Co of Sydney built Steam Motor 28a. Makers number 52. * Steam Tram Motor No. 103a,

891 Year 891 ( DCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * February 21 – Guy III, duke of Spoleto, is crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Ste ...

at Valley Heights Steam Tramway Built by

Baldwin Locomotive Works The Baldwin Locomotive Works (BLW) was an American manufacturer of railroad locomotives from 1825 to 1951. Originally located in Philadelphia, it moved to nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania, in the early 20th century. The company was for decades t ...

in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Makers number 11676. * Steam Tram Motor No. 100,

at Museum of Transport & Technology, Auckland. Built by

in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Makers number 11885. The Beyer Peacock steam motor, known as "John Bull", survives at the National Tramway Museum.

Gallery

Image:Early Sydney Tram (2687730193).jpg, Early Sydney tram Image:Sydney tram, c.1885 (5792275734).jpg, Sydney tram with two trailer, c. 1885 Image:Steam Tram engine 'John Bull' - geograph.org.uk - 1618275.jpg, 'John Bull' Image:Sandon Point Jetty circa 1900.jpg, Steam tram motor hauling coal wagons across

Bulli Jetty Bulli Jetty at Sandon Point, was first built in 1863 and was abandoned in 1943. During that time it was used by the Bulli Coal Company in the transportation of coal from the Bulli mine to the ships for export to other destinations. D. H. Lawren ...

c. 1900 Image:NSWGT Tram Motor No. 1A Top View.jpg, No. 1A Top View Image:NSWGT Tram Motor No. 1A Platform.jpg, Tram Motor No. 1A Image:NSWGT Tram Motor No. 1A End Platform.jpg, Tram Motor No. 1A Image:NSWGT Tram Motor No. 1A Side View.jpg, No. 1A Side View Image:NSWGR Tram Motor 103A Front View.jpg, Tram Motor 103A Image:NSWGR Tram Motor 103A Wide View.jpg, Tram Motor 103A Image:NSWGR Tram Motor 103A Driving Wheel.jpg, 103A Driving Wheel Image:NSWGR Tram Motor 103A Backplate.jpg, 103A Backplate

References