old brisvegas tram pics

In my eyes the ideal solution to the above tram/bus discussion in Australia at least is the "O"bahn in Adelaide as the "rail" system used is similar in operation to a light rail set up but has the distinct advantage of the vehicle being able to pick up and deliver at random and transit rapidly via the restricted rail system. It can be easily built up over seasonally inundated areas such as the creeks and flood areas(or in Adelaide's case the Torrens gully) and therefore has minimal impact on existing built up areas.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...10/10/1357.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...10/10/1358.jpg
Brisbane's dedicated bus lane system is three quarters of the way there but still uses far too much common traffic-able area.
Personally I would like to see a light rail system reintroduced into Brisbane provided it use a dedicated track and not have to share with motorised traffic, but then again on the other hand, I cannot see any logical reason for further build up of a CBD in any city today, what with the advances made in communications etc., there is no great reason to have a head office requiring staffs of thousands in one central area any longer.
Perhaps if a lot of big company staff and government representatives had the opportunity to work in the area they supported then perhaps it may be possible to still buy short PJs in Qld in winter instead of being burdened with what head office somewhere down in the freezing south dictates we need.
Perhaps "Tunnels" Campbell could build a network of new tramtracks underneath Brisbane all over the place, out of sight, out of the traffic and surfacing in a suburb near you!
Regards
Glen

Glen, I have been spouting for years that no-one needs a large admin office in a CBD. With modern IT and communications your office can be anywhere.

Of course, when anyone tries to move from the CBD to a suburban or country location there is usually a major upheaval. NSW tried moving certain departments to country towns to find the majority of public servants either resigned or obtained transfers back to Sydney quick time. In the case of the Agriculture Dept. it was moved to Orange and within a couple of years virtually all original staff other than the scientists who had no option but to work for government had transferred back to Sydney. The Sydney Water Board is in process of moving from Pitt St. to Parramatta to much resentment. Likewise when NSW Rail moved a lot of offices from central Sydney to Parramatta.

I don't see any sense in people who live at Morayfield or Cleveland or Beenleigh travelling to work in Brisbane whilst people who live in inner Brisbane travel and work in those areas.

Traffic problems with trams could have been eased by banning parking on tram routes. This was too hot a potato at the time and never got through. Many streets in older suburbs had insufficient width for traffic to pass between a tram and a parked vehicle. The section of the Chermside line between Stafford Road and the terminus was a perfect example of how a tramline and a road should be built with the trams on their own dedicated section of road divided from the carriageway by garden beds. Nowadays we have lots of clearways and No Parking roads so people should be used to the idea of not being able to park outside their premises.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The ho har's

Gee Brian got a bit of time on you're hands there to find all that;)...orr just a LOT older than me to remember:p:wasntme:

Mrs hh:angel:

---

No-one is older than you

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Hi Ho Har. Did it all from memory. Dead easy. Spent a lot of time on Brisbane trams as a kid. Unequalled way to get around the city. You could go from anywhere on one tram line to anywhere on any other without having to walk more than one CBD block between lines. Idiot politicians scrapped the whole system.

---

I remember the trams in Sydney. Used to catch two trams to go to Bondi beach:) Me and young brother and mates, all about seven or eight and no adults to accompany us. Wouldn't be allowed these days:( But the trams were fun. I bet Sydney regrets removing all trams. Bloody politicians and lack of vision:mad:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by garryc

Bloody politicians and lack of vision

---

they have quite clear vision...... as far as the next election anyway

G'day Folks :)

The Brisbane trams were scrapped with a lot of help from one Johannes Bjelke Peterson,who wanted to go to Modern Buses,It would not suprise me if the Paddo fire was a job, similar to Cloudland,and a well known hotel, I too can name most of the locations in those photos,the tram in pic 1 post 1 is one of the track grinding and sanding units,down bound from St Pauls Terrace towards the Exibition grounds,possibly in preparation for an upcoming annual exibition (EKKA) as the trams returned back up St Pauls to Edward St after dropping passengers at the EKKA.

One of my school mates became a tram mechanic at Light St depot,and we would often go with him when he tested re-conditioned/overhauled trams,at night after services finished, best we got out of an "Iron Duke" 400series,4 motor, was 60+ MPH along River Rd (Kingsford Smith Drive) as we were stopped by a very irrate police Sgt. who threatened to lock the lot of us up (3 in the motormans cabin):o the blue and silver trams were the Phoenix class, rebuilt from the salvaged units from the Paddington Fire,about 46 from memory.had flouro lighting in the passenger compartments.

Did anybody spot the Cortina 240 at North Quay and the Mk1 Ford Consul sedan, in the background is the 2nd Victoria Bridge,built in 1896 the first was washed away in 1893 flood,this bridge has been demolished it had a load limit of 1 tram per span. to the left of the safety zone is the Treasury Building,now the Treasury Casino.

cheers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UncleHo

G'day Folks :)


One of my school mates became a tram mechanic at Light St depot,and we would often go with him when he tested re-conditioned/overhauled trams,at night after services finished, best we got out of an "Iron Duke" 400series,4 motor, was 60+ MPH along River Rd (Kingsford Smith Drive) as we were stopped by a very irrate police Sgt. who threatened to lock the lot of us up (3 in the motormans cabin):o the blue and silver trams were the Phoenix class, rebuilt from the salvaged units from the Paddington Fire,about 46 from memory.had flouro lighting in the passenger compartments.

---

I can remember coming back into Brisbane in the early hours from the Darling Downs in eight ton Commers doing 50+ mph down Annerley hill towards the PA Hospital and being passed by trams. Only traffic lights in Brisbane then outside the CBD were in South Brisbane at Melbourne and Grey Sts. and Stanley and Vulture Sts.

Brisbane City Council built their own trams and generated the electricity for them at New Farm power house. The Tramways Dept. ran at a profit.

When I was a kid and went to East Brisbane state school in ahem the late 50s there was a 3.05 pm "school tram" to Norman Bridge on Lytton Road
It was usually an old drop centre type and usually only the driver conductor and about 6-10 kids.
The driver used to gain speed after crossing Mowbray Terrace on Latrobe St on the straight toward Mowbray Park, and I reckon he used to get to about 45-50MpH. There was a kink in the lines about half way and the objective was to have the tram toss violently side to side as it crossed the kink.
It was great fun, and no kids were ever lost overboard.
Regards Philip A

Just been over the pictures for the umpteenth time and just noticed how much things have changed.

Not just the removal of the trams, but almost every picture had at least one servo in it and most of these servos have not only been demolished but many of the brand names no longer exist.

OH how things have changed!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Not just the removal of the trams, but almost every picture had at least one servo in it and most of these servos have not only been demolished but many of the brand names no longer exist.

---

My neighbour and I were having a few coldies one day and started to tally up the number of closed servos in the suburb, and in the bordering suburbs. We got to 24 before giving up. I am sure there are a few more we had forgotten.

I lived for many years in New Farm when it had six servos. Now there are none. A mate tells me he has to go to the the BP in Commercial Rd. Newstead, the Coles Shell in Breakfast Creek Rd. Bowen Hills, or over the Story Bridge to the BP in Lytton Rd. East Brisbane.

With the vast increase in the numbers of motor vehicles and the disappearance of fuel outlets, those remaining must be pumping prodigious volumes of fuel.