Sydney R1-Class Tram
| R1-class | |
|---|---|
 R1 class at Sydney Showground | |
| Manufacturer |
Clyde Engineering Commonwealth Engineering |
| Constructed | 1935 and 1950-53 |
| Fleet numbers | 1933-2087 |
| Capacity | 56 (Seated) |
| Specifications | |
| Train length | 14.35 metres |
| Width | 2.74 metres |
| Height | 3.26 metres |
| Maximum speed | 60 km/h |
| Weight | 17.9 t |
| Power output | 4 x 40 hp |
| Electric system(s) | 600 V DC catenary |
| Current collection method | Trolley pole |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
The R1-class trams were a class of trams operated on the Sydney tram network. They were an evolution of the R class.
History
When Clyde Engineering were delivering the last R class in 1935, it was decided to build the last five as more modern corridor cars with reduced drop-centre, eight more seats, no internal partitions and one less door each side. The modified tram was called the R1 and a further 50 were ordered from Clyde. In the late 1940s, a further 250 were ordered from Commonwealth Engineering. Steel shortages delayed their construction with the first delivered in September 1950. The order was reduced to 100 with the last delivered to Lane Cove on 17 September 1953.[1]
One (2018) was written off after a single day in a traffic accident at Petersham. Most remained in service until the end of tram operations in 1961.[1]
Preservation
Nine have been preserved:
- 1933, 1951, 1979, 2001 and 2044 at the Sydney Tramway Museum[2]
- 1971 on loan from the Sydney Tramway Museum to the Adelaide Tramway Museum, St Kilda, South Australia[2]
- 1995 the last tram to run in Sydney, under restoration for static display at Rozelle Tram Depot[3]
- 1948 and 2064 retained privately
References
- 1 2 MacCowan, Ian (1990). The Tramways of New South Wales. Oakleigh: Ian MacCowan. pp. 135–138. ISBN 0 949600 25 3.
- 1 2 "Sydney Tramway Museum Fleet Register" (PDF). Sydney Tramway Museum. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
- ↑ Bought for a bargain $50, Sydney’s last tram on track for a makeover Inner West Courier 5 February 2015
Further reading
- Chinn, N (1975). New South Wales Tramcar Handbook 1861-1961. Vol. 1. South Pacific Electric Railway Cooperative Society. ISBN 9780959865967.
- McCarthy, Ken (1976). New South Wales Tramcar Handbook 1861-1961. Vol. 2. South Pacific Electric Railway Cooperative Society. ISBN 9780959865974.
External links
Media related to Sydney R1-Class Tram at Wikimedia Commons