Ironically, part of the patronage of the Blue Emu shuttle is also ground and air personnel who nowadays shuttle between work and their cars at the carpark. It would be nice if they came by tram but we'll have to be content if they use electric bus!

I should add that there are still some diesel buses on this shuttle, mainly Optare Tempos which have the same configuration - 3 doors and a section of high floor at the back, but at least they have the excuse of an engine for the high floor. When any of these buses are jam-packed with 60 or more people and luggage, the high floor and its steps is an epic problem. They're purchasing 40 more electrics so the diesels should go eventually.

Considering the buses have a fundamental design mistake (the section of high floor), the purchase of a further 40 at twice the cost of a diesel equivalent doesn't seem like a prudent purchase to me.

Tony P
---InTramsDownUnder@..., <noelreed10@...> wrote : .............................................................................
In one of the early NSW tram books, there was one of my photographs of a fifty seat N class tram (No 617 I think) at the Ascot Racecourse loops.

At that time, it was operating a shuttle service for airport personnel from the main Botany Road tram route. The Ascot tramway crossed the Botany railway at Lords Road level crossing. Sydney Airport was far smaller in the late forties.
Noel Reed.