I am pleased to post this scan done by Mal Rowe of my photo of the
former down (ie., northbound No. 2) tram platform at Wynyard at the
end of its life. As you can see, platforms built for trains (here and
at Milsons Point) were raised to platform level with a small step up
to the tram! No doubt someone else has posted a photo of the unique
electric indicator board which provided for the departure of fleets
of trams from both platforms alternating in the evening peak hours.

On the other side of the fence is the existing railway platforms Nos.
3/4 for the north shore line with one of the original platform
indicators for the western suburbs showing next train for Parramatta
(I think). The tramway platforms were numbered Nos 1 & 2 leaving the
tantalizing possibility of their return to use sometime - its a
parking station now and can be accessed if you are careful!

Tram working arrangements in the evening peak commenced as inbound
trams reached the tunnel entrance when drivers had to change their
destination roll to their next outward trip. Down in the tunnel, the
signalmen would see each car's outbound destination as they
approached and place trams in the appropriate platform for each fleet
of 6 minute departures. There was no shunting at the far end of the
platform (as in off-peak hours) as they were too busy just placing
trams in either platform for their departure. It must have been a
work of genius.

Groups of trams were scheduled to depart from Wynyard at three minute
intervals - busy lines such as Spit Junction and Chatswood had trams
only at these intervals because of this reason. A fleet of cars for
several destinations would thus depart alternatively from each
platform every six minutes and the platform indicator (not in the
photo) was set as the trams reached the platform to show their
platform number (ie., left/right side), and position on that platform
designated by the overhead letters A, B, C, D and E as shown in the
photo. I doubt there was any pattern that Chatswood trams, for
example, had to depart from the same platform only - just get them in
and turn them around, I guess. As soon as a tram came to a stand it
was virtually filled as it emptied of arriving passengers.

Timetable intervals for north shore destinations in the evening peak were:

Lane Cove, ev 9 mins, Balmoral/Taronga ev 18 mins; Chatswood and Spit
Junction each had them ev 3 mins, The Spit ev 18 mins, while an older
timetable showed Northbridge every 3 and 6 mins; North Sydney only
(ie Milsons Pt & N Sydney), every 3 mins.

David Keenan's book on the North Shore Lines has much more, of course.

Ian Brady