There is a book that I bought a few years ago by Lydia Gill, Sydney in the
1930s (NSW State Library, 1993 reprinted 2000), that comprises the
reminiscences of the author who grew up in inner Sydney and, aged in her
20s, worked in the city during the 1930s. The story concerns all aspects of
life in Sydney but the trams are interwoven right through it because
they're what people used to get around and take them everywhere. There are
some absolutely gorgeous photos of trams in their settings and an excellent
detailed city map with tramlines from the State Library collections, most
not normally seen in the public arena. Some of her observations:

The trams with the long running boards along which the guards walked
risking life and limb not to mention pneumonia and the welcome arrival of
new corridor trams leading to happier and healthier guards and more
comfortable passengers - and the step up to the tram was lower.

Trams, trains, ferries and buses that ran exactly to timetable except for
the Clovelly tram that always seemed to be scarce and late.

Constant repair work on the tramlines that meant excavated tar-covered
jarrah paving blocks being left by the roadside where people would send
their kids to collect them and bring them home for the fireplace.

The coupled crossbench trams that held ten seated and five standing in each
compartment [that answers a long-unresolved question!] that swelled out to
twenty people at Easter Show time, football and cricket matches and
racedays at Randwick, when each coupled set would have at least 300 on
board. On these occasions, the two guards would be joined by a third one at
some stops who would board on the offside and collect fares on that side
too (people boarded trams on both sides in Sydney).

The advent of the [Potts Point] trolley bus which swayed like the Manly
ferry and whose poles seemed to spend more time off the wires than on.

As the Elizabeth St trams came to the terminus at Circular Quay, they had
to be swept out, windows and doors closed if necessary and quickly
inspected before they left. Some doors were really in need of some oil and
the canvas doors worked well in theory but not in the rain.

There was a tram for every suburb and did they move the crowds. "I wish
they could come back again'.

The author also visited Melbourne where she found that the fares were
cheaper and the destination display clearer, but the cable trams rarely
came to a complete halt at stops.

Tony P
(sharing a read)