All Sydney Depots featured water tanks.

Perhaps the most elegant in Australia would have been the one at Fort Macquarie Depot (Opened10 August 1902) within the area currently occupied by the Sydney Opera House.

See https://www.google.com.au/search?q=%22fort+macquarie+depot%22&lr=&as_qdr=all&sxsrf=ALeKk01lCaE04Hp4R2yNKDa2oLLh38vAGg:1606021162499&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=99H3XOaQ02U0eM%252C3XwPqNzNloSZnM%252C%252Fm%252F07wd9x&vet=1&usg=AI4_-kStx_IDvnLQVG_5sBDN240gF99m2Q&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiuvZGHr5XtAhXTyzgGHVvKAN0Q_B16BAgUEAI&biw=1366&bih=625

The first shot gives a good view of the location of the water tank and the fifth shot shows the exposed view of the tank just prior to final demolition.

The water tank from the Enfield Depot is currently in storage at the Sydney Tramway Museum and will ultimately be re-erected at Loftus as a water tank feature.  STM currently has high pressure mains fed water sprinkler systems in major buildings.

Greg

On 21/11/2020 7:51 pm, Mal Rowe wrote:
> On 21/11/2020 18:25, David Featherstone wrote:

>> Just one question - that water tank.  What was the purpose for that?  They had mains water, no doubt hoses for fire duties and gully traps -

>>

> Fire service supply.  After the loss of the total VR tram fleet in 1906 all tram depots had high quality fire protection - and that meant having a backup to mains supply if possible.

>

> See: http://www.hawthorntramdepot.org.au/papers/pmtt.htm for the P&MTT policy.

>

> I assume that the tower at Brisbane's Ipswich Rd depot served a similar purpose - with a bit more elegance.

>

> https://tdu.to/i/74964

>

> Mal Rowe

>

>