This was around 1947-8 when it became obvious the tramway was to be closed, and what they wanted was some of the new R1s on order from Com-Eng.

The system was in poor shape with deferred maintenance on rolling stock and track, and as at least an ambit claim they wanted nice new trams, not crap “new” trams that were already old like the LPs were when they got them. The council was prepared to pay for the track renewal if they could get the rolling stock.

You have to admire their optimism in thinking this might succeed.

Tony

> On 12 Sep 2023, at 13:52, TP historyworks@...> wrote:

>

> I believe Newcastle wanted to take the Rs/R1s from Sydney when Sydney finished with them. That would have been some tram system if it happened.

>

> Tony P

>

> On Tuesday, 12 September 2023 at 13:23:05 UTC+10 Tony Galloway wrote:

>

>> On 11 Sep 2023, at 22:11, TP histor...@... <applewebdata://25032ABA-CC1C-46B8-84D1-F04B2126AF5C>> wrote:

>>

>> Brisbane is the only city-run operation in Australia.

>>

>

> Brisbane is the only capital with a single city-wide council.

>

> Newcastle also has a city-wide council and wanted to take over the state government run trams and buses, and retain and modernise the trams, after WW2, but the state government knocked them back.

>

> Earlier the council lobbied hard for the Newcastle tramway to be electrified, partly achieved in 1923. Otherwise it would have most likely suffered the same fate as the Maitland and Broken Hill tramways, which closed in 1926 along with Arncliffe-Bexley and the remnant government line at Parramatta.

>

> Tony

>

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