RE: Re: Adelaide 381
Brent Efford
Thursday, March 21, 2002 8:42 PM
I have visited St Kilda only once, in November 1997 when my partner and I
turned up out of the blue one Sunday afternoon. Upon announcing myself as a
tramfan from across the water I was given a very warm welcome and invited to
come on board and have a drive of several of the fleet. This included 381.
Although I only drove for a few hundred metres, the heavy feel of the car
and its poor response was immediately obvious. I fondly remember not only
the hospitality but also the fine state of the cars, the high quality of the
static displays, and the valiant efforts by AETM to landscape and otherwise
overcome the drawbacks of a site which is rather insalubrious in places.
I compared 381 with the Christchurch car I was most familiar with - 178, a
four-motor car built in 1922 and part of the 'PC' (pneumatic control)
series, #172 to 196. (Later called 'one-man' cars after conversion to OM,
single-end, configuration in the early 1930s). I believe the PC5 controller
of the restored car came from Adelaide originally. This car is inaccurately
called a Brill by Chch tramfans - only the 77e1 trucks came from Brill, the
semi-steel bodies were built locally. 178 was the first electric car to run
at Ferrymead and is now in daily service on the Christchurch Tramway, in the
city centre.
A trans-Tasman postscript - after they were last used in Christchurch in
1953, the 25 PC cars were offered for sale to surviving tramway operators.
They were inspected by the M&MTB, which declined to purchase them, no doubt
on the basis of age and condition.
Cheers,
Brent Efford
TechMedia Services
Co-ordinator, Transport 2000+ NZ
PO Box 2626, Wellington 6015
New Zealand
[email protected]
Ph (04) 801 9331, Fx (04) 801 9344
Mob 025 887 387
www.techmedia.co.nz
-----Original Message-----
From: pvawser [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, 22 March 2002 1:46 a.m.
To: [email protected]
Subject: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Adelaide 381
--- In TramsDownUnder@y..., "IS Edit" <bobmurphy2@c...> wrote:
something like 20 years ago and I don't remember it at all.
381 is currently in storage awaiting a wheel reprofile, and has been since I
joined the Museum. When it eventually happens, and I have a ride (or,
better, drive), I'll let you know.
--
Peter Vawser
[email protected]
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turned up out of the blue one Sunday afternoon. Upon announcing myself as a
tramfan from across the water I was given a very warm welcome and invited to
come on board and have a drive of several of the fleet. This included 381.
Although I only drove for a few hundred metres, the heavy feel of the car
and its poor response was immediately obvious. I fondly remember not only
the hospitality but also the fine state of the cars, the high quality of the
static displays, and the valiant efforts by AETM to landscape and otherwise
overcome the drawbacks of a site which is rather insalubrious in places.
I compared 381 with the Christchurch car I was most familiar with - 178, a
four-motor car built in 1922 and part of the 'PC' (pneumatic control)
series, #172 to 196. (Later called 'one-man' cars after conversion to OM,
single-end, configuration in the early 1930s). I believe the PC5 controller
of the restored car came from Adelaide originally. This car is inaccurately
called a Brill by Chch tramfans - only the 77e1 trucks came from Brill, the
semi-steel bodies were built locally. 178 was the first electric car to run
at Ferrymead and is now in daily service on the Christchurch Tramway, in the
city centre.
A trans-Tasman postscript - after they were last used in Christchurch in
1953, the 25 PC cars were offered for sale to surviving tramway operators.
They were inspected by the M&MTB, which declined to purchase them, no doubt
on the basis of age and condition.
Cheers,
Brent Efford
TechMedia Services
Co-ordinator, Transport 2000+ NZ
PO Box 2626, Wellington 6015
New Zealand
[email protected]
Ph (04) 801 9331, Fx (04) 801 9344
Mob 025 887 387
www.techmedia.co.nz
-----Original Message-----
From: pvawser [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, 22 March 2002 1:46 a.m.
To: [email protected]
Subject: [TramsDownUnder] Re: Adelaide 381
--- In TramsDownUnder@y..., "IS Edit" <bobmurphy2@c...> wrote:
How did they stack up in service? Any good? How was their ride?It is likely I have ridden on 381 at the Museum, but that would have been
something like 20 years ago and I don't remember it at all.
381 is currently in storage awaiting a wheel reprofile, and has been since I
joined the Museum. When it eventually happens, and I have a ride (or,
better, drive), I'll let you know.
--
Peter Vawser
[email protected]
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Outsource Your Web Design & Development with Elance
Post Your Project for FREE to access the worlds largest vendor network
Designers & Developers will Competitively Bid to get your Business
http://us.click.yahoo.com/5TNCND/N.zDAA/cosFAA/DiTxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/