PARAMATTA, AUSTRALIA - LINE 4 - OWEN J BRISON

PHOTOS TO FOLLOW** 

 

Some views from 2nd. April 2025 of the Parramatta Light Rail, L4, which had opened for service in December 2024. It is about 12 km in length and runs between Westmead and Carlingford. Westmead is the location of a major hospital; Carlingford seems to have been chosen so that the line could take advantage of part of the trackbed of a former heavy rail suburban branch line.  Parramatta is considered Sydney's second CBD, about 24 km west of the centre of the City. 

 

L4 is worked by 7-section battery-and-pantograph CAF cars, numbered 2161 - 2173 leaving a gap after the L1 cars (see below). The cars have a short number in the windscreen, with "10" designating 2170 and so on. The attached photos all show the centre of Paramatta with no overhead; outer sections have normal overhead. 

 

L1 was the first new tram service in Sydney since the classical system closed in 1962. It runs from Central Station westwards to Dulwich Hill and dates from 1997. It  mainly uses former goods lines and started with Variotrams  2101 - 2107 but now has 5-section CAF Urbos cars, supplemented by a few of the Alstom Citadis cars from L2/3. I think the L1 fleet numbers ran on, (with a gap?), from the original Sydney trams. The current L1 fleet is numbered 2112 and 2114 - 2124 inclusive. Nos 2108 - 2111 were CAFs hired in temporarily and I presume they returned to Spain; I got no photos of them.

  

L2/L3 refer to the two branches of the City to South East system, dating from late 2019. The cars are Alstom Citadis; they run in coupled pairs on L2/3, but single for those borrowed by L1. The Alstom cars are numbered in their own system, from 001.  From Circular Quay to Town Hall the system uses the Alstom APS ground contact system, and pantographs south of there. They can run on batteries if they come across a dead section of the APS.   

  

Photos of L4: 

 

6260: 2170 ("10") turning from Macquarie St. into Church St. 

6280: 2165 ("5") in Church St. 

 

6286: 2165 turning from Church St. into Macquarie St.

6323: 2172 ("12") in Macquarie St. 

 

 

PARAMATTA, AUSTRALIA 2. - LINE 2/3 INNER CITY AND SOUTH EAST LIGHT RAIL - Owen J Brison

 

 L2/3. This system, from Circular Quay to the south eastern suburbs, was opened on 14th. Dec., 2019. It uses 5-section Alstom Citadis cars in coupled pairs and runs along George St., one of the principal city streets. It uses the Alstom APS ground pickup from the Quay to Town Hall, with pantographs from there south. 

 

IMG_1165: Cars 002 (leading) and 001 approaching Town Hall from the south, with pantographs up, on opening day, 14/12/2019. Note the crosssover: cars could reverse here if necessary. 

 

IMG_1753. Cars 015 and 016 northbound, from the steps of the Town Hall. The pantographs are already down. 27 Dec 2019-

 

IMG_1785 shows a Citadis of L2/3 on George St. and an Urbos of L1 on Hay St. where the two systems cross: there is a connection here (used for car transfers, not public service). 27 Dec 2019.

  

IMG_5871  and _5873 were taken in George St., looking north and south respectively, near Dymocks bookshop, and show the APS contact rail. 

 

 

PARAMATTA, AUSTRALIA 1. - LINE 1 INNER WEST LIGHT RAIL - Owen J Brison

INNER WEST LINE 1 

This was the first new tram service in Sydney since the original system closed in 1962. It opened in 1997 and was extended so that it now runs from Central station to Dulwich Hill. It takes advantage of former heavy rail goods lines.  The first cars were Variotrams, later replaced by 5-section CAF Urbos units. A handful of Alstom Citadis cars from L2/3, running as single units, supplement the CAFs: see IMG_5967 and _6009.

 

At Central, L1 uses the Colonnade previously used by the "classic" tram system: see IMG_2527 and  _6009. This is on the same level as the main concourse of Central Railway Station. DSC_0198 shows a car about to enter the Colonnade while IMG_2534 shows one leaving.

 

IMG_4737 and _4738 show Variotram 2107 descending from the Colonnade (with the station clocktower visible in the former): this car is now in the Loftus museum. 

 

 

 

LISBON on 29 AND 30 APRIL AND PORTO DES FILS ON 2 MAY 2026

 We paid a visit to Lisbon and Porto for the Des Fils, only a short break this time.

 

Very nice new seats for disabled on Caris buses

A glimpse of the driving position

A view of the inside of O Marques restaurant

547 en rooute to Prazeres on route 25

 

CRICH TRAMWAY MUSEUM ON 27 APRIL 2026 - Keith Chadbourne

 Keith paid a visit to the Museum as lunchtime relief conductor.

 

Trams on roads 11 and 12

Trams on roads 7 and 8

Trams on roads 4, 5 and 6

Inside the exhibition hall

298 progressing with new panels

 

HELLO AGAIN.

Sorry for the long absence.  We haven't been anywhere trammy for months, the last holiday was in Malta. It was in December and a very pleasant break, but only a couple of the old buses running a service to Rabat. Otherwise, the excuse is that life gets in the way. Next holiday is Lisbon and Porto for the parade, so will try harder.

Kath 

SANTA CRUZ TRANVIA TENERIFE ON 25 MARCH 2026

At Intercambiador terminus about to set off to La Trinidad

La Cuesta terminus at the top of the hill - note the orange stop names

Interior shot - looks like an orange jungle!

Tranvia coat of arms

At Intercambiador terminus

Tincer terminus on the short cross route

18 at the stop after the climb with Mount Teide peak showing

 

MANCHESTER METROLINK - ECCLES ON 24 February 2026 - Keith Chadbourne

 3015 at Broadway

2008 on Eccles New Road approaching James Corbett Drive

3104 leaving Weaste

3066 and 3110 - Eccles New Road near Astor Road

3071 on Eccles New Road having left Langworthy

PRAGUE 150th ANNIVERSARY SEPTEMBER 2025

I am sorry there will be no content for this item. Due to exceptional crowds and camera problems there are no photos. Many apologies

CRICH TRAMWAY VILLAGE WORKSHOP ON 2 AUGUST 2025 - Frank Bagshaw

Blackpool Centenary car being prepared for a role as the second Access tram.

Restoration of Blackpool 298 continues. 

 

SOUTHAMPTON TRAM MUSEUM OPEN DAY ON 21 AND 22 JUNE 2025

 The tram museum housed at the Solent Sky Museum held an open day  on a beautiful sunny day. The main feature was no 11 now on its trucks and looking resplendent

ooking resplendent.

 

SPECIAL EVENT IN BRUSSELS ON 15 JUNE 2025

Triple

Goods wagon fully laden

Chemin de fer Economique no 346

301 on teh depot frontage before setting off

Chemin de fer Economique 428

Depot manoeuvres

 

 S