The Tramways Museum

On our second day in Sydney, DH and I went to the Tramways Museum at Loftus, in Sydney's south. As a couple of 'tram tragics' it was a wonderful outing! There is a large building which houses the museum, a tram track that goes through the grounds of the complex and then travels into the adjacent national park.

While we waited for the next tram ride, we walked around the museum...trams ran in the city between 1879 till 1961 when they were scrapped.

The map of the Sydney Tram Network

One old tram was intriguing...it was a prison tram; obviously used for transporting prisoners.

There was certainly lots to see as we walked around the museum...

And there weren't just Aussie trams either...

What was verboten to wear on that Austrian tram!

Then it was time for the tram rides! Being school holidays there were lots of people...the first tram we rode on was a Melbourne tram...

Just near the museum was a control box...

And we also passed this very interesting building...(well building site really)

It was actually a sandstone façade from an old building in Sydney's CBD which has been erected in the museum grounds. Then there has been building work behind. Eventually it will be the new administration building for the museum...what a wonderful project...but expensive I'm guessing.

Interesting signs in the old tram...

As I mentioned, the tram lines go out of the museum complex and into the national park. To do this, the tram has to cross a busy highway...lights sure help to do this safely! lol

The tram following us was a Brisbane tram; destination Newmarket!

It was a class of tram known as the 'Dreadnought'. In my childhood these trams were just advertising trams'; they carried billboards on the side and went on various lines...just advertising!

But the highlight of our time at the Tramway Museum for ex tram conductor DH was this...

Yep! He was given the task of swapping around the tram's power poles ready for the journey back to the museum. And he did it perfectly even though the last time he did it, was December 1968. That's my boy!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The Good, The Bad and The Somewhat Ugly...

DH and I finished our recent holiday in Sydney last Tuesday, when we flew home. We'd had a really enjoyable time and I saw lots more of this city than I had ever done on previous trips. And even that 'tumble' I took couldn't take away any of our wonderful memories. So...back to that subject line. 

The Good...

The return of the hire car on the Tuesday morning before our flight. 

Yes the car hire company staff member couldn't have given us better service when we returned the car. And The Good continued at the airport where the Qantas staff were wonderful. Of course when we had booked our tickets weeks before, we didn't know that we would need assistance. And that's when you need to ask...not when you arrive at the airport. But that didn't phase the staff and a wheelchair was quickly found...

And DH and I got to board the plane early and get fussed over! And arrangements were made for a Qantas staffer with a wheelchair to take me off the plane at Brisbane, help DH with collecting the luggage and then take me to the pick up point...all possible problems beautifully 'ironed out'. 

The Bad...

The person who was paid to look after my veggie patch 'sorta didn't do a very good job'...hmmm very disappointing!

I hobbled around trying to save the plants...this had been my lovely mint plant..

Water every day was the request and the collage below is how I left it...especially my beautiful and healthy tomato plants...

Oh well...I can but try to save the plants.

And lastly, The Somewhat Ugly...yep! The bruising continues to appear...photos were taken on Tuesday afternoon...

And today I was really surprised to find some new bruising...it is bruising but doesn't it look like I haven't washed my feet for weeks? Lol

As requested by the Sydney hospital, I attended a local hospital here on Tuesday afternoon. More x-rays were done and according to the Brisbane doctors, they couldn't see a break...but there was obvious soft tissue damage and possible torn ligaments. I still can't put weight on it and have to continue using the moon boot when walking. But every day, the swelling gets less, as does the discomfort. Next Wednesday I have to have some more X-rays done and possibly an MRI scan if there is still pain. Even though I might have a while before it's all back to normal, it was good news that it is probably not broken. And it all happened in just a few seconds :-/. 

Yarn on Sunday...

Well...I have had a lovely day today, just knitting. What bliss to just be able to sit on the sofa and work on DsD2's throw? 

This enjoyable state of affairs has come about by a silly little accident I had yesterday. You see while I was admiring a beautiful little ginger and white kitten who was at the foot of a small set of stairs, I missed the bottom step, lost my balance and fell in a heap...my goodness how embarrassing. Lol. And a bit 'ouchy ' too as the afternoon wore on, and my ankle swelled. Early evening saw DH taking me to the Prince of Wales Hospital here in Sydney where I had the most wonderful care and attention. The diagnosis, ' mild head injury ( hit my head on the rim of a plant pot) and a small break in a bone in my foot'.

So the instructions from the doctor were rest the foot, keep it elevated, use ice and wear the 'moon boot' to walk or when I felt I needed support. Follow up will be Brisbane after we get home on Tuesday. So I have followed these instructions with 'due diligence'! 

Never let a chance to knit go by is a good motto! 

Sydney 1970...recalled..

View of Sydney through the clouds, May 2013 :-)

I have a 'soft spot' for Sydney. It was in that city that I first managed to navigate my way through a strange place when I was 18 years old. Growing up in Aussie/Italian culture, being independent was not an option. By the time I was 18 and at Teachers College, I was given a bit more freedom. So that's why I found myself travelling to Melbourne by train on a cheap ticket, with no sleeper compartment; instead it was sit up all the way (It cost $33 return ! ) . In Melbourne I stayed with a friend of my mother's.  The journey to Melbourne consisted of 2 parts; firstly a train from South Brisbane station to Central station in Sydney. From there, a traveller had to then catch another train to Melbourne.


In those days, there were 2 trains each day which left Brisbane for Sydney. I caught the early afternoon train from Brisbane, the very misnamed, 'Brisbane Express',  which got into Sydney Central station at about 7am. I remember how different the carriages were compared to the local suburban trains. They were just like ones I'd seen in movies; with the corridor and the compartments with 2 bench seats in each.  When we arrived in Sydney next morning, the  Daylight Express bound for Melbourne, left from the other side of the same platform at 7.45 am ... no problems there.

South Brisbane station as it was in 1970;  I wasn't catching that train as it's obviously a livestock train, lol!

The carriages on the Brisbane Express were like the ones in this photo found on the internet...

On the return journey, the evening train from Melbourne also arrived in Sydney early in the morning, but the train to Brisbane didn't leave until 6.33pm. Some other friends of my parents, who also lived in Melbourne had given me a small map of Sydney's CBD. These friends also  suggested I fill in some of the day in Sydney by catching  the hydrofoil to Manly.

What a find! I still had this photo taken at Spencer St Station in Melbourne.  I'm standing in the doorway of my carriage on the 'Spirit of Progress'.  How is this for coincidence? The following year when I was posted to my first school, the little boy beside me, was a student at that school. I already knew that his name was Leon because his mother was constantly calling out to him on the train!! He's a middle aged man now and I still see him occasionally at the shops! Bit spooky eh? lol

So it was, armed with this map, I walked out of Central Station, got my bearings and started off in the general direction of Circular Quay. On the recent short break that DH and I had in Sydney, I've found myself recalling snippets of details of that first visit.

Photo found on the internet of a street scene in Sydney in 1970!

I remember I walked past a Coles store (Coles variety not supermarket) and thought I'd check whether they had a cafeteria like the one did in Brisbane. They did, so I had some breakfast there. Then I continued walking and went into a few shops...I ended up buying a gift for my mum in Grace Brothers, the department store. I felt a bit tired then, as I hadn't slept very well sitting up on the train overnight from Melbourne.  I happened to catch sight of a movie theatre on my walk through the city, so I decided to go in.  I wanted to see the film but it was also an excellent way to have  a rest! lol (I'd forgotten about that until the just the other week when we were in Sydney)

After the movie I started my walk again...I remember the frisson of excitement when I caught glimpses of that famous bridge...and I kept on walking until I got to the quay! And of course I caught the hydrofoil to Manly, marvelled at sailing past the iconic Opera House, and after reaching Manly, had a walk around there and then caught the ordinary ferry back to Circular Quay.

Image of Circular Quay in 1970 (photo found on the 'net)

And then I found where to catch a train back to Central and I still have this memory of being a bit scared because the doors of the carriage had been left opened and as the train raced through the tunnels, the open door made it very noisy!  When I got back to Central , I was lost! I didn't recognise anything! I kept calm and walked outside and walked around the block. Then I found the right part of the station...I'd arrived back in the 'Suburban' part of the station but I needed the Interstate and Country trains platforms. Whew! Lol

Carriage similar to the one that I rode back to Central station  from Circular Quay

Looking back to all those years ago, I'm amazed how well I did in finding my way in a new place. The term, 'spread your wings' is an expression that means, ' to do new and different things' and I know that my first go at spreading my wings is pretty low key, compared to what others did or have done, but it's still a fond memory!

The 'old train' services such as the Brisbane Express, The Limited Express, the Fruit Express no longer run of course...passengers use the XPT service which eventually came all the way to Brisbane.

Look what I found trawling the net looking for information about the old services; an old timetable, dated 1969! Now I realise that it would be difficult to read so here is a link to the page. there are actually 2 more pages of information at that site.

So that's some memories that my recent trip to Sydney evoked :-) 

More of our recent, short trip to Sydney...

This is the view in one direction, from our motel room. As you can see, it is right in the middle of the city.

I could watch the planes in the distance, fly across that little patch of sky on their way to landing at Sydney Airport...

The next photo is looking in the other direction and looking down at Pitt St.

On our last full day, we rode on the monorail as it will be closed forever on June 30.

A view from the monorail...

The Queen Victoria Building as seen from the monorail....

Another lovely old building that we passed in the monorail...

The maritime Museum as seen from the monorail... Darling Harbour

 After travelling one circuit of the monorail route, we got off at the stop near the Queen Victoria Building and then had a wander through this magnificently restored building...

This is where we stopped for a coffee in the QVB

Then we went for a walk down the street from the QVB and came across some yarn bombing in a beautiful old arcade...

There were lots of trees wearing lovely striped jumpers! lol

 Then DH and I stopped off at Central station and viewed a display/exhibition of photos and memorabilia of the famous 'Southern Aurora' train which was a Melbourne-Sydney train.
From Central we caught the light rail...now this is where something so kind happened. You buy the tickets on the light rail and the conductor asked us whether we had one of the Seniors Concession, $2.50 tickets which you can buy at a number of outlets. We said no as when we have been in Sydney previously, you couldn't use concession tickets on the light rail. Well apparently that is changed now and you can now also use Seniors Business cards whereas before they weren't always accepted if you happened to get someone selling the tickets who went by all the rules. So...because the concession tickets can't be sold on the light rail, this conductor suggested that we get off at the next stop, buy 2 tickets at the '7-Eleven' store near there, and then catch the next tram/light rail. needless to say we did just that! lol

This is at one of the light rail stops...one of the many signs around Sydney which tell of the closure of the monorail service...

 We rode the light rail to the terminus at Lilyfield...you can see the city in the distance...

Back on to the light rail and this time we alighted at the Star Casino stop where we had lunch...

Then it was back to our accommodation for a little rest...because at 5pm we were meeting my nephew and his wife for an early dinner...
My nephew had chosen a very popular restaurant which specialises in dumplings, Din Tai Fung which was in George St. We were amazed by how many people (possibly 20!) were in the kitchen making the signature dumplings. So we  ordered a selection of dumplings as well as a chicken dish and some rice. It was all yummy and it was great to experience something a bit different. The young couple had to make their way another commitment so that was the reason for the early dinner. It was just as well we were early because when we left the restaurant just over an hour later, there was a big long queue of diners waiting for tables!

Chrissie and Gregg...

Next morning we left Sydney...here the plane is going over the northern beaches...

And here we are as our plane touched down in Brisbane!