1.
North Sydney, New South Wales
–
North Sydney is a suburb and major district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, Australia. North Sydney is located 3 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the centre for the local government area of North Sydney Council. Aborigines on the side of Port Jackson called the north side warung which meant the other side. The first name used by European settlers was Hunterhill, named after a property owned by Thomas Muir of Huntershill, a Scottish political reformer. He purchased land in 1794 near the location of north pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is now located and this area north to Gore Hill became known as St Leonards. The township of St Leonards was laid out in 1836 in what is now North Sydney, bounded by what is now Miller, Walker, Lavender, by 1846 there were 106 houses here and by 1859, the commercial centre had extended from Milsons Point to Miller Street. A bus service operated by Jeremiah Wall ran between Milsons Point and North Sydney Shops, and North Sydney thus developed its own identity, the North Sydney municipality was incorporated in 1890 and after naming disputes, North Sydney was settled upon. The post office opened in 1854 as St Leonards was changed to North Sydney in 1890. The first public school opened in 1874 as St Leonards was renamed North Sydney in 1910. North Sydney underwent a transformation into a commercial hub in 1971–72. In this period no less than 27 skyscrapers were built, the history of the North Sydney tramway system can be divided into three periods – the first from the original opening in 1886 to 1909, when the McMahons Point line opened. The second period covers the time until the Wynyard line was opened across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932, the line originally extended via Alfred St, Junction St, Blue St and Miller Sts to the engine house and depot in Ridge St. It used cable grip cars called dummies and un-powered trailer cars, a feature of these lines was the underground tram terminus at Wynyard railway station, and the tracks over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Corporations whose offices are in North Sydney include, Cisco Systems, Novell, Sun Microsystems, AGL, Hyundai, AAMI, Sophos, Symantec, Nandos and until October 2007, Optus. Unlike other major suburban hubs within the Sydney metropolitan area, North Sydney has limited shopping facilities, the main shopping complex is the Greenwood Plaza, which is connected to North Sydney station. Berry Square is another shopping centre in Berry Street, formerly known as North Sydney Shopping World, North Sydney is directly linked to the Sydney CBD by road and rail across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. North Sydney railway station is on the North Shore, Northern & Western Line of the Sydney Trains network, bus services by Sydney Buses are heavily present in Blue Street, connecting services towards North Sydneys neighbouring suburbs. The Warringah Freeway links North Sydney south to the Sydney CBD and north to Chatswood, High Street, North Sydney wharf is a wharf stop on the Neutral Bay ferry service, which is part of the Sydney Ferries network
2.
Sydney Trains
–
Sydney Trains is the suburban passenger rail network serving the city of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The network is a hybrid suburban-commuter railway with a central core that covers over 815 km of track and 178 stations over 7 lines. During weekend services trains are frequent with headways of upwards of a half-hour on outer stations with frequencies of less than 10 minutes in the underground core. The network is controlled by the New South Wales Governments transport authority, Transport for NSW, in 2015-16,322 million passenger journeys were made on the network. The Sydney Trains network is operated by a government owned organisation–also called Sydney Trains–that replaced the government operator. In May 2012 the Minister for Transport announced a restructure of RailCorp, intercity and Hunter Line services previously operated by CityRail are now operated by NSW TrainLink which was also formed as part of the restructure. RailCorp was left as the owner of the network infrastructure, in April 2013 the Sydney Trains logo was unveiled. The first expansion of the Sydney suburban network during the Sydney Trains era occurred in 2015 when the South West Rail Link opened between Glenfield and Leppington. The network will reduce in size over the years as sections of the network are transferred to the city’s metro. The line between Chatswood and Epping will form part of Sydney Metro Northwest and will close for conversion in 2018, the section of line between Sydenham and Bankstown will form part of Sydney Metro City & Southwest. This is due to open in 2024, the section of line between Camellia and Carlingford will form part of the Parramatta Light Rail network. Construction is expected to be completed by 2023, the following table lists patronage figures for the network during the corresponding financial year. Australias financial years start on 1 July and end on 30 June, major events that affected the number of journeys made or how patronage is measured are included as notes. Sydney Trains operates seven suburban lines across metropolitan Sydney, in conjunction with a new timetable released on 20 October 2013, the Sydney Trains network was reorganised with a new numbering system. The number of lines was reduced from eleven to seven by grouping some lines together, the main hub of the Sydney Trains system is Central Station, which most lines pass through. Central is also the terminus of most NSW TrainLink lines, after leaving Central, trains coming from the T2 Airport, Inner West & South Line and T3 Bankstown Line then travel through the City Circle - a ring line serving the Sydney Central Business District. After completing the City Circle, these pass through Central for a second time. The T1 North Shore, Northern & Western Line and T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line pass through the Central Business District and continue on to other areas of Sydney
3.
Central railway station, Sydney
–
The Central railway station is a railway station located at the southern end of the central business district in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Often abbreviated as Central or Central station, the station is the largest and busiest railway station in New South Wales and it services almost all of the lines on the Sydney Trains network, and is the major terminus for NSW TrainLink services. Actual patronage was 11.35 million passenger movements in 2013, there have been three terminal stations in Sydney. The original Sydney station was opened on 26 September 1855 in a known as Cleveland Fields. This station, called Redfern, had Devonshire Street as its northern boundary, when this station became inadequate for the traffic it carried, a new station was built in 1874 on the same site and also called Redfern. This was a building with two platforms. It grew to 14 platforms before it was replaced by the station to the north of Devonshire Street. The new station was built on a site occupied by the Devonshire Street Cemetery, a convent, a female refuge, a police barracks, a parsonage. The remains exhumed from the cemetery were re-interred at several other Sydney cemeteries including Rookwood, bodies were moved to Botany by steam tram motors and flat cars. The present station was opened on 4 August 1906 and opening for passengers on 5 August 1906. The new station included the previous Mortuary railway station used to transport funeral parties to Rookwood Cemetery, the last train departed platform 5 of the 1874 station at midnight. During the remainder of that night, the concourse was demolished. The Western Mail arrived at 05,50 on 5 August 1906 at the new station, Devonshire Street, which separated the two stations, became a pedestrian underpass to allow people to cross the railway line and is now known by many as the Devonshire Street Tunnel. An 85. 6-metre-tall clock tower in the Free Classical style was added at the corner of the station. The clock was designed by Richard Lamb and Alfred Fairfax, the co-founders of Fairfax & Roberts, Central station was designed by the Government Architect, Walter Liberty Vernon. It is listed on the NSW State Heritage Register and the now defunct Register of the National Estate, a riot, dubbed the Battle of Central Station, took place in 1916. Soldiers rebelling against camp conditions had raided hotels in Liverpool and travelled to the city by commandeered trains, upon arrival at Central station, the rioters set about destroying the station facilities, and fire was exchanged between rampaging rioters and military police. One rioter was shot dead and several were injured, the only remaining evidence of the gun battle is a small bullet-hole in the marble by the entrance to platform 1
4.
Buses in Sydney
–
Buses account for close to six per cent of trips each day in the Australian city of Sydney, New South Wales, forming a key part of the citys public transport system. The networks are part of Transport for NSWs Opal ticketing system, each route within these six networks is assigned to one of 14 contract regions. Each of these regions is assigned to either the Government-owned bus operator, at present, State Transit holds four regions, while nine private operators hold the other 10. In 2014-15,232 million passenger journeys were made on Sydneys bus networks, at the beginning of the 20th century, Sydneys public transport network was composed of a suburban railway and inner-city trams, both operated by the New South Wales Government Railways. These were complemented by various privately operated services on Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River. The Railways experimented with a bus service from Potts Point to Darlinghurst in 1905, but the vehicles quickly proved unsatisfactory. The citys second bus route ran from Newport, in the north of the Northern Beaches district, to Manly and this was operated by the privately owned Manly-Pittwater Motor Omnibus Company. The company did not prosper, however, and the business was wound up in 1908, the return of servicemen from the Great War in the late 1910s provided fresh impetus to the motor omnibus industry. Here, suddenly, were thousands of men with experience working with heavy vehicles – all looking for work, in 1915, only 15 motorised buses were known to operate in Sydney. By 1929, the bus fleet numbered more than 600. A private bus industry, dominated by owner-operators and small businesses, was taking shape. The Railways were also restructured, with the tram system hived off into a new Department of Road Transport & Tramways in 1932, the Department introduced its first bus service, the 144 from St Leonards to Manly, on Christmas Day of that year. Langs reforms established a structure for the bus network that was to endure for close to a century. On the one hand, the Department – forerunner to todays State Transit Authority – began to shut down its trams and build a bus network serving the inner suburbs. On the other, the heavily regulated private operators remained small-scale, but Langs draconian Transport Act held at least one benefit for the bus companies, just as the trams were protected from them, so too were they protected from new entrants to the industry. The 144 was a service, connecting trains, trams. But the Departments focus began to shift inexorably towards building its bus network, two years later, tram services from Manly were replaced with buses. In 1948, a recommendation was handed to the Department that the network be replaced with buses
5.
Epping railway station, Sydney
–
Epping railway station is located on the Main Northern and Chatswood-Epping lines, serving the Sydney suburb of Epping. It is served by Sydney Trains T1 Northern and NSW TrainLink Central Coast & Newcastle Line services, the station opened as Field of Mars on 17 September 1886. It was renamed Carlingford on 5 April 1887, and again to Epping on 7 October 1899 when it moved to its current site, an additional island platform was added in 1928. The centre track was originally a road, and was served by platforms on each side. This was intended as part of John Bradfields proposed Epping to St Leonards line, a new booking office on the footbridge was added in 1967 after the original wooden structure was destroyed by fire. In 1979, the terminating track was converted to a bi-directional main line with the platform face on the eastern side fenced off. As part of the 2000s upgrading works, the fencing was switched to the opposite platform, upgrade works began in 2004 to prepare the station for the Epping to Chatswood railway line. Works included a new concourse and pedestrian overpass, wider platforms, a transfer concourse. The new aerial concourse was constructed to the north of the 1967 concourse, the above ground upgrades were completed on 14 April 2007, while the underground concourse and platforms were opened on 23 February 2009 in conjunction with the new line. To the north of the station, a track is being laid as part of the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor project. This is scheduled to be completed in 2016, in 2019, Epping will become part of the Sydney Metro Northwest line between Chatswood and Cudgegong Road. This will involve the underground platforms being fitted with platform screen doors, as a result, the Northern Line will change again by operating from Hornsby to Central via Strathfield. Epping signal box opened on 31 October 1928 and operated the interlocking at Epping until its closure on 12 November 2006, the original miniature lever frame was replaced by an NX panel circa 1980. Control of the area was transferred to Strathfield signal box, and then to the new Homebush Control Centre in October 2008
6.
Central Coast & Newcastle Line
–
To Hamilton The line is electrified at 1500V DC throughout, and is primarily double track, although there with passing loops at Hawkesbury River, Gosford, Wyong, Awaba, and Sulphide Junction. Some services terminate at Gosford and Wyong, sometimes when there is trackwork between Strathfield and Hornsby, trains will operate via the North Shore line to Hornsby, then follow the Main North railway line as normal. The section of the Newcastle railway line between Hamilton and Newcastle was closed on 25 December 2014, until late 2017, Hamilton forms a temporary terminus while Newcastle Interchange is built as a permanent terminus. The closed section between Wickham and Newcastle is due to be replaced with the Newcastle Light Rail, prior to electrification of the route, steam hauled passenger trains were varied and interesting. From November 1929 until April 1988, the Newcastle Flyer operated on the route, after electrification, services were taken over by U and V sets. Later the U sets were replaced by K and G sets which in turn were replaced by H sets, from the time the line was electrified, services to Gosford were hauled by 46 class locomotives, their sphere of operation increasing as the wires were extended. The last electric locomotives were withdrawn in March 1998 with all services since hauled by diesel locomotives, today Aurizon, Pacific National and Southern Shorthaul Railroad all regularly operate freight trains on the line. Most all-stations trains have four carriages, with the first and last car being quiet carriages, peak-hour and most express services usually have eight cars, with quiet carriages on the first, last, and the two middle carriages. The line was electrified to Gosford in January 1960, Wyong in April 1982, as part of the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor project the following projects are underway, The projects are, A new station is proposed for Warnervale. The draft Central Coast Transportation Strategy states that construction of the new station will be completed by 2016. In October 2014 there were differences between Wyong Council and the State Government over how a strategic piece of land should be developed at Warnervale. A new station is proposed for Glendale, the Lake Macquarie City Council has requested that consideration be given to the need for a train station in the long term. This table does not include the services run via the ■ North Shore Line and extend to Gosford. Newcastle Branch line- for the line between Broadmeadow and Newcastle. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, May et seq,1965
7.
Sydney
–
Sydney /ˈsɪdni/ is the state capital of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia and Oceania. Located on Australias east coast, the metropolis surrounds the worlds largest natural harbour, residents of Sydney are known as Sydneysiders. The Sydney area has been inhabited by indigenous Australians for at least 30,000 years, the first British settlers, led by Captain Arthur Phillip, arrived in 1788 to found Sydney as a penal colony, the first European settlement in Australia. Since convict transportation ended in the century, the city has transformed from a colonial outpost into a major global cultural. As at June 2016 Sydneys estimated population was 5,005,358, in the 2011 census,34 percent of the population reported having been born overseas, representing many different nationalities and making Sydney one of the most multicultural cities in the world. There are more than 250 different languages spoken in Sydney and about one-third of residents speak a language other than English at home and it is classified as an Alpha+ World City by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, indicating its influence in the region and throughout the world. Ranked eleventh in the world for economic opportunity, Sydney has a market economy with strengths in finance, manufacturing. Its gross regional product was $337 billion in 2013, the largest in Australia, there is a significant concentration of foreign banks and multinational corporations in Sydney and the city is promoted as one of Asia Pacifics leading financial hubs. Its natural features include Sydney Harbour, the Royal National Park, man-made attractions such as the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower and the Sydney Harbour Bridge are also well known to international visitors. The first people to inhabit the now known as Sydney were indigenous Australians having migrated from northern Australia. Radiocarbon dating suggests human activity first started to occur in the Sydney area from around 30,735 years ago, the earliest British settlers called them Eora people. Eora is the term the indigenous used to explain their origins upon first contact with the British. Its literal meaning is from this place, prior to the arrival of the British there were 4,000 to 8,000 native people in Sydney from as many as 29 different clans. Sydney Cove from Port Jackson to Petersham was inhabited by the Cadigal clan, the principal language groups were Darug, Guringai, and Dharawal. The earliest Europeans to visit the area noted that the people were conducting activities such as camping and fishing, using trees for bark and food, collecting shells. Development has destroyed much of the citys history including that of the first inhabitants, there continues to be examples of rock art and engravings located in the protected Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The first meeting between the people and the British occurred on 29 April 1770 when Lieutenant James Cook landed at Botany Bay on the Kurnell Peninsula. He noted in his journal that they were confused and somewhat hostile towards the foreign visitors, Cook was on a mission of exploration and was not commissioned to start a settlement
8.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
–
The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of Sydney, and Australia. The bridge is nicknamed The Coathanger because of its arch-based design, under the direction of Dr John Bradfield of the NSW Department of Public Works, the bridge was designed and built by British firm Dorman Long and Co Ltd of Middlesbrough and opened in 1932. The bridges design was influenced by the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City and it is the sixth longest spanning-arch bridge in the world and the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 m from top to water level. It was also the worlds widest long-span bridge, at 48.8 m wide, the southern end of the bridge is located at Dawes Point in The Rocks area, and the northern end at Milsons Point in the lower North Shore area. There are six lanes of road traffic through the main roadway. The main roadway across the bridge is known as the Bradfield Highway and is about 2.4 km long, making it one of the shortest highways in Australia. The arch is composed of two 28-panel arch trusses, their heights vary from 18 m at the centre of the arch to 57 m at the next to the pylons. The arch has a span of 504 m and its summit is 134 m above sea level. The total weight of the steelwork of the bridge, including the arch and approach spans, is 52,800 tonnes, about 79% of the steel was imported from England, with the rest being sourced from Newcastle. On site, the set up two workshops at Milsons Point, at the site of the present day Luna Park, and fabricated the steel into the girders. The bridge is held together by six million Australian-made hand-driven rivets supplied by the McPherson company of Melbourne, the rivets were heated red-hot and inserted into the plates, the headless end was immediately rounded over with a large pneumatic rivet gun. The largest of the rivets used weighed 3.5 kg and was 39.5 cm long, at each end of the arch stands a pair of 89 m high concrete pylons, faced with granite. The pylons were designed by the Scottish architect Thomas S. Tait, the stonemasons cut, dressed, and numbered the blocks, which were then transported to Sydney on three ships built specifically for this purpose. The Moruya quarry was managed by John Gilmore, a Scottish stonemason who emigrated, with his family to Australia in 1924. The concrete used was also Australian-made, abutments at the base of the pylons are essential to support the loads from the arch and hold its span firmly in place, but the pylons themselves have no structural purpose. They were included to provide a frame for the arch panels, the pylons were not part of the original design, and were only added to allay public concern about the structural integrity of the bridge. Although originally added to the bridge solely for their aesthetic value, the south-eastern pylon contains a museum and tourist centre, with a 360° lookout at the top providing views across the harbour and city. The south-western pylon is used by the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority to support its CCTV cameras overlooking the bridge and the roads around that area
9.
Northbridge, New South Wales
–
Northbridge is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located 7 kilometres north of the Sydney Central Business District, Long Gully Bridge, linking the suburb to Cammeray, has become a recognised symbol of Northbridge, completed in January 1892 and purchased by the state government in 1912. The suburb celebrated its centenary in 2013, Northbridge took its name from its location, north of a sandstone suspension bridge built in 1892. It was constructed by a team of developers at a cost of 42,000 pounds. The engineer responsible for the construction was J. E. Coyle and it has been known as the Northbridge and Cammeray Suspension Bridge but is now called the Long Gully Bridge. The land where the bridge was built belonged to William Twemlow. In 1868 he purchased the land extending from Fig Tree Point to the head of Long Bay and he initially regarded the land as valueless but changed his mind when he made a handsome profit by selling some of it to an English syndicate who built the suspension bridge. Twemlow decided to build a two storey home called The Hermitage, on Fig Tree Point, from sandstone quarried on the estate, Northbridge Post Office opened on 25 November 1920. Northbridge Plaza is a shopping centre owned by AMP Capital and it is located on Eastern Valley Way, it features a Woolworths supermarket, banks, groceries, a butchery, a bakery, a chemist, and a range of specialty shops. Northbridge is also home to a several cafes and wine stores, Bonds Corner is a heritage listed building. Bus routes 202,203,204,205,206,207,208 &209 from Wynyard, in the Sydney CBD, a bus stop is located at the major intersection between Strathallen Avenue and Sailors Bay Road. At the 2011 census, 22% of employed people travelled to work on public transport, the Northbridge Progress Association Incorporated is a non-profit community organisation that has been representing the residents of Northbridge since November 1919. Today, the NPA’s activities remain focused on preserving our open space, the newsletter of the NPA is named The 202 and is published quarterly and delivered free to all residents, by a voluntary team. The schools PBEL learning program is headlined by its values, responsible. St Philip Neri School, the suburbs Catholic school, part of the Broken Bay Diocese, the school is on the same site as the Catholic Church. Sydney Church of England Grammar School, the playing fields. Northbridge boasts a fine vantage point over Middle Harbour with the harbourside parks all offering great views, elizabeth Park Clive Park, with tables, harbour views, barbecue facilities, swings and bathroom facilities. Hallstrom Point Park Roche Playground, playground, junior bike track Tunks Park, barbecues, playing fields, boat ramp, gym equipment, playground, bush tracks, extensive parking
10.
John Bradfield (engineer)
–
Dr. John Jacob Job Crew Bradfield CMG was a prominent Australian engineer who is best known for his work overseeing the design and building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Bradfield was born in Sandgate, Queensland, the youngest son of John Edward Bradfield and he married Edith Jenkins, daughter of John Ventris Jenkins, in Brisbane on 28 May 1891. They had one daughter Mary Margaret and five sons, Edward, Anthony Bailey, Alan, Stanley George, and Keith Noel Everal. Keith Bradfield, an engineer with the Department of Civil Aviation, was responsible for changes to Alexandra Canal adjacent to Sydney Airport allowing the airport to expand between 1947 and 1970, Bradfield died in Sydney on 23 September 1943. His wife Edith died in Sydney in 1954 and he received his early education in Ipswich, Queensland where he attended Ipswich North State School and Ipswich Grammar School. He then completed a Bachelor of Engineering in 1889 and then a Master of Engineering in 1896 from University of Sydney and he was a member of the Queenslanders Association in Sydney. In 1924 Bradfield received the first doctor of science in engineering at the University of Sydney for his thesis on electric railways, from 1889 to 1891, Bradfield worked for the Queensland Railways Department as a draftsman. In 1891 he joined the New South Wales Public Works Department, in 1912 he was appointed Chief Engineer for metropolitan railway construction, when he commenced his long association with secretary Kathleen Muriel Butler. In 1915 Bradfield submitted a report outlining a grand scheme for Sydneys railways involving the electrification of the railways, a city underground railway. World War I led to the collapse of all three proposals, during World War I, Bradfield worked with Professor Warren and Mr A. E. Cutler to establish the first civil aviation school, where pilots were trained for overseas service. It was not until 1922 that the Bridge Bill passed through Parliament, much of his work on the Sydney Harbour Bridge involved the assistance of his secretary Kathleen Muriel Butler, who was involved in the checking of specifications and the negotiations with tenderers. The bridge was designed to carry four lanes of road traffic, both sets of rail tracks were linked into the underground Wynyard railway station on the south side of the bridge by symmetrical ramps and tunnels. The Bradfield Highway, which is the main section of the bridge. In 1923 the first sod was turned on the city railway, Bradfield had a grand vision for Sydneys railway system that has only been partly fulfilled. Bradfields concept called for the construction of a network of underground city railway lines in association with the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a new rail terminal, Central. A larger network of lines was proposed for the western, eastern and southern suburbs however most of these lines remained concepts only and have never been constructed. The Depression, and later World War II, along with the growth of the car led to passenger numbers in Bradfields plan being grossly overestimated. The underground city loop was constructed originally as a line to St James
11.
Trams in Sydney
–
The Sydney tramway network served the inner suburbs of Sydney, Australia from 1879 until 1961. In its heyday, it was the largest in Australia, the second largest in the Commonwealth of Nations, the network was heavily worked, with about 1,600 cars in service at any one time at its peak during the 1930s. Patronage peaked in 1945 at 405 million passenger journeys and it had a maximum street mileage of 181 miles, in 1923. Sydneys first tram was horse-drawn, running from the old Sydney railway station to Circular Quay along Pitt Street, built in 1861, the design was compromised by the desire to haul railway freight wagons along the line to supply city businesses, in addition to passenger traffic. This resulted in a track that protruded from the road surface, hard campaigning by competing omnibus owners – as well as a fatal accident involving the leading Australian musician Isaac Nathan in 1864 – led to closure in 1866. In 1879 a steam tramway was established, despite several accidents, it was a great success and the system expanded rapidly through the city and inner suburbs. The Steam Motor Trams comprised a Baldwin locomotive hauling one or more double-deck carriages, a preserved Baldwin Steam Motor Tram is at the Powerhouse Museum Discovery Centre at Castle Hill and there is an operational steam motor and trailer set at the Valley Heights Steam Tramway Museum. Another is at the Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, there were also two cable tram routes, to Ocean Street and in North Sydney, later extended to Crows Nest, because of the steep terrain involved. Additionally, horse trams operated between Newtown and St Peters railway stations in the 1890s and between Manly and North Manly from 1903 to 1907 and these two instances were replacements of existing steam trams during periods of low patronage. The Sydney tram power supply system was built using New York City subway electrical equipment that was adapted for tram usage, a generating plant was installed at Ultimo and White Bay Power Stations. Service began with C-class saloon cars, followed by D-class combination cars, in contrast to other cities that started with combination cars and toastracks, then quickly abandoned them for drop-centre and saloon cars, Sydney started by going the other way. Revered though those trams were, they were deathtraps for conductors, on average, each day one conductor fell or was knocked off the footboard by passing motor vehicles. The majority suffered a fractured skull, in the three years 1923,1924,1925, there were 282,289, and 233 accidents respectively to conductors on NSW tramways. From 1916 to 1932, there were 4,097 accidents to tram employees,63 of the falls were fatal. Of the more than 100 falls reported of conductors, one died from their injuries. It was not until the 1930s with the introduction of the R-class that the drop-centre saloon tram, widely used elsewhere in Australia, came to Sydney. Even so, footboard trams continued in use until the late 1950s. By the 1920s, the system had reached its maximum extent, in many ways, the Sydney tram system was a victim of its own success
12.
Cahill Expressway
–
The Cahill Expressway is an urban freeway in Sydney and was the first freeway constructed in Australia, opening to traffic in 1958. It starts from the Eastern Distributor and Cross City Tunnel in Woolloomooloo and it then runs on an elevated section across the northern edge of the Sydney CBD at Circular Quay, and then across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to North Sydney. It connects there to the Warringah Freeway and it is named after the then New South Wales Premier John Joseph Cahill, who also approved construction of the Sydney Opera House. While being a link in the Sydney road system, it is generally not well loved by Sydneysiders. The expressway was first proposed in 1945 as part of an overall plan for Sydney. Public opposition began when the proposal was first made public in 1948, despite the opposition, construction on the elevated section of the expressway went ahead in 1955. Funding was provided by the Sydney Council and the NSW Government, work on the sunken section commenced almost straight away after that, and the additional section was opened on 1 March 1962. In June 2013, the Expressway was temporarily renamed the Tim Cahill Expressway in honour of Socceroo Tim Cahill, the expressway forms a vital link between Sydneys eastern and northern suburbs, by connecting the Eastern Distributor to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel. It allows travel directly from the airport to the suburbs without traffic signals. The traffic on the section was also reduced by half following the opening of the Sydney Harbour tunnel in 1992. The elevated section is a deck, with the top deck carrying cars. The station provides access to the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The westbound lanes dip underneath the Harbour Bridge approach road, before forming a large spiral circling the Sydney Observatory to join to the Bridge in a confined space. The expressway has a walkway next to the traffic lanes, where great views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is accessible by stairs from Macquarie St, or an elevator near Circular Quay railway station, the walkway connects with the Sydney Harbour Bridge walkway. The Roads & Traffic Authority offers tickets to view the New Years Eve fireworks from the Cahill Expressway deck through a competition, the Cahill Expressway was controversial from day one. This was an example of freeway revolt. The Sydney Morning Herald writer Elizabeth Farrelly described the freeway as doggedly symmetrical, profoundly deadpan, the sunken section of the expressway runs between the Royal Botanical Gardens and The Domain, key green spaces in Sydney
Media related to North Sydney railway station at Wikimedia Commons