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Sydney Steam Tram Motor No.103A Valley Heights Steam Tramway |
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Builder |
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania USA |
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Builder’s Number & Year |
11676 of 1891 |
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Wheel Arrangement |
0-4-0ST |
The NSW
Government Tramways had an extensive steam tram network in Sydney at the
beginning of the 20th Century, with operations provided by 122 Steam Tram
‘Motors’ hauling bogie passenger trailers. Other steam tramways were established
around New South Wales in Newcastle, Maitland and even far-flung Broken Hill! In
addition, Steam motors & trailers provided passenger services on some routes
that were later upgraded to suburban railways, notably the Sutherland to
Cronulla line. Over time Sydney’s steam trams were replaced by electric
tramcars, with steam operations retreating to isolated routes such as Kogarah -
Sans Souci. Many surplus steam tram motors were disposed, finding further use
at construction projects or as industrial shunters. (Refer to Steam Tram Motor No.1A for a broader overview of Sydney’s
steam trams.)
Steam Tram Motor
No.103A was among those based at Kogarah at closure of the route to Sans Souci,
which was converted to electric trolleybus operation in 1937. Together with 31A
and 131A it was sold to Waddingtons / Commonwealth Engineering Co at Clyde
where it worked as a workshop shunter until 1953. Fortunately, it was saved for
preservation by the formative Steam Tram & Railway
Preservation Society at Parramatta Park, where for many years it shuttled
up and down on their operating line to the park gates near Old Government House.
No.103A received a
thorough rebuild and repair under contract at the NSW Rail Transport Museum,
Thirlmere in the late 1980’s before returning to service at Parramatta Park.
Tragically, an arson attack at the Parramatta Park site on 7 June 1993 destroyed
their significant collection of historic wooden rolling stock; I have never
forgotten being greeted by this shocking news on return from a train-spotting
holiday in Tasmania. Among the stock destroyed were original Sydney Tram
Trailers 74B and 191B, together with a magnificent antique railway carriage
that had served on the NSWGR’s tramway-style operations. No.103A's wooden cab
was totally incinerated but the locomotive itself was salvaged from the ashes,
together with steam loco 1022, with both
delivered to the NSWRTM Thirlmere for refuge and assessment.
The Parramatta Park
site was abandoned after the fire, with the Steam Tram & Railway
Preservation Society relocating to the former NSWGR steam locomotive depot at
Valley Heights. Here a new locomotive shed and workshop has been constructed,
and a beautiful and accurate replacement cab prepared for No.103A as part of
its restoration to service – a literal phoenix rising from the ashes!
Replacement steam tram
trailers were also sought out by Steam Tram & Railway Preservation Society
volunteers. If I recall correctly, two trailers were found at Broken Hill in
the state’s far west – where the dry climate probably assisted their survival –
and were transported to Valley Heights for restoration. In a cruel irony, these
two trailers were then destroyed by ember attack as a bush fire swept through
the Blue Mountains. Undeterred, volunteers located another two steam tram
trailers Nos.93B and 72B which had been incorporated into a house in Berowra.
Trailer 93B has now been restored for use at Valley Heights, and I believe the
second 72B – together with a reproduction double-desk trailer (built in 1951 on
the frame of electric tram K746 for the Waratah Festival parade) – is slowly
being repaired. The Valley Heights Steam Tramway website provides good
information about the history and restoration of Steam Tram Motor No.103A, the two tram trailers salvaged from Berowra, and the double-deck trailer.
Shown on this page are
several photos dating from my visit to Valley Heights during the running day of
8 October 2006. I also have fond recollections of happy days visiting the
original Parramatta Park site prior to the disastrous 1993 arson attack, and I
would greatly appreciate the contribution of additional photos of No.103A and
indeed the ST&RPS collection in those days for addition to this website.
No.133A
Among the eclectic
collection at Parramatta Park was No.133A, a rather curious addition to their ‘Steam’
Tram exhibits! No.133A was a reproduction Steam Motor built by the NSW
Government Tramways Randwick Workshops in 1957 – apparently using a
road-wheeled float or similar tyred chassis - for use in the annual Waratah
Festival, replacing the historic No.1A which had previously been displayed on a
float in the festival parade. No.133A passed to the Steam Tram & Railway
Preservation Society, Parramatta Park in 1975, where the road wheels were later
replaced by a simple 4-wheel chain-driven rail chassis. I wasn’t aware of the
existence of this odd vehicle until I encountered it one day at Parramatta
Park; walking towards the depot the tram was approaching - “ah, No.103A” I
thought – but as it got closer, I observed an unusual chugging sound, the clank
of a chain drive and the oily smell of diesel fumes! Such was my discovery of
No.133A.
Alas No.133A
was destroyed in the 1993 fire but I believe I saw the chain-driven 4-wheel
underframe among the charred steel remnants stored at Valley Heights.
This information board
at Valley Heights provides historical information for steam tram trailers Nos.93B and 72B.
The two steam tram trailers Nos.93B and 72B were recovered
from a house in Berowra, as detailed in this information board.
This earlier view (courtesy of Mark Newton) shows 103A in
steam at Parramatta Park, coupled to an original steam tram trailer.
Alas the Parramatta Park operation and collection of
historic wooden tram and railway rollingstock was destroyed by arson in May
1993.
103A hauling happy visitors at the ST&RPS Parramatta
Park, Sunday 16 March 1975.
The passenger stock comprises an early
Sydney C-class electric tramcar followed by a more historically appropriate
bogie steam tram trailer!
The tramway destination roll at the front
of 103A reads ‘Old Govt House’.
This photo was kindly contributed by & copyright to
Stephen Moulton from his wonderful Images
of Railways Elsewhere site.
1022 shuffling around the shed fan at ST&RPS Parramatta
Park on Sunday 16 March 1975, with No.103A alongside.
The loco appears to rolling forward,
having uncoupled from the steam tram trailer behind.
This photo was kindly contributed by & copyright to
Stephen Moulton from his wonderful Images
of Railways Elsewhere site.
References
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a |
N. Chinn
& K. McCarthy ‘New
South Wales Tramcar Handbook 1861 – 1961, Part Two’ Published
by the South Pacific Electric Railway Co-operative Society
Limited, Sutherland, NSW, 1975 ISBN
0959865977 |
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b |
Burke, D ‘Juggernaut!
A Story of Sydney in the Wild Days of the Steam Tram’ Published
by the Kangaroo Press, 1997 ISBN 0
86417 902 2 |
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c |
Wikipedia
page for Baldwin Locomotive Works, |
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d |
Baldwin steam tram No.1A, 1879 2021, Museum of Applied
Arts & Sciences, accessed 15 December 2021, |
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e |
Model of Sydney steam tram and cars by Bob Cutcher 2021, Museum of Applied
Arts & Sciences, accessed 15 December 2021, |
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f |
Information provided by Mark Newton via email, 18 February 2002. |
Page updated: 3 September 2022
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