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Vintage Tramway Festival 2021

On Sunday the 28th February 2021, the museum held its annual vintage tramway festival; the first event day at Loftus in over a year, as COVID-19 effectively ruled out any further events for 2020. This year commemorated 60 years since the closure of the original Sydney tramway network on the 25th February 1961. Trams operating on the day were LP 154, N 728, O 1111, P 1497, R 1740, R1 1979 and R1 2001; operating for the first time since its return to traditional Sydney green and cream. Also running were a selection of the museum’s works cars including Overhead car 99u, Scrubber 134s, Essanee Grinder 3 and Breakdown car 141s. These operated along Tramway Avenue at given intervals during normal passenger runs. The day saw extra display areas set up as well, with the Sutherland Substation once again available for public viewing, along with Variotram 2107, currently residing in the running shed. Additionally, a large number of visitors from fellow enthusiast groups joined us during the day too, with Transport Heritage NSW operating the F1 single deck suburban set to Loftus station, and the Australian Rail Historical Society arriving in a vintage single deck bus from the Sydney Bus Museum, after holding the first tram tour in Sydney in over 60 years. Overall, visitor turnout was quite satisfactory, and the day closed with a recreation of the final Sydney tram convoy, operated by our three corridor cars. We thank everyone involved for helping to make the day as successful as it was.

Below are a selection of photos taken during the event by museum members Michael Hatton, Matthew Geier and Martin Pinches. These photos have been put into three individual galleries, and sorted according to the individuals that took them.

A time-lapse of the festival, filmed by Matthew Geier