Fort Macquarie Tram Depot
| Fort Macquarie Tram Depot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Operation | |
| Locale | Main Sydney Tram System |
| Close | 22 October 1955 |
| Operator(s) | New South Wales Tramways |
| Infrastructure | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Depot(s) | Fort Macquarie Tram Depot or Sydney Tram Depot |
The Fort Macquarie Tram Depot was built on Bennelong Point in Sydney in 1901, on the site of the old Fort Macquarie[1] The depot was constructed in the design of a fortress with castellated ramparts in homage to the previous building. The depot operated from 1902 to 1955 before being demolished in 1958 to make way for the construction of the Sydney Opera House, the site's current occupant.[2][3]
Design
- 12 tracks
- Battlement style front parapet
- Brick pediments, vents within false windows
- Roof orientation to south
Demise
With the closing of Fort Macquarie depot on 22 October 1955, most of the services were transferred to Dowling Street depot and subsequently demolished in 1958 to make way for the construction of the Sydney Opera House, the site's current occupant.[4]
Operations
The depot consisted of a 12 road shed, with loop line laid around the outside. The loop and sidings on the western side of the depot were an important lay-over point for trams serving many lines.[1] This took pressure away from Circular Quay during busy periods. Entry to the depot and loop line was controlled from a signal box located adjacent to the tracks. Nothing remains of the depot; the buildings were totally razed to make way for the Opera House.
Services from Fort Macquarie (some of these services also commenced at Circular Quay and Millers Point) were:
- Fort Macquarie to Rozelle Drummoyne Gladesville and Ryde
- Fort Macquarie to Forest Lodge, Balmain and Birchgrove
- Fort Macquarie to Haberfield, Five Dock and Abbotsford
- Fort Macquarie to Leichhardt
- Fort Macquarie to Glebe Point
- Fort Macquarie to West Kensington
- Fort Macquarie to Rosebery
- Circular Quay to Railway Colonnade
Dimensions:
- Width: 131 ft
- Length of car shed: 250 ft
- Length of building from end to end: 307 ft
- Height from ground level 36 ft
- Height from pit level: 41 ft
- Height of turret: 80 ft
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "FORT MACQUARIE CAR-SHEDS.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 22 September 1902. p. 5. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ↑ "BENNILONG POINT AND FORT MACQUARIE.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 23 February 1901. p. 11. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ↑ "THE SCENE FROM FORT MACQUARIE.". The Sydney Morning Herald (National Library of Australia). 2 February 1888. p. 5. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ↑ Tram Ride. Lockhart.olsen.tripod.com (1955-10-22). Retrieved on 2013-08-02.
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