Sensational-Adelaide.com

I arrived in the City early at 5 to 8am and even at this early stage, things were beginning to happen. The final barriers were being put up at City West stop for a start. Big photo special today obviously with some V.I.P. shots (23 shots total).


As I have already said, Flexi 102 and H class 351-367 made a final test run down the extension empty 3 and a half hours before the official opening run. The set is seen passing Adelaide Railway Station.



Returning to Victoria Square after running and shunting in the single track section at Morphett Street Bridge. Flexi 102 is heading towards City West terminus.


101 and 102 stabled north of Grote Street intersection. Later on, 101 would run bang road into Victoria Square stop as the lead tram in the procession.





351 and 367 at Victoria Square stop and being 'dressed up' for the occasion. As a side note, 351 was also naturally enough the very first tram down the Glenelg line in 1929. Also, it was almost 78 years to the day (two days after to be precise) since it made it's very first test run. Certainly has stood the test of time.


South Australian Police brassband playing in the marquee.



2 section flexi and H class cakes before being cut.


The Hon. SA Premier Mike Rann making his official opening speach.


Plaque unvailed with Mike Rann and Transport Minister Patrick Conlon.


Mike Rann and the head of the Portland Transit Authority cutting the H class cake. In either 2003 or 2004, Mike Rann made a trip to Portland, Oregon to have a look at the light rail system there which is where the idea for the Adelaide extension came from. Like our extension, during construction and even for a short time after opening, it suffered nothing but jeering from the press and the public but is now a much loved part of Portland. I assume the same will happen here.


Major Projects Manager Rod Hook and Patrick Conlon cutting the Flexi cake.


351 and 101 before the historic journey.


The view from the window of 351. The H set had shunted out of the DOWN platform and moved to the UP side allowing 102 to move in. Soon, it made the same manoveur as the H set.


Rolling along with 102 in close pursuit along the northern half of Victoria Square.


The flood of people off both trams plus the welcoming party at City West.


101 and the H set at City West. 367 and 351 soon afterwards returned to Glengowrie depot for the day.


The H set returning to Glengowrie while 102 which had been held up at the King William Street/North Terrace intersection roles down towards the Terminus.



111 on one of the shuttle runs through the northern tip of Victoria Square.

normangerman: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Upload

Will, fantastic shots. We expected nothing less of you!

Here are a few more...

Lucky invitees on H351/367


Flexity 101 up ahead: viewed from 351 with motorman David in the mirror obviously enjoying himself


Flexitys loading, shunting, and generally having a good time in Victoria Square


Another North Tce shot

some of your photos would be excellent on wikipedia.. But i'm not sure what licensing rationale I would put on there if I were to use yours.

Claiming that they are my own work and release them to the public domain would avoid the bots from deleting them, but it wouldn't exactly be truthful

Im so greatfull that the struggle for adelaide to progress is easing off.

Bring on some more trams.........lets start that city loop extension!!!!

When you think about it, our CBD is very similar to melbourne and they have much success with their trams so I think we would aswell.

Nice pics guys

Cant wait to start using it for uni now rather than those crappy unreliable B lines!!

Listen to ur wife mike and bring on more tram extensions haha!

Video Time!

101 leaves Vic Square


351 leaves Vic Square


102 leaves Vic Square


More 102


Nine News report


ABC News report

Great pictures and great coverage all of you guys.

Top video work too normangerman !

Howie wrote:Great pictures and great coverage all of you guys.

Top video work too normangerman !

Thanks Howie. And well done to Will as well.

Tomorrow I'm heading out again in the early morning to do some more video and picture work, I hope it won't be too dark.

I may also try to get some sound of the station name announcements if they're on board yet.

More TLE opening pics at or near City West. http://www.xaragmata.thebbs.org/album/t ... index.html

Adelaide was truly alive, with the TLE opening, Feast for the Senses in Elder Park; the Riverside Precinct has a lot of potential.

Excellent work to everyone that took photos yesterday and has kept us up to date throughout the project - yesterday must have been like Christmas for some of you guys.

I really wish I was in town to see it for myself, but you've helped get me as close as possible without being there.

Good to hear that this appears to only be the beginning. Knowing someone who works pretty high up in Transport SA, I know that they've got big plans on the drawing board, so let's hope that this government sticks around long enough to put them in place, or the libs, whenever they get into power again, stop politicking for the sake of it and do it themselves.

From the 'tiser:

City tram first step in Rann's dream
MICHAEL OWEN, JILL PENGELLEY
October 15, 2007 02:15am

THE State Government has "advanced plans" for future tram and light-rail extensions across Adelaide's suburbs.

But if the new city tramline extension opened yesterday proves a hit with commuters, the priority is a further extension to create a city loop through Gray St and Light Square.

Premier Mike Rann yesterday said that option was his "dream", before extensions to Port Adelaide, Norwood or North Adelaide. He wanted to see how people reacted to the new extension before committing to further projects.

"Ultimately I've always seen it (the new extension) as the first step," Mr Rann said.

Transport Minister Patrick Conlon said future tram and light-rail networks branching into areas such as Port Adelaide, North Adelaide and Norwood "will happen because they make sense".

"It is true we've got quite advanced plans for a number of options but the problem is when you're the Government and you announce even a study, people take it as a promise," he said.

Mr Conlon said he hoped the train system would be converted to a light-rail system within the next decade.

"The concrete re-sleepering work sets a base for doing that and that will mean the Outer Harbor line, the Noarlunga line and most of the Belair line will be suitable for conversion," he said. "I have no doubt that one day we'll turn those rail systems into light rail and that will add huge value along the corridors."

Judging by yesterday's interest in the new city tramline extension, the Government will be given the mandate it clearly seeks for further rail projects.

From Victoria Square to UniSA's City West campus, people lined the streets to wave and take photographs of a sight not seen for almost 50 years.

The first tram stopped near the Town Hall to collect Lord Mayor Michael Harbison and at Rundle Mall for paralympian Libby Kosmala, and was met at City West by UniSA vice-chancellor Peter Hoj.

After the pomp and ceremony, the trams were opened to all for the rest of the day.

Travel on trams between South Tce and North Tce will be free and will replace B-Line buses.

On weekdays, between 8am and 6pm, trams will run every 7.5 minutes. At other times, the longest wait will be 20 minutes.

Regular timetable services begin this morning.

Thanks for posting those Norman. I saw all of them except for Channel 9 so thankyou for posting that. I have already commented the video as such on youtube but in the video of the H set leaving Victoria Square, in the third window after the 'SPECIAL' desto on the side of 351, you can see me with my head out the window. "Forward in the spirit of progress".

Good Work guys


Thanks to all who have kept us up to date with the latest developments regarding the tram.. The pictures are amazing and the amount of people showing up to this opening is indicative of the public support that this venture has!

My worth on the matter, i think it is important that the there is a type of inner city coverage first, so that you can traverse between all areas of the CBD. Get people and cars used to dealing with the trams...Then when that is done extend out toward north adelaide, norwood, unley, port adelaide.

Seeing that I never catch the tram to adelaide uni as it used to be too far, I made my first regular trip this morning.

It was much better than catching a very slowwwww bus that crawls up anzac hwy the cbd streets each morning. Word of warning though folks, during peak hour the trams are MONSTER PACKED!! there were I reckon a few hundred people on the tram and everyone was crammed on like sardines and it felt like being on a melbourne tram in peak hour. People were being rejected from marion road approaching the city, however there was a tram following the one I was on so it worked out orite.

Overall it was a very fast ride and a service you dont have to plan your life around like our trains. I personally think they underestimated the extra patronage that would be using it so hopefully they might (and probably should) increase the amount of services.

I cant wait till other areas can benefit from the excellent service provided by light rail. Norwood/eastern suburbs, Pt Adelaide, the west, even the north east through the obahn should be put on it in the future.

Ive been on the new tram service....who wants to touch me?